The most important thing to realize is that there is no right or wrong way to meditate. There is no “minimum time” to make it effective. There should never be stress around it. All it takes, at first, is a little discipline. Soon after that it will become “habit”. And once it moves into that realm, I promise it will feel odd to start your day any other way.
My mornings begin as such:
- Morning stretches in bed
- Get out of bed
- Move downstairs to kitchen
- Make lemon waters (¼ of a lemon squeezed into a pint of water)
- Set up coffee
- Move to my office (where I like to meditate)
- Pull out seat cushion (I use an old throw pillow that I keep in the closet just for this purpose)
- Prop my hips up with the cushion and sit cross-legged on the floor (NB if this is not a comfortable position, meditations can be done sitting upright on the edge of a chair, back straight, feet on floor)
- Place my hands on my knees, palms up, sometimes bringing my thumb and first finger to touch
- Take a deep breath in
- Recite in my head the following by Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh: “Waking up this morning, I smile. Twenty-four brand new hours are before me. I vow to live fully in each moment and to look at all beings with eyes of compassion.”
- Take in another deep breath and try to clear my mind
- Don’t let myself get upset when thoughts come in
- Gently nudge aside any wandering thoughts
- If the mood strikes me, focus on a goal or vision
- If a different mood strikes me, attempt to keep my mind completely clear
- It may last 2 minutes or 12, but I don’t care
- Conclude with a deep breath and bring my hands to prayer at my heart, reciting my favorite yoga incantation, “The Light and Spirit in me honors the Light and Spirit in Universe. Namaste.”
- Open my eyes and begin my workout , my work or whatever else follows that particular morning