| I've struggled with meditation most of my life. | | | | with your eyes open. While driving, notice the |
| Over a span of 15 years, I purchased meditation | | | | aliveness in your hands as you touch the steering |
| CD's, attended meditation classes and read books | | | | wheel. Or at a stop sign or in traffic, notice your |
| on meditation, yet was still unable to incorporate it | | | | breath. |
| into my daily life. The meditation CD's usually put | | | | These are simple ways you can incorporate |
| me to sleep and the classes and books made me | | | | meditation into your daily life without taking ANY |
| feel like a failure! In fact, my first meditation was | | | | time out of your current schedule. If we all did |
| quite painful and I always felt like I was too busy | | | | these simple things, we'd have a daily meditation |
| to meditate! | | | | practice! |
| The sad truth is that while most of us are aware | | | | Obstacle #2: Lack of Self-Discipline |
| of the benefits of meditation, very few of us | | | | The second biggest obstacle people face in |
| actually have a regular meditation practice. There | | | | incorporating meditation into their daily life is lack |
| are a lot of obstacles to overcome in order to | | | | of self-discipline! Meditation takes discipline. I know |
| incorporate meditation into our daily lives. I | | | | many of us start out with great intentions to |
| overcame those obstacles and have been | | | | meditate daily or to exercise daily and we might |
| meditating daily for two years as well as | | | | do it for a couple of weeks, but then we lack the |
| meditating periodically throughout the day! | | | | discipline necessary to continue. |
| Through meditation I have experienced more | | | | That's why life coaches, personal trainers and |
| peace and joy in my life, I've become less | | | | other professions have been created! To hold us |
| reactive and less stressed and I have more | | | | accountable and to keep us focused! |
| energy and creativity! And I know you can | | | | So if you lack self-discipline, find a meditation |
| experience these benefits as well! | | | | partner! Ask your spouse, partner, friend, |
| But first, I think it's important to define what | | | | coworker to join you in incorporating meditation |
| meditation is? Many of us have misconceptions | | | | into your daily life. Hold each other accountable. |
| about meditation. The most common | | | | Or even if you can't find someone that wants to |
| misconception is that meditation is about getting | | | | meditate with you, tell your spouse/friend/partner |
| rid of thought! That would set anyone up for | | | | coworker of your intention to meditate daily and |
| failure! Meditation, rather, is about becoming the | | | | ask him/her to check in with you and ask you |
| observer of thought rather than the reactor to | | | | how you are doing. |
| thought. | | | | Just as an exercise partner is beneficial and |
| Meditation, pure and simple, is being fully present in | | | | productive, a meditation partner can be too! |
| the moment! In this meditative state you are | | | | Obstacle #3: Not having the right place or space |
| aware of the truth of who you are beyond your | | | | to meditate |
| body and your mind. | | | | The third biggest obstacle people mentioned is |
| Have you ever been in awe at a beautiful sunset? | | | | NOT having the right place or space to meditate! |
| So much so that you forgot about what | | | | This is a "perceived obstacle." You can literally |
| happened 5 minutes ago, and you weren't thinking | | | | meditate anywhere; while driving a car or walking |
| about the future? You were completely in the | | | | through a crowded mall. |
| moment and had this sense of aliveness inside? | | | | People often use not having a special place or |
| Well, that's meditation! | | | | specific area as an excuse to NOT meditate. If |
| So now that we know what meditation is, how | | | | we continually wait for the right circumstances to |
| do we incorporate it in to our daily lives? I knew | | | | meditate, we'll never meditate. |
| the reasons why I had struggled for years before | | | | I give people a meditation assignment: to meditate |
| I developed a regular meditation practice, but I | | | | in a public place! They can walk through the wall |
| was curious to see if others had the same | | | | and notice people and places, while observing their |
| reasons, so I conducted an international survey on | | | | breath or noticing the aliveness in their feet. |
| the biggest obstacles to meditation and received | | | | Obstacle #4: Falling Asleep |
| over 400 responses from people in 46 different | | | | The fourth most common obstacle to meditation |
| countries. Below are the TOP SIX biggest | | | | is falling asleep. And yet many meditation CD's |
| obstacles to meditation, and how you can | | | | say that it's okay if you fall asleep because you |
| overcome them! | | | | are still receiving the benefits of meditation...The |
| Obstacle #1: Not having enough time | | | | only benefit you're receiving is a peaceful sleep! |
| The biggest obstacle people face in developing a | | | | And yet, that is a benefit too! Meditation is |
| regular meditation practice is TIME. We don't have | | | | awareness. It's being fully present in the moment. |
| enough time to meditate! (Interestingly enough | | | | When you're asleep, you're asleep, not meditating. |
| this wasn't just an "American" phenomenon. | | | | Here are some tips if you fall asleep while |
| People from all across the globe mentioned they | | | | meditating: |
| didn't have enough time to meditate). | | | | *Don't meditate at night before bed. So often |
| Yet there are 4 simple ways to incorporate | | | | many of us want to meditate daily but don't think |
| meditation into your life without taking ANY time | | | | about it until we are in bed or getting ready for |
| out of your current schedule! | | | | bed and then we try to meditate. Of course we'll |
| First, I invite you to convert your waiting time | | | | fall asleep. |
| into meditating time. | | | | *Try meditating in the morning or mid day when |
| The average person waits 45-60 minutes a day. | | | | you are alert. |
| We wait for appointments, we wait in traffic, we | | | | *Meditate in small increments throughout the day. |
| wait in line at the grocery store and we wait on | | | | Again, notice your breath for a couple minutes |
| hold on the phone. Yet those precious "waiting | | | | while brushing your teeth or showering. |
| times" can be converted into meditating times. | | | | Obstacle #5: Too many distractions |
| So next time you are waiting for an appointment, | | | | The fifth most common complaint from people is |
| take a moment to notice your breath. Or next | | | | that there are too many distractions to meditate. |
| time you are waiting in line at the grocery store, | | | | Yet distractions don't have to be distractions. |
| take a moment to smile from the inside. | | | | For example, during one of my meditations, my |
| Second, have a daily activity be your meditation. | | | | cat Vinnie came up to me and started meowing. |
| You can incorporate meditation into any of these | | | | He wouldn't stop either. He wanted my attention. |
| daily activities: | | | | Now to most people, this would be a distraction |
| *brushing your teeth | | | | and a reason to stop meditating. Instead, I |
| *emptying the dishwasher | | | | opened my eyes, sat down on the floor with him |
| *showering | | | | and petted him while noticing my breath. I |
| *eating | | | | incorporated my cat into my meditation. Instead |
| *walking | | | | of allowing him to become a distraction, he |
| *folding laundry, ironing | | | | became my meditation! |
| As you brush your teeth, notice your breath. Or | | | | If you are meditating and a distraction happens. |
| notice the aliveness in your hands and mouth. As | | | | Just notice it. Allow it to be. If it's something that |
| you empty the dishwasher, feel the aliveness in | | | | needs your attention, tend to whatever needs to |
| your hand as you put each dish away. | | | | be done, while still observing your breath! |
| Third, have your dog or cat be your meditation! | | | | Obstacle #6: Not knowing how to meditate |
| Have you ever noticed when walking your dog | | | | So many people feel that they don't know how |
| how your dog is completely in the moment, | | | | to meditate. We make meditation more |
| taking in its' surroundings? Well you can join your | | | | complicated than it really is! Again, meditation is |
| dog in this blissful state. When walking the dog | | | | about being present in the moment. It's really |
| notice the aliveness in your feet with each step. | | | | about finding what works for you! |
| Notice the aliveness of the trees, birds, your | | | | Again, you can incorporate meditation into your |
| surroundings. While petting the cat, notice the | | | | life without taking time out of your schedule. Your |
| softness of the fur. Be completely present with | | | | life can become a meditation. It is those moments |
| your dog or cat! | | | | throughout the day that we are fully present in |
| Four, meditate while driving! Now, of course, do | | | | the moment that matter. And through meditation, |
| NOT close your eyes and meditate while driving. | | | | we discover the bliss of being that we are! |
| But you can be completely present while driving, | | | | |