many meditators have this excuse that they don’t get time for meditation. in this fast paced life where everything is available at the click of mouse. we are still hard pressed for time.
getting time for essential activities of life is becoming difficult. is it really because we are short of time or because doing meditation is not one of our top priority in life. personally i feel that we always have time to do things which we really want to do.
there are many occasions which can be easily used for meditation. that way we don’t have to sit separately for practicing meditation.
10 occasions when you miss practicing meditation:
1. before going to sleep – there are many meditation techniques which you can practice before going to sleep. one of the easiest method is to relax your whole body consciously before going to sleep.
2. after waking up from sleep in morning – again there are many meditation techniques you can practice while lying down on bed. many zen monks welcome the day with a good laughter.
3. walking meditatively – walking consciously is very much practiced by buddhist meditators. you have to take each step meditatively. you should be aware of each step you are taking. walking meditatively is a very wonderful experience specially if you do it in a garden or in nature.
4. listening meditatively – most of the time when we listen then we bring our judgement in between. our mind start interpreting what other person meant to say. on the other hand when you listen meditatively then you just listen and do not bring your mind in between. you become a pure listener. your job is not to interpret or judge what other person is saying but to just listen. your whole consciousness is on listening and not on judging the meaning of words.
5. talking meditatively – most of the time we speak unconsciously. when a meditator speak then he is not just talking but one part of his consciousness is hearing also. when you speak then side by side listen as if someone else is speaking.
6. eating meditatively – most of the time we are watching TV or reading something or talking with others while eating. this way, we don’t give our total attention to food. when you eat food meditatively then your whole attention is on eating. you chew the food well, you experience its taste, you feel the warmth of the food. this way you not only practice meditation but you enjoy the food more.
7. travelling in bus or train – while you are sitting then you can easily watch your breathing or witness the thoughts. its a great way to use the time spend in travelling.
8. waiting for your turn in queue – again you can practice watching your breath or witnessing your thoughts. its also a good test of your patience. if you are getting irritated or bored then you can witness your emotions as well.
9. taking short break in office – usually when people get tired or want to pass some free time in office, then they either go out for a short tea break or they start surfing internet. why not meditate for few minutes? this will give rest to your mind and you might get a creative idea during the meditation.
10. entertainment time – the time which we spend in surfing internet or watching TV should be used by meditator for practicing meditation. once you start going deep in meditation then no pleasure of this world can be compared to the bliss and peace which comes via meditation. its worth spending time and energy in going deep in meditation.
in fact any activity can be done meditatively. you just have to bring your awareness into the activity. slow down and don’t be in a hurry to complete the task. instead give more importance to doing things with awareness. being more consciousness into your actions. secondly, be total in your work. give your 100 percent to the task. this will slowly transform the whole quality of your work and of your life.