The Dalai Lama has a full schedule. As a worldwide spiritual leader he travels, speaks, teaches, writes, leads and maintains his own spiritual practice among a million other things. I heard that once he was asked if he reduces his meditation when he travels and has more time constraints. He noted that instead of meditating less during times of an extra full schedule, he meditates more.
It is mysterious, but if you decide to increase your meditation in the face of hectic and busy days, you will empower yourself. Any time you increase your resolve in the midst of challenging situations, you empower yourself to greater strengths.
Here is an idea. I encourage you to consider what you are presently doing with your meditation and set your intention to increase it just a little bit. Try it beginning today and go until the start of the New Year (2012!) Instead of waiting for the New Year to start or deepen your practice, do it now and you will be well on your way come January 1st.
You know how good it feels when you mediate. You know the blessed relief when have just a few minutes of everybody-leave-me-alone peace and quiet. Ah, bliss.
Now, this need not be an overwhelming, one more thing I gotta do, sort of a deal.
So how about this: 5 minutes.
Just 5 minutes. If you want to start meditating, try the 5 Minute Meditation. If you already have a practice, add 5 minutes each day.
It can be a walking meditation, a movement meditation, a stillness meditation, a chanting meditation. Whatever it is, commit to it. Give yourself that extra boost of energy and vitality that comes from a meditation practice.
xo,
Kathleen
PS. The Dalai Lama is also reported to have said that sleep is the best mediation, so maybe what you really need to commit to yourself is to get extra sleep.
OK, so I am feeling fine about my daily morning meditation – it goes anywhere from 30-60 minutes a day. (sometimes a little less, sometimes a little more…)
But I generally don’t meditate in the evening at all, so my commitment and intention for these last few weeks of 2011 is to add the 5 Minute Meditation as part of my evening.
What is yours…tell me here. 🙂
Okay, so I’ve bumped my phone’s timer from 5 minutes to 6. That’s a whopping 20%! Glad that the DL says sleep is mediation. I’ll remember that when I start to nod off this afternoon:)
20% – that’s excellent Dan!
Funny enough, I forgot to do my extra 5 minutes on the very first night! Ha!
It’s hard to change habits. (tonight I am setting an alarm to remember)
But, I did get to bed early, so I am on the right track. 🙂