Meditation If You Do It, It Will Come by Enid Kassner
You've probably heard the mantra from the movie Field of Dreams , "If you build it, they will come." Over the past several months, I've come to apply a modified version of this inspirational statement to my meditation practice.
When I started to attend the drop-in meditation group at Sun & Moon Studio last April, I had been experiencing numerous obstacles in my attempts to build a meditation practice. My difficulties included: When could I do it? I have a six-year-old daughter who frequently ignored my requests to not be disturbed while I was meditating. I was trying to use my limited early morning time before she woke up for a short asana practice and meditation (but was not willing to get up at 5 a.m.).
When that didn't work (most days), I would try to get home from work early enough to meditate before I had to pick her up from school (which was hard to do with regularity).
Sitting versus Lying Down. I had always heard that, ideally, one should be seated with a straight spine for meditation. Yet despite 3+ years of yoga practice, my back would scream in pain after about five minutes in a seated position. So, I would end up lying down, feeling frustrated with my body, but relaxed.
Mental distraction. Once I had given up on trying to remain seated, I was nevertheless plagued by an incessant barrage of mental distractions: what were my next steps in a project at work; did I remember to put my daughter's show-and-tell in her bag for school; did I have to go to the store before I could make dinner that night; etc. So I came to the meditation group for help in moving my practice forward.
My first time, I inwardly blanched when Alex, our facilitator, suggested we try a 30-minute meditation. But nobody else seemed daunted by this, so I figured I could try. No, I couldn't miraculously sit for 30 minutes that first time. Moreover, I discovered that the lower level studio at Sun & Moon has an exceptionally wide range of loud and distracting noises. But I did learn that I was by no means alone in my meditation struggles, and I was motivated to push on. The support and encouragement of the meditation group have helped me build a daily practice
For now, I have found the following answers to the difficulties I had been facing:
When to do it. I have put meditation first on my morning agenda. It was unrealistic for me to think I could practice both asanas and meditation in the morning. My daughter now is allowed to go downstairs and watch television in the morning until I finish my meditation: a small compromise in my parenting goals, but one that makes us both happy.
I've learned to sit. By trying various sitting positions, experimenting with blankets, pillows, zafus, and meditation benches, and by disciplining myself to sit every day, I have finally found ways to sit comfortably. My back no longer aches; my feet are less likely to fall asleep. I still sometimes need to change my leg position during meditation, but with regular practice, sitting has become easier and easier.
Taming the mind. Once I'd become able to sit comfortably, I continued to be bedeviled by mental distractions. In the meditation group we've explored a variety of techniques: following the breath; using mantras; chanting; chakra focusing; and listening to Tibetan chimes. As with my difficulties in sitting, I've found that the best way to address the mental "chatter"â is regular practice. When I meditated sporadically, I would become frustrated if a given session was filled with mental distractions. Now that I meditate every day, if a have a day in which I find it difficult to focus and clear my mind, it's much easier to simply notice the thoughts without feeling discouraged by them. I have also found that when I'm losing my concentration, a few minutes of pranayama or chanting generally helps me refocus, at least for the moment.
My daily meditation has become the most consistent and gratifying part of my home practice, strengthening me with both energy and serenity. It is a continuing adventure in which I'm experimenting and learning all the time. As with the leap of faith in Field of Dreams, if you do it , it will come.