People often ask me what about my morning routine. I usually answer that I meditate for 15-30 minutes before I do anything else, but that answer has always been tentative for me because what I mean may not be what people think when they think of meditation. For some, what I do may not “count” as meditation.
I wrote about this on Facebook a few weeks ago and it was the most popular thing I’ve shared in a while, so I figured you might want to see it, too:
What counts as meditation?
I do not sit in lotus
or light incense
or intuit my chakras
or commune with source
I sit in my comfy chair
with my usually-grumpy cat
sleep-purring on a pillow on my lap
My headphones cancel out the noise
and the whirring of my home
Eyes lightly closed
I don’t focus on my breathing,
but my breathing happens at a natural, slow pace
My mind is like a sunny beach with a light breeze
thoughts come and go
the urge to do comes and goes
plans form and unform
People visit me
People I miss, I love and send well-wishes
People I get to see, I love and send gratitude
People who are gone, I tribute
People who hurt me, I send lovingkindness
Because that’s what we both need
No one stays long, but they all stay long enough
I feel whatever comes up
The butterflies of hope
The chuckles of humor
The warm fuzzies of love
The heat of anger
The tears of sadness
I do not analyze the feelings
Or try to have them be something else
They are just there, like the wind and the waves
Forceful for a moment, gone the next
I sip my coffee
and enjoy its rich tones
My sleep-purring cat suddenly love-bites me
and falls back asleep
I set a timer so I don’t lose track of time
but I mostly sit until I’m ready to not-sit anymore
I don’t know if this counts as meditation
I can’t not do it
I don’t want to make it anything more than it is
I carry it with me all day and return when needed
It keeps me whole, ready, and grounded
And that is enough
I have never been able to meditate and always wondered about those who can and do. Somehow I have a restless mind and am unable to clear it of all thoughts. The harder i try the more i think.
Hi Robert! I’m so get that. Not all meditation practices require clearing your mind of thought. For instance, I was listening to Susan Piver talk about this recently and her comment was similar. She and I are doing another podcast episode in a few weeks and I’ll ask her specifically about this to get her take. Thanks for the question.
My recent understanding and meditation efforts have been supported/fueled primarily by 2 things: (1) Dan Harris’s book “10% Happier” where he explains that it’s less about clearing and more about the continual exercise of noticing your mind has wandered off to other thoughts (perfectly normal) and gently refocusing it back on something like your breath. Mediation is exercise for the mind like jogging is exercise for the body, I think he says. (2) Personally I needed some more guidance so have been using the Headspace app with Andy Puddicombe where he’s very adept at addressing the common challenges one experiences in their practice. Hopefully those 2 things will help if you decide to continue to give it a try Robert. Charlie – counts as mediation to me…looking forward to listening to more of Susan Piver 🙂