March Meditation Practice Week 4

“Let go of the battle. Breathe quietly and let it be. Let your body relax and your heart soften. Open to whatever you experience without fighting.”

― Jack Kornfield

This week the focus is on the Practice and how we treat ourselves as we practice.  One of the biggest hurdles in a meditation practice is to just stop all the doing and practice. It seems people have so many “obligations” that the idea of just sitting seems like a waste of time. Or is it?

This week I facilitated seven workshops in person and one online. The in-person events were with people I had just met, in large groups. One thing that appeared universal was the inability to calm the mind. In fact, when people “practiced” with me, they seemed surprised to find themselves feeling calmer, more centered, or not overthinking. These were short practices of one to three minutes. A perfect start for anyone beginning a meditation practice. 

What are the benefits of meditation? The American Psychological Association reports this: Reduced rumination, stress reduction, boosts to working memory, increased focus, and less emotional reactivity. 

When you meditate you can expect it to never be quite the same exact experience. Frustration can build from the inability to focus, and the intrusion of thoughts. When thoughts break through our focus on the breath or mantra, we can bring ourselves back to the focus with kindness. We are learning a new skill, and retraining our minds. This benefits us in two ways, we continue our practice of focus and refocus, and we treat ourselves with compassion.