Recently a few folks have mentioned challenges with starting or continuing a meditation practice. I can relate! So I wrote this little message for all of us:
“Do Your Practice, All Is Coming”
This pithy saying was one of several most frequently spoken by the guru of the system of Yoga I have practiced for many years. This Yoga is meant to be a daily practice for transformation and there was much emphasis on the regularity of one’s commitment. The directive is basically to practice 6 days a week. So, a “just do it” for the yoga crowd.
(The corollary saying: “99% practice 1% theory” gives you an idea of the importance of practice vs talking about practice.)
I remember hearing this saying the first few times and thinking, in that hopeful excitement of a new convert, “oh, wow, it’s ALL coming! Bliss, enlightenment, peace, contentment, health, grace, joy…”
And so it was.
Then a time in life arrived that, in my experience, was not so full of bliss, enlightenment, peace, contentment, joy, health, grace. And I heard those same words differently. All Is Coming. Huh. Loss, sadness, sickness, exhaustion, frustration, fear, anxiety, anger, misunderstanding, grief. Yikes. Even practicing a little bit was hard, nearly impossible. Without my dad (who is not a yoga practitioner) saying “why don’t you do just a little bit of your practice?”, I don’t know when or how I would’ve found my feet again.
Now many years later, I hear the deep lightness and the wide truth of those words. I hear it in the memory of the rhythmic cadence of my teacher’s voice. I hear it in the memory of that day in the kitchen of a rented house when my dad so kindly yet firmly invited me to get out my mat for a few minutes.
Do Your Practice, All Is Coming.
So how is your practice going? Whatever form it takes doesn’t matter; you just have to do it. It’s the regularity and intention that work on you, gently.
Thich Naht Hanh describes meditation as developing our capacity for deep looking, listening, and awareness of the present state of things beginning with ourselves. Then we can stay there with new eyes and a fuller heart and not run away.For Fr Thomas Keating it is simply resting in silence with the loving God who dwells within each of us. That’s right — rest. Our intention to be in that presence anchors our practice.
The meditation aspect of Yoga is known as Dyana in Sanskrit: observing the inward and outward movement of a mind full of thoughts….observing with silence, stability and detachment. (You can work on this while moving and breathing, or sitting and breathing; other yoga postures not required, by the way.)
So there are some ideas from the sages.
If you need a method to begin (and begin again), here are some tips:
Set aside a few minutes, find a comfortable seated position, and simply watch your breath. When you notice your mind has wandered to thoughts (which it absolutely will — that’s what our minds do), simply bring it back to your breath. It’s kind of like putting the puppy gently back on the newspaper when it wanders over and pees on the rug. C’mon, buddy. Over here.
Kindness, Consistency, Patience
You could start your meditation period with a short reading from a spiritual text in alignment with your faith, a poem, verse, affirmation, blessing or chant; do a little stretch or two to ease the muscular kinks and relax your body. Deep breath in, deep breath out.
Consider using a timer early on and don’t get up until the time you committed to has passed.
A traditional amount of time to practice meditation is 20 minutes a day twice a day. This is pretty much the prescription, at least to start, across most spiritual traditions. If that seems like WAY too long, start with 5 minutes. If 5 minutes seems out of reach, start with 1 minute, and add another minute each day.
Commit to your chosen method of practice for one month, every day. Assess after the month has passed.
Oh yes, best to do this in the morning — no matter what you think about another time of day being more accessible for you. Morning practice, before you’re even really awake, anchors your day.
Kindness, Consistency and Patience are the keys. And knowing the difference between self-compassion and self-indulgence. But that’s for another time.
Thank you so much for spending some of your precious time reading this. And, I always love to hear from you if you have any observations or reflections to share.
May you (and everyone you love) have ease of heart with whatever comes to you in life.
I wish you many blessings on your path.
Love Elizabeth
PS If you want to schedule a 1:1 session with me, reply to this email, go to my website www.elizabethcombs.com or text me. I have distance sessions and also limited in-person options. I am happy to be of service to your service, your being, your work, your presence, your healing. Your trust means the world to me.