How To Meditate

How To Meditate

“The mind should be allowed some relaxation, that it may return to its work all the better for the rest.”
Seneca the Younger

We are passing through challenging times. And sometimes we get so busy that we don’t take a moment to just chill out. When I am too on, for too long, I am much more apt to be grumpy or irritable and don’t sleep as well that night either. And that makes me even more fun to be with the next day. But when I meditate all the world is bliss. Okay, just kidding there, but I do feel a lot more relaxed and full of energy on the days I meditate. And I sleep better too. I’ve been meditating for a long time and I have recommended it to so many people that I finally put it into a one pager that I could share. This is sort of a summary of how I meditate, but there are countless ways to do it. Find out what works best for you, I think you’ll be happy you did.

Sit or lay down in a comfortable position. Use a timer and set it for 21 minutes, you can also do it for 11 minutes. Start the timer, close your eyes, say a prayer that is particular to your circumstances at the moment, and then think a holy word. God is a good choice for me. When you find that your mind wanders from that word, gently bring it back to the word and think it again. You’ll find that your mind will wander again. Think the word again. And so on. When the timer goes off, turn it off and sit or lay there for a minute or two with your eyes closed. Then open your eyes and wait another minute or two and then get up and go about your day. I think you’ll find that 20 minutes of meditating is equivalent to about two hours of sleep, and is very refreshing and restorative. Meditation is a wonderful way to deepen your faith as well. There is a tendency while mediating to think oh, I’m not doing this right, or all these thoughts — ignore them. The definition of a good meditation session is one that you do. And this too, shall pass.