People ask me questions about meditation. Often. This one is the most popular one, though. No matter what country, age, socio-economic background.
“Elena, How can I get calm?”
Me: Meditate daily.
“Is that how you got more calm?”
Me: Yes. And I’m far less calm when I don’t sit. Ask my son.
“Can it work if I can only get to it once a week?”
Me: Do you know anyone who got a super strong physique by working out once a week?
“No.”
Me: Smiling.
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So let’s talk about consistency, and why it matters.
When you sit, you’re entering into a vital interaction with yourself, accruing time in a healing state. Especially if the sitting isn’t satisfying, deep or profound, you’re still letting go of stress. Especially if you’ve contended with a nonstop mind, thinking you’re a “bad meditator,” every thought represents some incidence of past or future stress, releasing from your mind and body. Every twitch, movement, doze, nod off – all stress releasing. This is the promise of meditation. This is why meditators do seem more calm, more steady, more soft, more ready. They’re giving themselves time twice a day to let all that extra mind activity go, so they can stay in their hearts, present and willing to learn.
As my colleague Jonni Pollard said in our recent interview for Welcome Earth, “cease ignoring your divinity.” Meditate.
He reminds us we forget our divinity when we spend time in blame, and shame, and low self-esteem.
The only antidote to the busy-ness of blame and shame is self-love.
The only path to self-love is this self-interaction, daily, through meditation.
Instead of wallowing in stories of failure in the deepest recesses of your mind, meditation is the only way to practice consistently being with yourself whilst hosting a soft, caring internal dynamic.
Meditation is the only way to experientially teach ourselves to hush our minds’ negativities and return to the state of allowing, accepting, releasing. Close your eyes and take a breath, right now. Allow, accept, release as you exhale. Once more.
And please remember – all experiences of meditation “count.” Whether satisfying or not, it’s all time spent letting go of resistance, and practicing the art of softening. In meditation, there’s no “trying.” Just allowing. Effortlessly staying aware and returning your attention to your breathing, your mantra, your affirmation.
Practicing “allowing” every day makes me a better mother, daughter, sister, friend; it’s helping my business, and it’s helping me prioritize self-care. Consistency is key.
Photo Credit: © Pete Longworth / www.petelongworth.com