Most Asked Question About Meditation

You know the most asked question about meditation I get? It’s not… how do you meditate? It’s not… what do you listen to when you meditate? Or even what position (is your body in) when you meditate? It’s WHEN do you find the time to meditate? I’ve posted many photos of beautiful places I’ve meditated before. I’m sitting in one of those right now, working from my mobile office (a laptop and chair anywhere in the world) overlooking a pool and the Mediterranean Sea.rnBut honestly, those beautiful places aren’t the norm. This is WHEN I most often meditate.. ANY chance I get. Last night I had a brief moment to myself sitting in a hotel lobby. I took a few deep breaths and began to focus on the things I was thankful for. I could feel my body relax as I let go of the hectic day and conversations that didn’t exactly go the way I had planned. A few minutes later, I was eager to move on to the next event without the baggage of the day on my shoulders. Another time I meditate is when I’m waiting in lines. WAITING for anything I feel is a complete WASTE of my time! However, lines and waiting are a fact of life. Especially as much as I travel. I’m not in control (thank God) of the when things happen and waiting needs to be in order all too often. Last week when my son and I arrived in Spain, we had to wait and wait most of the day. After a day of traveling we arrived in Spain only to WAIT another couple hours in a line to report our baggage that didn’t arrive. Exhausted and hungry, what I wanted to do was curl up in a ball in the corner of the airport. Instead, my son stood in the line while I sat nearby with what luggage did arrive. No one around to help. Lines hours long. In a strange place.. in need of basic food and rest. I could feel myself ready to explode. THIS WAS A PERFECT TIME TO meditate! I started with breathing. One deep breath at a time. Is what I told myself. One breath at a time. I reminded myself “This too shall pass. The “good” isn’t as good as it seems and the “bad” isn’t at bad as it seems.” I began to focus on the things that did go right that day. We had some of our luggage. We were safe. We were together. I began praying and asking God and his legion of Angels for help to get through this difficult time. I asked for strength. I closed my eyes and focused on my breath. Tears streamed down my face for a good half hour while I just breathed and re-centered myself. When I was finally able to open my eyes, I stood up and hugged my son. Grateful for the moment. Just a couple days later I had the pleasure of waiting in another long line in Spain. I missed my train because of waiting. Of course, I could feel myself fuming from the inside – out. Again, this is a perfect time to meditate. THIS IS LIFE! Although I was standing and my eyes were open, I began taking some deep breaths to calm me down in the midst of the stress. After a prayer of thanks, I asked for strength, help in getting on the next train and communicating this in Spanish to the train clerk. I began to focus on something that made me joyful. Anything. This pulled me out of the funk that I was sinking into. This is ONE of the things meditation and prayer does for me. It helps me refocus and recenter when LIFE HAPPENS.. and it DOES and usually not in a way I’m expecting. I meditate in the mornings. I meditate in the evenings before bed. And, I meditate any other chance I get, wherever I am. It’s easy to pray and meditate when life is easy-peasy. I challenge you to bring it in your every day life or when there is even a hurricane swirling around you and you feel like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. Life may be turning inside-out and you want to scream. That’s the PERFECT time to meditate and center yourself.rnI meditate in planes, trains, automobiles, waiting in lines, on the beach, in yoga class, during a massage, getting a wax, walking, while cooking, in bed, in the shower, at a bar dancing, in the bathroom (yep)— anywhere I can get a minute to myself. I meditate because I feel better when I do. It brings my energy up when I’m feeing down. I meditate because I don’t want my life to be like it used to.. letting the wind and the stress of life blow me around. Now, when it gets “windy” I know how to ground myself in the midst of the swaying trees, stand firm and bring me back to my true center of joy no matter where I am.