12 May, 2015

Take Baby Steps

When you’re beginning to incorporate a new habit or practice into your life, you’ll have a greater chance of success if you take baby steps. This means, we don’t have to take on a twenty or thirty minute practice every morning. We can start small. If five to ten minutes sounds doable, begin there. If that seems like too much, meditate for one to three minutes and go from there. Beginning small helps our mind adapt to a new behavior without overwhelming it.

Know the “Why” Behind Your Practice

When we know our motivations, we’re much more likely to follow through. The benefits of meditating are vast, and when you really get excited about what it can do for your body, mind, and spirit – you’ll want to take to your cushion as soon as you wake up. Before you begin your practice, call to mind your reasons for meditating. Maybe you want to shift from being reactive in life to being more responsive. Perhaps you’ve heard that life-long meditators are believed to live longer, happier lives. Maybe you’d like to prevent a degenerative disease and you know a regular meditation practice greatly reduces the risk of a particular malady. Perhaps you simply want more peace of mind. Whatever it is, be clear about your motivations and bring them to the fore every time you take your meditation seat.

RPM (Rise, Pee, Meditate)

These were the words of one wise Buddhist meditation teacher to all of his students. “RPM daily, and you’ll be more likely to commit fully to a daily practice.” It’s true. Our meditation practice comes first – before we get distracted by e-mails, news articles, and the typical morning routine. The mediation practice becomes a ingrained habit when we RPM!

Happy meditating!