In a world where we are encouraged to be productive all the time, it is actually pretty radical and rebellious to prioritize a practice that looks like you’re doing nothing. From the outside, meditation is seemingly just sitting in silence and breathing. The truth is meditation can be challenging and making time for a meditation practice can feel almost impossible, especially when it is not glorified or even appreciated.
The changes that you will experience from meditation don’t show up in the same way as accolades and results from other work. It will be different, it will make you different and it will be hard to describe. It is also hard to trace the things that are changing in your life directly back to meditating. The doors that can open may lead to other beginnings and realizations that would have seemed impossible before. Here’s the thing though. You will know. You will know why you are feeling different. You will know why your relationships are opening up and softening. You will know why you are living with more ease and handling challenges differently. You will know and you can thank yourself for making the time. For being a radical and a rebel. You can thank yourself for prioritizing something that the world tells you shouldn’t matter when you know it’s something that the world truly needs. I’lll thank you now and you can thank yourself later.
As you start in on this commitment to meditate for a few minutes a day, here are some doors that may open up for you. They have opened for me and others who are committing and recommitting (and then recommitting yet again) to a meditation practice. I would love you to share in the comments about all the doors that have opened up for you. And again, I thank you for your practice and your commitment. Any amount of meditation has the potential to change the world.
Meditating 5 minutes a day
When I am committed to meditating 5 minutes a day, I start to practice the pause. Something about these few minutes that I gift myself allows me to take a pause before I react and this leads me to respond in a calmer and more thoughtful way. When something happens to me that is challenging, I am more inclined to pause before I react to it (or to the other people involved in the situation). As I get deeper into my 5 minute a day meditation practice, meaning the more days that I stick to it, the more I instantly pause before reacting to inevitable disturbances in my day. The more I practice the pause, the easier it becomes. For me personally, it means that I react with more compassion, grace, patience and understanding to the people and situations in my life. It doesn’t mean that I ignore the emotions that come up. It does mean I don’t lose it every time they do. I become more practiced at identifying what rightfully warrants a strong reaction and what is better off left unsaid or said with more kindness.
Meditating 10 minutes a day
For me, a 10 minute a day meditation can open up the doors of creativity. Sometimes I think of a 10 minute meditation as a closet clean-out. It isn’t drastic, but enough that you identify a few things you no longer need and send them on their way. It leaves room, maybe for something new or maybe just so you can see more and appreciate a little open space. Meditating can release some of the emotions and thoughts that may seem to clutter your mind. It can open up space so that your brain can do what it truly does best - generate ideas, create solutions and expand into all new innovative territory. Some people think meditation is meant to only calm your mind, but with a 10 minute a day practice I have found that meditation opens, inspires and ignites mine.
Meditating 15 minutes a day
15 minutes a day spent on anything is an accomplishment. Time is precious and if you are dedicating this amount of your time to meditation, you will be sure to see some amazing transformations. I will promise the amazement, but I don’t promise that it will always feel good, let alone comfortable. I find that 15 minutes a day brings up the unsettled emotions, some of which I have spent a lot of time trying to ignore or push away. When I commit to 15 minutes a day, I quickly recognize there are emotions, distractions and beliefs floating around in my mind and they don’t know where to land. Ultimately, it stops me from ignoring the discomfort or negative sensations so that I can deal with them because I know what happens when I don’t. They show up in my body. They manifest into rattled nerves, sore muscles, pains, anxious energy and exhaustion. They also have a tendency to shape behaviors, relationships, habits and overall wellness. A consistent meditation practice can help you identify the emotions that need some acknowledgement and understanding. Once acknowledged, many of them tend to move on and out of the body. I talk more about it in this guided meditation. It can also help you recognize the ones that may need more action, like talk therapy and changes in your day-to-day life. In short, it can wake you up.
No matter the amount of time, meditating is a way for me to protect and care for my mind and body. Sometimes it stirs the pot a bit. I believe I need some waves and maybe even a few storms before the water settles. When it does, it is clearer and my awareness is too. You may notice some or all of these changes no matter the amount of time you are meditating. You will likely experience many other changes, too. The important thing is to make the time every day, whether that is a little or a lot. If you miss a day, do it the next day. Miss 10 days? Do it on the 11th. Keep showing up and the changes will show up for you.
I am a meditation coach. I teach workshops and classes to help clients better understand meditation, find a form of meditation and a routine that works best for them and commit to a practice. Subscribe to the blog to receive free guided meditations and follow me on Instragram @wellbritta to learn more tips for prioritizing meditation in your life.
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