Beginning meditation

The thought of meditation can be intimidating and sometimes time restrictive. The good new is research is showing that even small amounts of time taking deep thoughtful breaths out-ways no meditation practice at all. So instead of feeling like you need to leave your family to join a Buddist monastery or sitting mindfully in silence for hours to be connected, just take a few 1-3 minutes a day to check in, reconnect with yourself, and take a few deep breaths. Here is one tip to use that I find effective for our family members.

• As you take your bath or shower, take a minute to become conscious of the water against your skin, the sensations, the sounds. Stay in your body, instead of drifting into the future, planning your day or fantasizing that you won that argument! As your body is cleansed, affirm that mental and emotional debris is being washed away as well.(This is my favorite)

• At night, if you watch TV, pause during commercials and re-connect. Market your own life-enhancing images to your mind, rather than letting someone else do it.

The key to feeling these exercises is consistency. Commit to do this everyday for a few weeks and before you know it, its part of your routine and not a task to be "accomplished" as part of our to-do list. Once the brain is trained it will look for more opportunities to take a "breath". If it doesn't come natural or seems forced, just recognize that it is nothing, laugh at your minds stubbornness and agree today is not working, it is not a failure but is what it is without judgment. Tomorrow is a new day.

Blessings