Every minute counts… right? We need to be as productive as possible and not waste any time! If we buy in to this, logically it follows that we need to keep our minds actively thinking all the time… producing. For much of my life, I embraced this mindset and used my brain every moment of every day and night… even when I was sleeping… including dreams I’ve had about complex problems I was trying to solve! Sound familiar??
When I started my transformation journey I allowed myself to spend some time reading and writing each day, which I considered productive activities. Every now and then meditation would come up and my thought would be… what a waste of time! Sit still and try not to think for 20 minutes a day, or more?? It sounded totally unproductive.
However, meditation came up more and more. I started to think that I should follow the clue and give it a try. I read a little about meditation and listened to a guided program. The first time I meditated I lasted about 3 minutes, and it was excruciating. When I figured that I had been “still” long enough, I got back to thinking and was definitely not convinced that meditation could be valuable for me.
The next day I gave it a try again, and so it followed every day after that. For several months I’d call my meditation structured thought. I’d think “I am _____”, the blank being some quality or characteristic I possess or aspire to possess. This got me hooked. I found spending some time every day focused on who I want to be was very empowering and held me accountable for being the best me… I had to be honest with myself about qualities that were more aspirational and changes I needed to make.
As time went on, I worked my way up to meditating to 20 minutes and started to have more time of mental stillness while meditating. The first results I saw were subtle changes in my effectiveness and focus when I wasn’t meditating. I felt generally calmer and was able to better manage my emotions in stressful situations.
Meditation is now the lifeblood of my creativity. When I clean out my mind and push all the static aside, I see things differently. I see needs, find ideas, and identify how I can serve. It’s like an amazing mind cleansing! I have gone from thinking it’s a total waste of time to making it a non-negotiable in my day.
If you are interested in exploring meditation, I highly recommend reading/listening to some of the material by Davidji… his website is www.davidji.com . I find his approach very practical and non-intimidating.