Do you have trouble quieting down to meditate? Does it seem like everyone else knows how to do it? Is it frustrating that you have difficulty doing that simple thing?
It’s not just you. Me, too. Here’s how it usually goes when I sit down to rest or meditate. I lay back in a reclining chair snuggled under a blanket with my feet in the sun. Take two deep breaths. I try to relax, but in my mind I am having discussions with people who pissed me off during the week. I want to be sure to remember to give them a piece of my mind when we talk again. Take two more deep breaths, then go over all of the things on my to do list and make a mental note to add a few items. Two more deep breaths, then I wish that I ate the three chocolate chip cookies left in the pantry. Without realizing it, my mind quiets down and my jaw and throat relax. I feel blood flowing into my fingers and toes. My energy is moving freely and I feel a smile on my face while in a state of pure relaxation and healthy replenishment. I don’t want to move but when I get up I thank myself for sticking with it. It wasn’t so hard after all.
