Meditation for Busy People
“I know I should meditate. I know all the reasons that I should just sit”, Amy sighed
“But I just don’t have the extra time. I’m busy” she cried.
I had heard it before. Amy led a very busy life. She was a professional executive for a large company with many demands. On top of that she had a husband and two children who also wanted her attention. Between work and home Amy felt stretched to the max. add to that the fact she felt responsible for everyone’s happiness. It’s no wonder she couldn’t sit still. Let’s clear up a few of the common myths about meditation.
Myth #1 “I don’t have an extra hour a day to just sit.”
You don’t have to sit for an hour. You can if you want to but it isn’t necessary. I usually recommend a regular practice of about 15 minutes a day but once you learn techniques that work you can enter this state in just a few short minutes and receive many benefits from doing so. I often sit in my car before going into an important meeting for a few minutes of quiet time. When I do this my meetings are much more effective and productive.
Myth #2 “I can’t sit cross- legged on the floor”
Not a problem. Meditation is not about how you sit or hold your hands or anything else that you do. Meditation isn’t about doing at all, it is simply about being. Sit at you desk, in a busy airport or anywhere else you find yourself.
Myth #3 “My mind simply will not stop. I can’t meditate because I cannot shut off
my
mind!”
It really isn’t a matter of shutting off your mind but more a matter of training your mind. The first thing you have to do is to believe that it can be done. Whatever you believe becomes the truth for you. If you believe you can meditate then you have just opened the door to allow that experience into your reality.
I often find that busy people think they should be able to just jump right in and start meditating but the fact is that most of us need to do a little prep work first. Learning how to slow down and just relax will make the sitting time much easier. Yep, you’ve got it; I am talking about the R word---Relax. It is a learned behavior for most adults. Most of my clients are so busy doing, doing, doing that they don’t stop to smell the roses or anything else for that matter.
A lot of my clients tell me they relax by watching TV at night. When watching TV your mind is still engaged. It’s still working. While this is a relaxing and entertaining way to spend the evening it is not the same as learning to relax. When I speak about learning to relax I am really talking about relaxing all parts, the body, mind and spirit.
A news fast is always a good place to start. Don’t watch the news or read or listen to it for 2 weeks. I promise you if something important happens someone will let you know. What you will miss is the tension that is created in your body when you hear about murders and rapes and wrecks that you have no control over. You will find yourself naturally becoming more relaxed and less anxious.
Become more aware of your surroundings. Smell those roses. Take walks in nature and just observe. No agenda. No goals. Just learn to be. Take your walks alone and leave the cell phone home also. You can take a dog with you if you want since they won’t talk to you. Start with short 10 or 15 minute walks. You can even do these walks on your lunch time. You will find that when you come back you will be refreshed and alert.
Work with a Life Coach to find that balance. Those who are truly successful are balanced in all areas of their life from finances to relationships to health. Learn proper breathing techniques. Most adults breathe in short shallow breaths. Learning to breathe in a relaxed manner will help you to easily enter the meditative state.
With proper preparation you will find that starting a meditative practice will be easy and joyful. Find a meditation teacher or guide to help you get started. Read books, listen to CD’s or enroll in a workshop but just get started. Yes even busy people can meditate.
Author- Kathryn Watson
Learn to Meditate
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