Meditation is one way to find space between our thoughts and actions, or reactions. 

It gives us pause. That brief moment before we jump in full throttle, headlong into the moment. It gives us a chance to choose whether we really need to fix or change something, or can we just allow ourselves space from the reaction right now. Sort of like knowing the difference between seeing what seems to be a large fire far away, is actually just a lit candle next to us. We can take a moment to decide are we in that much danger…or not. 

Formal meditation is generally sitting still to stabilise our nervous system. There are times you can stand still or walk, but they don’t offer the power of a longer practice. Whichever you choose, here are some things to remember.

 When you start, and that could be today, as soon as you are in stillness begin to just wait for your breath to arrive in a moment. It is always a curious moment.  Watching how once we sit, suddenly the mind lights up like New Years eve! We start to plan, remember, decide, choose, we run, we feel, we get anxious or angry. And yes, at times we feel the emotions bubble up strong and deep. Something makes staying still almost impossible. We want to leave – over and over again.

This is how meditation is. I guess I am not making it sound very attractive, but it’s one of the proven practices for great mental and emotional health. It is also the basis of Yoga.

Meditation and all the other supportive practices from Yoga remind us regularly that being human is about forgetting. It is our higher mind that calls us to remember to come back to this moment here. To not let ourselves get swept away to far from the truth of being who we really are.  It is hard and also fairly annoying to know that as I sit, I go off in my mind to some far off chore or holiday! When I really want to be here, enjoying the presence of silent shiny stillness.  The path of remembering and forgetting is not fruitless. In fact there are moments where you feel it. That moment where you are totally aware of your surroundings, of yourself, of all around you. Of you at one with all things.

When I sit in meditation…sometimes, just sometimes it’s so beautifully quiet…I dream of it later. Other practices, I just want to leave frustrated. It’s hard to sit for anther five minutes when I have more demanding things on my plate. It’s hard to show up for myself. It’s hard to be here with me. Ooops, that’s the moment, I remember why I started this in the first place.  

To be with me. All of me. Not just the silence. But the thoughts that bring up emotions, and both could be wild or calm. But they are all a part of being me.