I once heard that those who don't meditate, need it the most. I can be one of those people. I do well with it for a few days and then I go off course. I enjoy it, it centers me, I love teaching it but I don't allow myself enough time to really reap the benefits of it.
Sometimes my mind won't stop. Sometimes I can't put the phone down or the laptop aside. Sometimes I just find other things to do. I haven't dug deep enough to figure out the root cause of my procrastination but I do know it is well worth it when I do meditate. Some days I fall right into it because I'm tired and need a break or I just need to disconnect from electronics. I work from home so being attached to my laptop, even while working on tasks that make me happy, can cause me stress and fatigue.
I have a few ways that you can keep going with your meditation. Once you make it a habit, it will become second nature but that will take at least a month. I started lifting weights at the beginning of May, consistently and thoroughly, and I STILL need to psych myself up to do them everyday, at times. It is, however, becoming part of my day and I'm finally seeing results. When I don't strength train for a few days, I definitely feel it in my body. It feels like forever that I've started strength training full force and it's only really been a little over a month. I need to put this into practice with meditation.
When you stop meditating or finding time in your day to center yourself, you also feel it-you feel it in your mind. You may become frustrated easily or you're easily distracted or you find yourself in a bad mood or overly tired. This could be your mind saying that you need to meditate.
You don't want to sit for 10 minutes anymore. What do you do when you're stuck?
- Listen to calming music and concentrate on the voice of the singer or an instrument. I listen to Enya, her music gives me something to look forward to when I sit and get quiet. Keep the music low and try to choose songs that don't evoke emotion.
- Go to a meditation class. I went to a yoga nidra and sound bath class last night at my studio and it was awesome. Taking a meditation class gives you another perspective and can rejuvenate your excitement about meditation.
- Meditate for a shorter time. It's better than not meditating at all. Cut your time short and build back up again.
- Try different kinds of meditation. Follow a guided meditation online, do a walking meditation in a quiet park or chant ohm over and over again. Or just sit and breathe deeply until you feel refreshed. Sometimes people find that certain chores at home such as washing the dishes or folding clothes helps them relax. You go into your own world and get quiet.