Happy Monday!
And Happy August! (How are we almost a week in already!?)
My mind is quiet today. Perhaps it’s part of my resistance to summer swiftly passing by. Perhaps it’s because I know they will eventually come, so why force it. The thoughts always find their way back. Even for the most seasoned meditator, the thoughts return. We simply acknowledge them and begin again.
I was speaking to my neighbor about meditation recently.
She said, “Oh, I can’t meditate. I sit there quietly and follow the breath. But my mind never goes blank. I’m always thinking.”
I asked her often she sits with this practice.
“Everyday,” she said.
“It sounds like you’re a pretty good meditator to me,” I replied.
Our job as meditators is not to be free from the mind – it’s to connect more deeply with the part of ourselves who is the witness. We set aside time to observe the thoughts, the sensations, the emotions, and watch what comes up. Through this we begin to develop a deeper relationship with ourselves and our surroundings. We show up.
And showing up is often the hardest part. So, as far as I’m concerned, anyone who takes the time to do so is doing a darn good job.
So today, this week, I encourage you just to show up. Let go of the judgment of whether or not you’re doing it right – whatever it is. Give yourself permission and go for it. Eventually it gets easier. Showing up becomes part of you. And if you forget or fall off – forgive yourself and begin again.
I’d love to share more profound words with you today but as I mentioned, my mind is pretty quiet – so I’m going to go with that. At least I showed up, right?
I hope you have a happy week.
Much love to you.
Bye for now.