Too many mornings, I chose email over mediation, I chose twitter time over introspection time. Too many nights, I collapsed into deep sleep without taking a moment to quiet the mind and reflect on the day. Too many days in 2010, I chose impulsively rather than consciously. The heart longed to make meditation a ritual, a habit, a permanent part of daily life and yet, the body and the stubborn mind won the negotiation game far too often. I love doing – prolific living is the essence of a productive, rich, and creative life. But doing does not complete us without the being.
Even reflection on a fantastic year of accomplishments, new friendships, exotic travels, and beautiful memories begs for what I can do better tomorrow, next year, and for the rest of my days. After all, it is about evolving to our very best self one tiny habit at a time. Some habits come harder than others and it means one thing only – we need them all the more so giving up or giving in is out of the question. Period. We simply change the game. We simply alter the approach. We refine and rebuild and restart and rediscover. We do it as many times as it takes until habits are born and are here to stay.
An intent to renew my cup of meditation, however many times it may take. And these days, the most amazing audio tracks I have found in Re-Awakening, which is done by one of my friends whose voice takes me to an absolutely heavenly place and for which I am a proud advocate and affiliate.
Who meditates, you wonder? Anyone and everyone. Meditation is not an exclusive ritual for yoga teachers and Buddhist Monks. Meditation is not a religion or a cult or voodoo magic. Singers and dancers meditate before a performance. Pro-football players meditate before a game, even if they don’t admit it. Soldiers meditate before going into battle. Entrepreneurs meditate to quiet their mind and focus on a single strategy or plan. Smart executives meditate before making serious business decisions. A big group in India just finished a mediation session and a yoga class somewhere is about to start one.
Ordinary people like you and me – we too can, and I argue should, meditate.
Schedules fall apart when it comes to meditation especially if you have no particular routine in your life. Trust me on this one. The lifestyle departure from the norm has its ups and downs. The creative mind rejects scheduled appointments and on top of it all, regular travel to different places brutally tests your intentions.
I let meditation slip by for the most part but you cannot say I didn’t try. I tried to read and study meditation. I tried to commit over and over with partial success. I tried to schedule it daily. I tried to keep track of every session. I tried to encourage myself to work up to twice a day. I tried to convince myself how tremendously beneficial this is for me. I tried, I tried, I really and truly did try.
Try. A lousy word, try. I have a mind of banning it in my vocabulary altogether.
Didn’t I learn anything from Master Yoda? Do or do not. There is no Try.
You cannot schedule meditation any more than you can schedule happiness, falling of tears or a burst of joy. It just has to happen. You don’t schedule emotional fulfillment – you live in such a way that you open the door and let it flood you with its intense beauty. You just remove the obstacles and enable it to materialize right before you.
This master plan of daily mediation gone awry has its brilliant benefits. You learn a few things. Like just how painfully challenging it is to sit still day in and day out for even a few fleeting minutes. You learn that it’s not easy to meditate and you stop making fun of it if you ever did – even just to yourself. You start to see that the path to self-realization is the most difficult, painful, and life-altering one you will walk.
it takes courage to listen to the quiet of your mind.
it takes work – serious hard work – to quiet that mind to begin with.
it takes a will to get to know the self, the real raw pure self.
it takes tremendous commitment, the kind you cannot even begin to imagine but one you have in you. we all do.
it takes self-discipline but the softer, gentler kind.
it takes believing that you gain time, not lose time.
it takes faith, and it doesn’t care if you are religious, agnostic, or a lost soul searching for answers.
it takes being brave enough to look at – and not turn away from – what comes to surface – be it weaknesses, bitter memories, inner demons, insecurities, pain, low-self-esteem and all the burdens you’d rather shove down deeper than see clearer.
Seriously, meditation asks a lot of you. It demands your entire attention and focus only to ask you to let go. All that centering and breathing only to get all worked up when emotions resurface, a natural human reaction. Then it teaches you to regain it again, to feel at peace with the transitions, inside the gaps, on the edges of your consciousness and in the depth of your thoughts.
Meditation asks you to do nothing and think of nothing when indeed you are doing your most important work of all.
It is during this magnificent process where growth sprouts and you find yourself a tiny bit closer to who you really are. First things first though: Do you even know care to know who you really are? I ask because meditation makes you transparent to you – I know of many people who are just as happy hardly knowing themselves and I can’t really blame them. I certainly thought I knew myself inside out and all around. Not so.
Meditation shows you your true colors and begs you to look deeper beneath the surface. It quiets your ego to inaudible level and reminds you that life is not eternal and living in the present is not just a hip New Age word. It whispers to you that self-reflection, prayer, and introspection are ago-old adages for a reason. A good reason. Explore them rather than miss out on them.
Meditation does not have to happen in a lotus position. It can happen standing or laying down. It can happen while you wait, while you gaze at Mother Nature, while you listen to your own breathing, while you reflect and look inward. It can happen when you rejoice quietly, when you let problems roll over your shoulders, when you smile and find you are the only one smiling in a tough situation, when you let go, when you accept, when you relax.
Mediation happens when you learn to take in the glory of your present moment and simply be.
Mine is still a beautiful work in progress. I intend to see it through.
What about you? Have you meditated this year? Have you ideas and thoughts on meditation to share with us?
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{ 114 brilliant comments, Care to add another? }
Farnoosh,
This is so, so interesting for me to read – as this year, I did begin practicing meditation. And so, I also know the challenges of making this a daily practice, even when it’s only for a few minutes.
I have personally found that early morning is a good time for me to meditate, and when I do – it just starts my day off in a very peace-filled state. Not that every day is completely peaceful – it’s that when I’m in a peace-filled state, I am much more aligned with “me”, and the moments that come up in my day – they become so much easier to “be” with, as I come from that place within that is more focused in peace.
And all of that said, it’s a challenge. It’s a challenge to do this daily – even when I know the deeply good benefits I feel because of these few minutes. Just this past week, I think I’ve probably meditated on 3 of the 7 days. So, I love this today – and it helps me to renew my own practice…one I know is so good for my soul.
Farnoosh, thank you for this, and for sharing as openly as you have.
Lance, I remember when you first told me you were going to take your yoga class – and not that yoga and meditation need to be bound to one another but it does start us on that path. Early morning is supposed to be the best time. In fact, the ideal time – Abubakar told me – is right at the time when dawn is breaking in. There is a powerful energy in that moment when darkness disappears and a new day starts. Of course that time shifts between seasons and months but alas so do our habits. I know exactly what you mean on good intentions but failing at times during practice. Let’s renew the vow for 2011. First things first, introspection and daily meditation. Lovely to hear your thoughts first and foremost here, dear Lance, thank you!
Hey Farnoosh. I meditate daily. Even when I don’t have time or am running around I observe breaths to help me calm down. Now a day, after I clear up my mind, miracles are happening.
Just a five minute of meditation is also helpful. You can just enjoy the freshness and newness when you come back after meditation
Jaky, so so nice to see you after such a long time – and everyone here is showing me how important it is to do it daily. I am super impressed by your commitment. I meditated this morning and I can’t argue with what you are saying. Thank you so much for sharing this, I am encouraged to do it even more now!! Nice to see you here.
Farnoosh, if you practice yoga, I’d like to read an article on this on your site!
Thank you for your manifesto
Yes, plenty of yoga articles. Just search the archives or go to Archives page, Expand, and see all the yoga articles or Videos page for yoga videos. Glad you liked the manifesto, Rinatis!
Farnoosh,
You know, it’s so interesting that you mention yoga – as I about mentioned it in my comment above, too. The yoga class I take is a very active yoga (which is both challenging and so, so good!). When we’re done, we finish with savasana – which is very much meditative – and something that I always look forward to and just really use that time to connect more deeply with myself.
So, yes – I DO renew that vow for 2011 – to make meditation a priority in my days…
Hi again dear Lance, you must be doing power yoga which is so good for you and yes, Savasana is meditative – especially before going off to sleep (if you are in it long enough and if you are relaxed enough). Let’s do renew that vow for 2011 (although I started today with my RPM sequence
)! Thanks for coming back, Lance. I am very impressed with your yoga commitment!! Keep it up!
I cheat a little and use Holosync [which is fabulous] but listening meditation is better than not meditating at all and is as close as I’ve come to Theta Healing without doing the work [grin]
Once again… a terrific article Farnoosh… and close to my heart as well. Yoga makes me who I am. Mentally Physically and Spiritually. But it’s the “spiritually” that really captivates me… yoga and meditation keeping the soul connected to the inner and outer world in such a magnificent way!
Thanks Farnoosh
Hi Jean, I had to look up Holosync, it sounds really nice!! Of course any meditation is better than none. As you know from my words here, I think many styles, forms and shapes are acceptable if one only reflects in the quiet of the moment. I do need to look up Theta Healing too.
So so glad you like this – and I didn’t know you enjoy yoga as well. You know, Jean, I started yoga just for the physical and I am still in awe of those gorgeous poses – but it’s not complete without the meditation. Of course your closing words surpass anything I say here. You are most welcome and thanks for sharing your thoughts!!
Hi Farnoosh! I love your manifesto. Meditation is how I start my day before I do anything else. I got this from a Deepak Chopra workshop, it’s called RPM (rise, pee, meditate). If I don’t do exactly that, I get distracted by life and meditation ends up never happening. I’m now trying to incorporate an afternoon meditation but haven’t quite figured out exactly when to fit it.
The pics are amazing. I love that you do your won pics. Maybe I’ll try it some day. Loving blessings!
Andrea, you cannot begin to imagine the conversations I had around RPM with my husband, and when I said it has to be done in that order, I was in stitches from laughing as he warned me *not* to do it in all the other orders
! No matter, this is sticking with me. I am going to start doing this. There is no way I am skipping P so I might as well add enormous benefit to my day with M! Deepak is brilliant and you are an angel for sharing these here with us today. I am so glad you like the photos – again, this one is my husband’s artwork. He smiles proudly. Thank you thank you!
Hi Farnoosh, thank you for another great post. The last paragraph capture in a way what I see that meditation is. Meditation to me is being present in the now wherever you are and at any time. If you only meditate at the same time and at the same place every day it´s more of a ritual than actual meditation. A tip is to check out Jeddu Krishnamurti for more thoughts on this.
Dear Tom, so nice to see you here – you are very welcome. It’s nice to see that you also see meditation that way. It sometimes take me a while to understand that I can let go of the intended way to do things and just find a way that works for me. This is interesting though, about same time same place creating a ritual – because Andrea (above) told us the RPM and even though it can be different places (depending on where we rise) it is still a ritual. Do you see something not good about having meditation as a ritual (if it’s not exclusive to that ritual – as in, we have the ritual but we also meditate at other times and in other ways). Curious. Thanks so much!
Hi Farnoosh,
I had to stop in and say hello – especially when I saw the word meditation in your title. I cannot recommend meditation highly enough – it is the one thing I wouldn’t and couldn’t give up in my life. It has changed me so much over the last 25 years. It’s a very gradual change, but one that like the water flowing over rocks smooths the rough edges from us. We find a calmness and peace within that is ever present. I’m so glad you are speaking about it here.
Dear Angela, hello yourself. I am so glad Meditation pulled you in here and I had no doubt you have this in your life especially since you are so – so – in tune with your intuition and what I call “6th sense”! But it’s really nice to know that you have been doing it so long. Oh the water over the rocks, that’s beautiful. It’s hard to believe that change happens but the water is so persistent. I need that persistence. I am going to make it work better next year. Thanks for the encouragement so much!
Hello Farnoosh, thanks for sharing your thoughts about meditation. When I first got started and even every now and then, I would face difficulty with getting into silence. My mind would refuse to quieten down. So most certainly, I can relate to what you’ve shared.
Meditation is now a regular part of my life. I have gotten many benefits from meditation. I have even amazed myself with long sittings, not being aware of how time has flown.
Most certainly, it is a practice that we should incorporate into our daily lives.
Hi Evelyn, so so nice to see you and of course, I knew for sure that you also see meditation as an important part of life. You know, I am so glad to hear – well not that you had them but that we share – the difficulties….I am much better at quieting the mind but I still have hesitation doing it. Almost as if the quiet now makes me too happy and too comfortable and then I may lose my edge on the fast paced life….I wonder if that makes sense. Glad to hear I have an advanced practitioner to reach out to as I go through the next phase of meditation in my life. A million thanks!
Hi Farnoosh,
Thank you for this beautiful and encouraging post on meditation. As you know, meditation is a daily part of my life. It’s the key to happiness and wisdom. I wouldn’t miss it for the world, but I do understand the challenges people face trying to establish a meditation practice in these busy times. I facilitate a weekly online meditation course. I notice how most people go through a predictable cycle. It’s very challenging at first, but most people seem to slip into a new way of being with meditation around about week 4. It’s so beautiful to see.
I wish you the best of luck in establish your meditation practice in the coming year! You can do it!
Dear Sandra, I know you are the queen of meditation and that you do it with your eyes open, which I have tried a couple of times and enjoyed it to my surprise! Hmmm. So so good to know about people slipping into a new way of being – I love that – ok I can definitely give it four weeks and I may come to you for help. So lovely to hear you are spreading the meditation message even further and as always, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts here with us, Sandra!
Hi Farnoosh,
It is always easier to choose other activities over meditation. Seeing how active you are on twitter, I know this to be true for you haha!
That aside, it is true that evolution happens slowly but surely; by evolving to our very best self one tiny habit at a time. Too great a change at once is unlikely to be lasting. We are after all creatures of habit and habit takes time to form. Again if we manage too much at once, we are unlikely to become good at anything. But if we make tiny and consistent changes, they will add up to big changes over time. If one approach fails, we simply note the reasons and find another way. By focusing on the solutions and not the problem, we will finally reach the goal we have set for ourselves.
I agree with you that the path of self-realization is very challenging. After all Lao Tzu said “He who conquers others is strong. He who conquers himself is mighty.” If mastering ourselves were easy, everyone and anyone could easily do it. I too have started and stopped with my meditation. There are always endless reasons not to meditate. Just as we are advised to gently bring our minds back when it wanders off during meditation, I think we should gently try to pick up meditation again when we stop until it becomes a habit.
I have a friend who is extremely restless. But she has been a consistent meditator for a longer period than I have. Her secret was that she read this book “8 minute meditation: quiet your mind. change your life” by Victor Davich. As I marvel at her consistency, I realize that I usually meditate for around 20 minutes. I might be more consistent if I meditated for shorter periods so that my mind creates less resistance to the idea. This is definitely one approach I have not tried yet.
Thank you for sharing this important and thought provoking post my dear Farnoosh!
Irving the Vizier
My dear Vizier, the conversations are not going to be complete without your invaluable input. I read your comments with so much anticipation and pleasure. Thank you for everything – and especially for saying that I should just nudge myself slowly back into meditation. There must be a reason for the 8-minute mark. I use Meditation Oasis podcasts by Mary Maddux and absolutely love it. She is the only person that can help me sit still. Her podcasts vary – so it could be 5min, 7min, 11 or 25min. I have done even the longest ones but I am trying to decide, should I go for a ritual (i.e, Andrea’s RPM) and a fixed time all the time to make it a habit – OR should I simply make sure that I meditate at least so many minutes during the day, anytime etc….I think I am more inclined to put a ritual in place….without punishing myself for missing days (at something which I am a master by the way!) Either way, many thanks and if you have more to share, I am all ears. Let’s recommit for 2011 together, Irving, what do you say?
Thank you for your compliments. But there are days when I have nothing valuable to add. I guess thus far you have written about things that I have something to say about.
As for whether you should do a ritual or just to meditate at least so many minutes a day, why don’t you try out each one and see what is more natural for you?
I would be happy to recommit for 2011 together with you. It helps to know that you have someone else in the same boat as you.
I am more inclined towards Andrea’s ritual. Making it a ritual and habit is good because you do it automatically without much thought. In fact, I was thinking of doing it myself, making it the first thing I do each day before I eat my breakfast and get going. Since I am aiming for 10 instead of 20 minutes, it will not seem like such a long time and there will be less internal resistance for me. Why wait for 2011? I shall begin tomorrow morning.
My dear Vizier, I started today – RPM first thing! I am so happy to have a buddy along the way to push me forth if I fall back and I will do the same for you. I am going to try out the ritual for now with first thing in the morning and see how things develop. I am aiming for about the same. Are you planning to use any audio or guided meditation or just sit still? I am still using Meditation Oasis podcasts….I may do some days without any. Just total silence. Thanks so much for being supportive on this one and for all your wonderful thoughts and ideas!!
Hi Farnoosh,
Glad to see you have started your RPM already. I too have begun my meditations first thing in the morning. I just sit still and observe my breathing and I have found it easier to do so because it is for only 10 minutes. I suppose I could meditate longer if the mood strikes me, but so far all is ok. Hopefully we can make this a habit soon!
My dear Vizier, I must say, I varid up the RPM. I go to cycling some mornings – last 2 days, I did – 5:45am class so I get home, shower, make Oolong tea then sit in the sun to meditate. It has worked well so far. Even Andrea (Brite2Briter) said so long as it works. I have meditated around 10min or so. I did have to drink my tea first to warm up
! Well, let’s make it a habit. No hope. No try. We just do! I know you are in with me so thank you!
Farnoosh,
What a timely post! I am feeling bit exhausted after ebook release and with kids. I can sure use mini meditation (as that is all the time I get with wonderful 2 little ones) to get some of the energy back. I will take small nap too right now
Hi Preeti, so glad to bring you a nugget of peace and valuable information. Believe me, the ebook work is immense and intense. I had no idea until I put some 70 to 80 hours into my first one so take a break and so nice to hear from you. Thanks for your comment!
Such beautiful photos they bring me right into a place of desiring mediation. I love this manifesto for meditation! Mediation is such an important part of my life – yet still days happen sometimes when hurriedness takes over and powerful mediation gets pushed to the side – those aren’t good days. It still surprises me how something as powerful and necessary as mediation still gets the boot from me once in a while – yet eating never does, chocolate doesn’t either
Aileen, darlin, I was wondering whether you meditate or not. I am seriously in awe of everyone who has made it such a huge part of their life, you including. Seriously, I make time to eat like there is no tomorrow and yet I manage to put this important task aside. Thank you so so much for the encouragement and sharing your stance on meditation!
My Darling Farnoosh is finally meditating with love. You are …when you say “Mediation happens when you learn to take in the glory of your present moment and simply be.” ….you have literally captured the true essence of meditation. When your spirit relaxes and learns to just be….thats when magic happens….within you and around you. Its an amazing feeling…and I’m so glad you have embraced this with open arms.
Love you lots, and lots,
Z~
Oh but Zeenat, it’s so hard. I know it to be true, I have experienced the amazing calmness and pure joy from it but why do I hesitate to do it all the time? I think I need to have a chat with my spirit then!
Thank you so much for bringing your calmness and wisdom here. I will come to you if I should have questions or need a sounding board but I am recommitting! Thank you so much, Zeenat!
Hi Farnoosh. I actually spend around 10% of my time ‘trying’ to meditate. But real meditation happens for short periods.
It’ll be good news for other busy people, that awesome connections with the inner divine can be established anywhere by anyone in even three minute meditations.
I think having an open mind and compassionate heart are 1000% more important than meditation.
Refuge in the Buddha is also important, if you can ever find one.
But the most important thing is why? What are you living for? Why have peace of mind? What will you do with it. Earn more money? For what?
With greater power comes greater responsibility. We are little Gods, and we must make little heaven!
Hello dear Ali and welcome to prolific living! I am so glad to see a new face and boy, you pose some very difficult – and fair – questions. You are right, meditation can happen in short spurts and I have felt utter calmness in 2 or 3 minutes. No argument at all. The questions: What would I do with the peace of mind? Well, I do love quieting the mind to just listen to what my mind and heart is saying and thinking and to capture ideas – real, genuine, powerful ideas that come to me only when I can really think – which only happens when the mind is quiet which then again only comes during meditation. I am not looking for “greater power” – just more awareness. Thanks again for your insights here. Hope my answer (the short version anyway) was up to par
!
Farnoosh,
You make some great points not only on how important meditation and introspection can be but how universal it can sometimes be. I HAVE done some ‘official’ meditation in the past, and I probably will again in the future. But it is not something I do a lot of.
That being said I think I actually meditate – in my own way- a couple times a day. For one I usually take about half and hour each night for planning and goals. I think about what I have done and what I am going to do.
Even more meditation-like for me is running. On a long jog there is nothing with you but your thoughts. Sometimes I will get into a very “automatic” state where I literally run for 3-4 miles and do not even remember it because I am on autopilot and lost in my thoughts.
-of course if you hear I am hit by a car and killed someday…you know why-
Have a great holidays!
Steve, hi…oh bite your tongue – you will not be causing any troubles on your runs just from zoning out
!! But you know, seriously, I have heard of moving meditation – and it’s that state where we just zone out and go into this space with our thoughts or into our consciousness and lose a bit of touch with reality. Sometimes I think of it as day dreaming but if it’s relaxing and quieting, then it is most definitely a type of meditation in my book. I absolutely love how with your very different approach to meditation, you still recognize its powerful benefits. It goes to show us how prevalent it is becoming in our daily lives. Thank you so so much for your thoughts and comments here!
Hi Farnoosh!
A very compelling post. I can comprehend how meditation has helped you and this is an encouragement to practice it. In other news, this gives me an idea for my own manifesto. How come I don’t think about this kind of stuff?
Dear Eduard, nice to see you here. I am so glad you enjoyed it. Right, I am just trying to encourage myself and others along the way. Well, you just did think of something, didn’t you, so I think you are all set. Now go on and do it, I expect a manifesto from you very soon
! PS: Thank you for your comment and encouragement!
Hi Farnoosh,
I absolutely love this post – so clear with such a deep understanding of what meditation is.
I especially love the last paragraph where you describe how meditation is not something we “do” when we sit on a meditation cushion. Meditation is living, being alive to the moment, taking things in as they are, being with reality with no filters or distortions.
I have just renewed my own meditation practice and appreciate having this support from you.
Dear Gail, how nice to see you here – I am so happy you enjoyed this post. I know, I could really go on and on about the power of meditation and yet I struggle with making it a daily habit but after the tremendous responses here I am determined to renew my cup and I am so happy you are renewing yours. Come back anytime, you shall have any and all the support you like from me (and no doubt, all my other darling readers here who are full of amazing resources and stories!) – Thank you for taking the time to comment!
There is something in the Bible about praying without ceasing. I think of meditation like that, meditating without ceasing. As you say, it is living in the present, mindfully, aware, awake.
Having said that, I do try to meditate every morning. If I don’t use Andrea’s suggestiong of rise, pee, meditate, I find that I don’t get to it. I have to discipline myself not to turn on my phone or computer until after I meditate, or…well, you know.
Your post is so timely because I, too, want to make meditation (in the more formal sense) more a part of my routine. It’s so easy to despair when we don’t stick to our goals, but I like the story of Father Keating (which I describe more fully in a recent post), who praised the effort of a discouraged nun. The nun was bewailing the fact that during her time of contemplation she had to repeatedly call her wandering mind back to her contemplative prayer. “That’s wonderful!” Father Keating exclaimed. “That’s 1000 times you were connected to God.”
So for every moment when we make the effort to call our attention back to the present, whether during our normal activities or in formal meditation, “That’s wonderful! That is a precious moment of connection to our holy place.”
Galen, you are so sweet to share a powerful story that I assure you I will remember. And we have one more vote for RPM so that’s even better and now I have to join the cycle. Oh I know exactly what happens if we turn to our phones and … well, that’s what I do the second I wake up. But I can change it, one tiny habit at a time like The Vizier recommends, and you can too. Let’s recommit to making meditation as important as eating and brushing our teeth in 2011! Thank you for taking the time to write this out for us!
Hi Farnoosh!
This is beautiful. And the images really added to it. As I read your thoughts and soaked in the simple beauty of the images, I felt a longing, a call to experience more of those meditative moments, that introspection and connection with myself…
And not just once in a while, but every day. To become more aware of THIS moment at all times of the day, no matter where I am or what’s going on…
It’s a longing in me that feels beautiful, inspiring, and reminds me that I am more than the “surface me” that tends to be at the forefront of my daily life….
Hi dear Jess, you don’t know how happy this makes me. Love that I awakened this longing in you and hope that you find your way – in your own time – back to a daily practice and I am going to do the very same. Love the descriptive words you use here and what we are talking about is no easy task. It is challenging and there will be ups and downs but pushing through and understanding the reasons we are committing to meditation, that’s what we should focus on. Best of luck and thanks so so much for sharing your thoughts!
Farnoosh,
It’s so true about avoiding that raw pure self. If we could realize that at our core there is only love and we are worthy of the best in life, we’d all meditate. I think we’re afraid of seeing how powerful we truly are and therefore avoid meditating out of fear.
I love what Andrea says about RPM! I Rise, pee and make coffee! The fourth think I do is sit down with my morning meditation book and journal. That’s not the kind of meditation you’re talking about.
I learned Transcendental Meditation years ago and didn’t like focusing on a foreign phrase. My friend who was hospitalized when she was young for a mental break down learned TM and has practiced for 45 years. She says anyone can heal any addiction with TM( 20 minutes a day, twice a day). I’m not sure if there’s scientific proof but I believe her.
When things get crazy in life we often try to do things that will keep us on track. For example, when hubs lost his job a couple of years ago we stepped up all of our spiritual practices, including 20 minutes of sitting in silence meditation. The meditation was the first thing to go when he became employed again.
It’s what we do when we’re not in a crisis that keeps us grounded and centered
through the next crisis. Sigh!
Love the manifesto, love the photos and love you! Thanks for bringing up a powerful and life changing topic.
Dear Tess, I don’t really know where to start to give you a response that even matches all of this beauty and grace in half….thank you so much! I recall you talking about your husband’s challenge (perhaps on your blog) and the strong powerful way all of you were supportive of it. You know, I read one book by Paulo Coelho (The Zahir and I admit I didnt’ love it….) but he did say that we are afraid of what we could become. That our greatest potential terrifies us and when you mentioned that, I was immediately reminded of it. It’s easy to just go with the norm but to tap into all these inner resources, it takes heaps of courage but the rewards are tremendous. Thanks for all the information on other types of meditation and you know well that you are much loved in return!
Farnoosh, you really hit the nail on the head regarding scheduling. It is very tough.
In order to get my meditation, I do it first thing after waking up, followed by a run, then breakfast. I feel so strongly about the importance of meditation that I feel it should be the way I begin my day. Thanks for a wonderful post.
Joshua, you too? I am so so impressed – no wonder most of my favorite people have the same thing in common….Meditation must be working in their lives. It’s wonderful to hear you do it upon rising and wow, followed by exercise…I think having a ritual is important. You are very welcome and thank YOU for sharing your fantastic habit with us!
Hello Wayne, welcome to prolific living. You make my day with this beautiful phrase. Thank you so much!
Hi dear Farnoosh.
Am a lil late here, yet would really like to add my thoughts. Everything you say of meditation to me, also comes from Yoga practice. Meditation to me, is also watching the mind and being aware of one’s thoughts. It isn’t to struggle with ‘not thinking’, its to think and watch, even if the thoughts are about work. Its not judging the mind, or the self, or anything. To me awareness is meditation, and then the silence and stillness comes. I used to struggle with just sitting and meditation, doing it easily sometimes and not easily at others, till I realized I can always meditate. Yoga, mindful yoga, being in the body, clears the mind. Try meditating after, its much simpler. So all I do now, is just watch, smile at self, observe and be compassionate, to thoughts, to self and all others. Brings much happiness and peace, and one closer to the core..
Uzma, dear, where is the time line and deadline here? There is no late when it comes to comments on my blog, you can rest assured. You are right on time whenever you comment and for that, I am so grateful! A big yes to yoga having huge impact on meditation but I don’t think – at least in my experience, and much as I love yoga – that I need yoga to meditate, you know? And in fact, in my lifestyle, I need meditation more than yoga. I love _ love _ how you describe, far better than me, the subtle difference between “not thinking” and “thinking and watching”…And you are right, the *best* time to meditate – the easiest time – has always been after yoga! As you know well, the ancient yogis created yoga asanas so that it would prepare them for meditation!! Thank you for sharing your beautiful light here with us, dear Uzma!
Hey Farnoosh, how long ago did you start meditating and put yourself in a position to quiet that monkey mind of yours? (lol ..jking)
Thanks for the, umm, “compliment” Jonathan and I started about a year ago.
Hi Farnoosh,
I’ve been practicing meditation for about twenty years now, and although I practice daily now – it has not been without its stops and starts and diversions and regressions.
But if I may offer what I can…it is not all about becoming calm or feeling good, although this will be the result, when we sit down with ourselves, without a distraction we may discover things about ourselves that we didn’t know or don’t like….and this is good, but we have to be nice to ourselves, and let it go. Ultimately, we are freeing ourselves from habits of ignorance, and as we continue to meditate, and try to remember to be nice to ourselves(Asian teachers have noticed that westerners tend to be very hard on themselves, another habit to become aware of and let go)…some momentum will begin, some clarity that surfaces in our daily life, and we will start to want to get back to the cushion – the desire to build on that clarity and awareness will start incrementally to overcome the resistance to being with and facing ourselves.
So being gentle but a little persistant is key.
Other tips I’ve picked up:
-meditate for a short period, say 5 or 10 nminute
-finish your mediation in a good place, so you want to return to it
-attend a meditation retreat, maybe once a year – this will supercharge your practice
-attend a meditation group weekly
-read about meditation – inspiring yourself makes you want to do it
-if you are experiencing resistance or don’t want to meditate, but you kind do want to – just sit there and watch what is happening(this is a trick, I know)
Dear James, welcome to prolific living and thank you so much for sharing your wisdom of 20 years with this life-long challenge, no doubt. I learned a lot from reading your experience and will need to remember every tip. Yes, indeed, we are usually hard on ourselves and I am a queen of that but have been working harder lately to shift the tide. Many, many thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts here and hope you return soon!
If its any consolation…although I’ve managed to mediate almost daily…I have been unable to committ to a daily yoga practice, although I have been trying…!
But I have one question – isn’t savasana practiced at the end of every yoga session the same as meditation?
(I know that sitting up is usually recomended for better clarity – but think that the practices are very much the same otherwise.)
What do you think?
Hi James, great question: Yes, Savasana IS meditation if you do not fall asleep….It is the complete relaxation state and it is the exact right time to meditate – after yoga has rendered the body completely relaxed and blissful. Meditation can happen seated or standing, you are right, and I have meditated in a very relaxed state in savasana before. So I’d say yes, and especially if you go into it with an intention of meditation – for instance, I go into it with awareness but not alertness….- then it can be a beautiful meditation.
Hi Farnoosh, A vey timely post from you for me…I have meditated over the last few years and know how good it is but agree that other things keep us from it. It’s strange how we know something is good for us yet we get distracted with stuff and promise to do it another time. I am going to do the RPM and even if I only manage 5 mins to start with, I think it could work for me and be a great way to start the day. I also like the comments people have made about being watchful of the mind, I find this really helps me too, thanks for a great post and comments too x
Dear Debbie, thrilled you found this useful – I learned so much from the comments too especially RPM and the one above from james. I don’t know why either that while we know it is so so good for us, we skip it and rush about like mad (well, not you – but I certainly do
) and promise to return to it another day, another year – the last week has been already so much better with my renewed commitment. Here’s to us meditating away those distractions and excuses! Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts!
Thank you for this – so timely as it is something I need to start doing in the new year as I have talked myself out of doing it so many times! Your first paragraph resonated so much you could have been reading my mind.
“too many mornings, I chose email over mediation, I chose twitter time over introspection time. Too many nights, I collapsed into deep sleep without taking a moment to quiet the mind and reflect on the day. Too many days in 2010, I chose impulsively rather than consciously. The heart longed to make meditation a ritual, a habit, a permanent part of daily life and yet, the body and the stubborn mind won the negotiation game far too often………….”
Dear Valerie, how wonderful to know I have a friend in this struggle – I feel stronger and more motivated even after writing the post, thanks for your comment. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and let’s renew our cup of inspiration and just do it – I have been at it a few mornings in a row and I don’t want to give it up at all. I know you can do it too. Here’s to daily meditation not in just in 2011 but starting right now!!
Meditation is not what I regularly do I must confess. I am a living example of how difficult having to still the mind can be, even while praying, my mind always finds a way to stray. I don’t know if it’s more common with we entrepreneurs, or is it just general human nature?
To compound the problem, I live in a society where noise and chaos is the norm. Hardly can you find a quiet period. Maybe I would just resolve to meditating in the dead of the night. I hope that is spiritually allowed?
As always Farnoosh, well done!
Dear Tito, you and I both – we love excitement, noise, action, information, ideas, planning, creating, and it is the activity of the mind which feeds all of this to us and that is the very very thing we need to quiet down. The thing is we need a huge incentive to do it. Feeling good is great but believe me, I get my best ideas when I come out of meditation and I am far from being a master at it just a persistent student. So I want to challenge you to join me and try a daily meditation of 5-7 minutes (or more) and just watch and feel all that clarity come to surface with a gush of new fresh ideas and a renewed zest for life. So glad to see you here again and so glad you enjoyed this post!
I accept the challenge and give it a try Farnoosh. Thank you for making me want to stretch.
Meditation simply helps you focus. We live in a very fast paced, multi-functioning life. In years past, we had time naturally built into life for quiet reflection. Today, we must actively pursue the time to be quiet, or risk doing nothing well. I take time everyday, sometimes more in a day than others to reflect on where I am, what I’m doing. Am I living consciously or merely putting out fires. Meditating will always bring you back to the now and being present is the most important thing a person can do fulfill their goals in life.
Dear Vic, welcome to prolific living. “Actively pursue the time to be quiet”- it is so true and almost sounds like a paradox but you are right. I love your message and the nature of your daily reflections. I have been meditating all of this week and it’s been as amazing as I was expecting it to be. No stopping this time! Many thanks for your comment here and hope to see you again!
Thanks for so eloquently putting into words many of the thoughts I’ve had over my past year of meditation.
Too many times I’ve chosen email or twitter over meditation too. But not just that, too many times I’ve chosen doing over being, which is obviously very backwards. I can tell by my mental state when I’ve done this too much. My life feel qualitatively very different.
Jonathan, welcome to prolific living and thank you so much for sharing your thoughts! I knew you view meditation as important ever since you sent out that breathing website test on Twitter (!) and I am very encouraged by your daily meditation goal. Since I wrote this post, I have meditated daily – something has drawn me and regardless of schedules, I have not skipped a day – and life just feels sweeter already! I do intend to keep it up with a soft discipline in 2011 and it’s wonderful to see that you share the same goal. Thank you again for your comment and encouragement!
Wow, just read your meditation post. I’m actually on my 25th day of consistently meditating. I used to do it sporadically, but decided to be consistent with it. My only concern is that I tend to get hyper during the day especially when using the computer, which might counter the benefits I am getting from meditation. Is it possible that my actions at other times during the day could affect the benefits of meditation?
Hey Todd, I am going to check your meditation tracking article right now. Welcome here to prolific living and so glad you are doing this. I did 30 days of yoga challenge – and documented it here in the blog too – and it included some meditation of course during Savasana but not JUST daily meditation – although I have been meditating daily since writing this post 2 weeks ago!
So I am right there with you – hyper or rather, full of energy during the day with the computer….in fact that is why I don’t meditate right upon rising, I do it mid-morning to calm me down. And of course, there are always levels of distraction we could cut off in our lives and even go to extremes and go to complete solitude in nature, I believe for true peace and quiet, we can do a lot more with our distractions than the act of meditation itself but it’s a balance between our desired lifestyle and our desire to calm the mind…..How far are you willing to go? Finding that edge is in itself a good question and it may very well change over time. Happy hours of meditation and hope to see you here again soon! Thanks for your comment!
Hi Farnoosh,
What a beautiful post about meditation! I would have to admit that I haven’t spent a full day to meditate. However, if I become tired or overwhelmed on several different circumstances, I sit down on the sofa, stretch my legs, close my eyes for maybe 5 to 10 minutes, and not think about anything at all. After that, I feel refreshed the rest of the day.
Hi dear Felicia, lovely to see you here. Darling, I have not spent an entire day meditating either, I don’t know anyone who has. That would be a very very long meditation session! I love how you can refresh so quickly from meditation for such a short period of time. And I must ask since you have your kitty on the photo – do you have a cat? I have heard cats know instantly when a human being is meditating and they rush to you wherever you may be in your house…just curious. Thanks for your comment, Felicia!
Hi Farnoosh,
Yes, I do have a cat at home. Her name’s M (she has an M-shaped mark on her forehead). Having a pet, especially a cat that stays and purrs at your lap can really help you relax. I am not sure about my cat ever rushing to me when I sit down and try to meditate. Cats usually do things whenever they feel like it.
Felicia, how interesting. I was so convinced by what my friend swore about meditation attracting cats….thanks so much for weighing in and introducing the lovely M, and if that’s the two of you in the profile photo on Gravatar, absolutely gorgeous!
Not only cats – but dogs too!
My dog would always find me when I was meditating and lay down next to me for the session.
He eventually adopted and took over my meditation cushion as his own.
Oh man, I really REALLY need a dog again in my life. This one just made me so wish for one….Thanks a lot James!
When I had a cat, she would invariably get on my lap when I’d meditate. I’ve heard lots of stories from others also about cats and dogs being attracted to meditating people. One woman told me her two very rambunctious dogs would always jump up on the bed with her and lie calmly with her as she listened to a guided meditation.
Thanks for the re-affirmation here, Mary. I love to experience this one day with my own dog….Fascinating animals are, aren’t they!
Hi Farnoosh,
Cats have different personalities, just like we do. Even dogs have different personalities. I have a friend whose cat likes to massage her tummy when she is relaxing on the sofa. Mine doesn’t do that. Maybe your friend’s cat really does want to go and stay wherever your friend is meditating.
Felicia, that may very well be true – I really need to get a pet one of these days. These conversations make it hard not to have one. I totally believe in animal personalities. Enjoy your cat. And your meditation, dear Felicia. I am still going strong on that front!
Hi Farnoosh,
I understand how it’s hard for you to converse about cats/dogs without having one yourself. I’m glad you delved deeper into our conversation about cats. I really enjoyed our talk here.
Good post. I have just really started my path on meditation earlier this year but wish that I would have found it years earlier. If any of you are on the fence about giving it a try – my advice would be to jump it with both feet. It is extremely centering and calms the mind.
Enjoy and happy new year!
Thank you Dan! I am with you on that wish but things come to us when we are ready for them. I really choose to believe that (especially as I get older
)! Welcome to prolific living and thanks for sharing your thoughts and happy meditating. I haven’t skipped a day since I put this post up and it’s an amazing powerful tool….!! Happy new year to you too!
I’m constantly finding movement such as dancing to be the best form of meditation for me. I just have better success with it over sitting, though that is good too. When done in a way where you’re completely immersed in the movement and/or music, it can be the most amazing spiritual experience ever. When I use to attend meditation events, I always found myself moving my body during it. Guess that should’ve been my first clue that movement was the way to go.
For those that struggle with sitting meditation, try it different ways such as by moving (like swaying) where you sit or with your eyes open. If that still doesn’t work, standing or moving meditation may be the way to go. There’s no restrictions!
Dimond, how interesting and I have heard of this type of meditation, moving mediation…there are ways to immerse yourself in any activity like walking or running or dancing as you do – and I do the tango so if everything is right, it feels very meditative despite of and because of the movement. Thank you so so much for opening the meditation and making it accessible to so many others by giving another type of meditation. It is all mental anyway so the body is just a tool we have to manage as we relax the mind. Thanks for sharing this, Dimond!
Yes! There are no restrictions! I love moving meditations — both those that are called “meditation” such as walking meditation — and other activities that I find put me into a meditative state. Dancing hula and knitting both work for me.
Mary, I could have sworn that I entered a meditative state in my cycling/spinning class towards the end and it was simply amazing….Loved it even if it was just tapping the surface. Glad to hear the validation on moving meditation! My husband may get on board with that one
! Thanks again!
This is such a thorough, thoughtful post on meditation. I love your list of what it takes to meditate. I think the one about knowing that you gain time, not lose time, by meditating was a key to my having meditated regularly for many years.
The word “meditation” seems to refer to both a practice and an experience, and it seems like you were talking more about the practice earlier in the post, and the experience later on. I agree, the experience just comes and can happen spontaneously in any context. Practice seems to be a way to allow space for the experience we call “meditation” to happen. I love your definition — “Meditation happens when you learn to take in the glory of your present moment and simply be.”
Mary, how nice to see you here, and as you know, your voice and meditation podcasts have helped me come so far…!! And yes, we gain rather than lose, of that I am most certain now and it gets better with each passing day and week! I love the distinction you made and I did not think much about what I was doing in terms of those 2 terms. Thank you so much for dropping in and sharing your glorious thoughts with us!
Farnoosh, what a great post on meditation! Something I sadly don’t do. Here’s to a new start – I am going to make a promise to myself (and you) that I will mediate every weekend morning. Can’t wait to wake up tomorrow!
Will report back in a month…!
Negar, darling, meditation will love you just as you will love it. Every weekend morning is such a nice slow start. Keep me posted and best of luck, darling.
Hi Farnoosh
This is the second time I ran into your site and am I ever glad I did. I think you have a new subscriber in me. I just wrote a post on my difficulties with meditation and this post explains it so well, I wish I had written it. My post was God and Prayer or God and Meditation. You explain some of the very difficulties I have with finding time. Thank you for your post
Dear Clar, I got duplicate comments so I published one here. So sorry about the confusion. I am just now checking your link as well and it’s wonderful to hear that you have enjoyed this post and that you are a return reader. Welcome back! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and I wish you many happy returns on your meditation practice.
The photo and quote at the top did it for me. I read it and immediately went another level silent, which is the same as tapping into the peace of the Universe. It’s like recharging batteries – like a small vacation. Thank you!
Louis, welcome to prolific living – you have no idea how happy that makes me… Photos are very powerful and quotes can be if used well. I am so happy this tapped into a place of peace for you. It reminds me, off to do my daily meditation. Come back anytime.
Do you mind if I put that picture on my website with a link back to your article here? Mouse-over my name for the URL of the website (Sunrise Soul). And yes, I use Thesis too – I actually found out about it on your site!
Louis, I already replied and thank you so much for asking me first before using the photo. Please make sure to just link back to me here. Thanks!
Mornings NEVER happen for me or most. That’s when our “warrior” energy is the strongest and we want to take on the day. However, NO EXCUSES before bedtime. Meditation is the PERFECT pre-sleep ritual. I meditate almost every evening before bed and my sleep has been much more restful. If you’re just getting into it COMMIT to meditate for even just 10 or 15 minutes before you hit the hay…
Dear Dom, hi! How did I miss this comment? Well, I am on vacation but no excuse…. Hmmm, so you’ve already written off the morning meditation, huh?
You know, I do know that there is a ritual in different bodies and I think respecting that is just super smart. It’s awesome that you do meditate before going to dreamland. Thanks so much for sharing and encouraging me and others to do it when it works for you!
Farnoosh,
I found this to be a very thoughtful piece on a subject of inestimable value. I practice a daily meditation (OK, almost!), having begun seriously back in 2007.
You are absolutely correct: meditation can happen anywhere, anytime, in any context. Sitting in silence lays the foundation and the more we can apply that to each and every situation, without judgment, in our daily lives, the more aware and alive we will feel.
I appreciate your thoughts. And with that, I am off to meditate!
Peter
Hi Peter, I can’t believe I never came back to comment here. I probably didn’t want to disturb your meditation
!
Thank you so much for responding and I am so glad the meditation message resonated with you. Truly impressed by your long-term commitment, Peter. I have been really committed since March when I wrote this too but still not every single day.
So many find meditation difficult, but I was lucky to find ZPoint which has the same benefits without having to try. Just allowing the clearing statements to wash over me takes me to a deeply relaxed place, and repeating my cue word as a mantra focuses my mind, until I’m completely in a state of bliss.
Because it’s so easy, I use ZPoint every night to release everything from the day, and I never have any trouble getting to sleep. I think keeping to the same routine helps.
Dear Linda, nice to meet you over at LinkedIn and thanks for sharing this product and how it helps you relax. It must be amazing to end the day with that ritual at night. Thank you so much for sharing.
Meditation is what saves me, many days. I began meditating again this Spring, with a different approach. I don’t need to do a week of Zen silence at the start! No. I began with just sitting for five minutes, which grew quickly into 20-30″, because I integrated meditation into my morning ritual and it became a positive experience and a habit. I try different approaches–Mindfulness, Lovingkindness, Chakra Healing, and Sufi Remembrance–they are all wonderful and lead to the same place inside. I find using CD’s from experienced teachers very helpful at first–Jack Kornfield and Hiro Boga are both great. Also, going deep inside with the music of Anugama’s Shamanic Dream CD.
Excellent post!
Mary Jane, thanks so so much for the references on meditation. I am always looking for new stuff. They sound like the kind of music I crave during meditation and I do a lot of just sitting without any guided meditation too. I think it is hard to describe the feeling and the experience in words, even though I tried to do it justice here, it is nothing like that first hand experience that one must feel first hand. Again, thanks for the music which I can’t wait to check out and let you know about, Mary Jane!
Hi Farnoosh,
I am still going through your blog in it’s entirety…
Your writing has got me thinking about incorporating Yoga into my lifestyle. I have gaps in my knowledge and training that I think Yoga might be the fix for.
The closer I get to 40 the harder it seems to just do what I used to do and get the same results. I have to try harder and push harder. Not to mention that over a decade of working in IT has built up some bad habits that don’t do my health any favors.
Thanks for all that you do,
Chris
Chris, I will not be held accountable if you are still going through my archives a month or two later and not getting work done
!!
Oh yoga will do MAGIC for you!!! Don’t get me started. I get excited just thinking about it. By the way, I have about 6 or 8 yoga videos on the blog too. Maybe they will inspire you? Yoga Flow Series. Take a look and get into yoga! You will love it, even if it’s not love at first sight.
Thanks so much for stopping by my old posts.
Hi Farnoosh,
I guess I will have to think of something else, I fully intended to say Farnoosh’s blog sucked me in
I will have a look at the video series- thanks!
Chris
“Doing does not complete us without the being.”
I really love that line. I have a spiritual master of my own and she insists on daily meditation. Her whole point is to get to the “being” in life and allowing for the MORE to come in. I feel what keeps many people, myself included, in ‘try mode’ is that we are very afraid of the introspection. Meditation, especially deep healing meditation, exposes us for who we are with our habits, beliefs, actions, etc. and there are payoffs that we have in continuing those routines. While some are beneficial, there are many habits that aren’t working and I believe the Universe lets us know in various ways. It’s not an easy habit to create with all our “stuff” running us in the subconscious-mind.
The good news is that we can always re-commit everyday whether we do it or forget to. It does take conscious effort and it’s definitely more than a try. I found a link awhile ago that talked about how healthy meditation is but the reasons you listed above are exactly what I believe our challenge with it is. I’m really glad you posted this. Your challenge is certainly mine as well.
Dearest Timothy, listening to the Loving Kindness audio that you shared on Twitter and everything you say here is true. We are afraid of what we might find out in those quiet moments and what if we don’t like it. Of course, living a frantic life is no help either. I MUST get back to my meditation and here’s hoping that you do the same. Let’s check in again!
Thanks so much for being here.
The two words, listen and silent, use the exact same letters.
To be a better listener, to be able to hear others and hear our inner voice, we need to be silent. Meditation helps to quiet our mind. Thanks for reminding me of the importance of meditation.
Hi dear Qin, I never noticed that – what a brilliant observation. THANK YOU so much for dropping by and here’s to many hours of happy meditation to both of us
!
I am so freakin’ passionate about this topic, and I fully agree with everything you said.
Every human being has feelings, and those feelings guide us.
P.S. I believe we were interviewed for the same product (30 Day Comeback)
Good company!
I had a feeling you’d like meditation
!
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