Slice #3, Meditations on Meditating

I'm choosing to explore my identities this month, focusing on a different angle of me each day.  

Today, a slice on who I am as a meditator.   

On a good morning, I have time for a little routine I call META.  It's come from many iterations of goals I have set for myself over the years having to do with exercise, time for self, reading, journaling, and meditation.  For 2023, I've hung a little poster over my desk that is titled 23 for ME.  It occurred to me that I often can't find even 23 minutes in one whole day to just focus on me.  That sounds ridiculous, but I know all of my fellow teachers are with  me on this.  

Today is a good morning, and I had time to meditate.  For me, meditation is not about the Zen moment (though the sound of singing bowls and smell of eucalyptus is nice).  Meditation is about having a routine practice that helps me remember that I am in control of what I do with my thoughts.  I don't know about you, but my brain can do the thing where you loop thoughts over, and over, and over.  My brain can take deep dives in thought directions that are unnecessary when I should be resting.  My brain can throw out things I don't want to think about at all.  

Meditation has taught me that I will never be able to control that.  I don't understand why, and it seems odd that you can't control your own brain in that capacity. ... but, I CAN control if I choose to let what comes in my brain hang out a while or whether I just let it float back out.  The practice of meditation is not about keeping a clear mind the whole time you meditate.  It is about learning to train your brain muscle to refocus.  To say, no, I don't want to think about that now.  Meditation is what keeps me in Zen all of the other times of the day (mostly).

If you are looking for a place to start, I suggest 10% Happier.