A MEDITATION TO BREAK THROUGH BUSYNESS FOR A MUCH NEEDED BREATHER
I recently attended another day meditation retreat with the RBMG. Ahhh. I always leave there feeling SO amazingly good, but in the lead up I can’t imagine how I’m going to hit pause on my life to spend six hours doing nothing!
The thing is, whether it’s six hours or six minutes, I often hear the same internal voice telling me – can’t stop… too busy.
But it’s just not true! And this short meditation is one we can all remind ourselves with when we’re devaluing our practice in favour of everything else.
This meditation is one we can try when we’re feeling busy beyond belief.
So, take some time to get comfortable. Set yourself up with a great posture, connecting with your breath and giving yourself a little smile to welcome this meditation.
When we’re on the busyness express train, it can feel impossible to get off, never mind taking a short pause at the station; for fear of missing a deadline or an opportunity, fear of losing momentum, or of having nothing to do.
But if became aware of the content of this busy state, we’d likely be surprised at what we found. That most things we think are vying for our attention really aren’t – like the buzz of apps on our phone. Catching the latest episode on Netflix. Or keeping up with 24-hour news.
Conversely, things that are actually important – like meaningful work or difficult conversations – would surely benefit from the results that some space and some distance could bring – calm, clarity and connectedness.
And so, if you’ve been putting off or rushing through meditation, perhaps you can recall this phrase, and believe me when I say, that honestly, for this relatively short time, everything can wait.
The emails can wait.
Phone calls can wait.
Dishes can wait.
The kids can wait.
TV can definitely wait.
Instagram can wait.
I’m pretty sure your partner can wait.
Problem solving can wait.
It can all wait. Because this is important. Taking time out to reset. Recharge. Refuel. Using your breath to give yourself a much-needed breather.
A breather from the constant barrage of information being thrown at us every single day.
A breather for the overworked thinking brain.
A breather for a body that we often take for granted.
A breather from modern chaos.
Taking the opportunity to sit and allowing life to really slow down. For our thoughts to stop racing. For our mind to come back into the present; to where the body is.
It’s OK to put things on hold; it only needs be for a short time.
MEDITATION
So, as you continue on through this meditation, I’ll set a timer. And for the next 10 minutes or beyond, I’m giving you permission – this time is yours. Everything can wait.
Thoughts can wait.
Ideas can wait.
Talking can wait.
The future can wait.
Stopping to listen to your breath, and your body; resisting the urge to jump back on that train. We’re staying put at this station for the next little while.
And if your mind does wander, it’s no problem. Return to following your breath inwards and outwards. Let the train move off on its own.
Because for now we’re sitting with this M.I.T. This Most Important Task. The simplest of tasks. But whose benefits are boundless.
