We know that meditation is beneficial. It’s hard nowadays to escape the ever present pictures of the smiling Buddha, and the articles praising meditations efficacy, reaching from calming the mind to lowering blood pressure.
But how do we get ourselves to fit yet another chore that’s “good for you” into our schedule?
First and foremost: Forget that your mind will be quiet. It won’t. It takes many years of consistent practice to come to a place of emptiness of thought.
In the meantime, look at it this way: Your thoughts will not be eliminated, but they will slow down, and that in itself will feel like a relief.
Allow your thoughts to be chaotic. How can we expect perfection without any or little training? We don’t expect it when it comes to our bodies. Or our professional skills. We know that it takes hard work to come to a place of mastery.
Some tips:
Make your meditation a routine activity. Do it in the morning. If you postpone it until bedtime, you’ll most likely never do it.
Integrate it into your day. Instead of pulling out your smart phone on the bus, just sit and close your eyes.
Find an external trigger to remind you to focus on your breath. For example, in the car, every time you stop at a red traffic light, keep your eyes on the light and breath deeply.
Begin to associate positive feelings with meditation. Shift your perspective from seeing it as a chore, to viewing it as something that makes you feel just a little bit lighter.
The mind is a powerful tool. Use it to your advantage.