No Time to Meditate?

  As a mother of two I know that finding time to do formal meditation is pretty much nonexistent. Don't worry meditation isn't all about sitting with legs crossed and eyes closed. It's about focus.

Throughout your day when you find your mind wondering from what you are doing (paperwork, laundry, dishes, DRIVING, etc.) just bring your attention back to your task. This practice of focusing the mind on the present situation IS meditation. This makes everything we do an opportunity to meditate and focus on the now.

When I think of an example to use from my daily life I think of trying to get my kids to laugh and smile. I notice that when I try to get our 4 month old to laugh I am completely focused. I make silly faces and noises just to get a simple little smile, and nothing else matters while I am doing this. Even if my attention does get interrupted I immediately go back to the baby until I finally get that laugh. And once he starts to laugh the joy I feel is indescribable.

Another practice to incorporate throughout your day is focusing on your breath. Just like focusing on a task bring your awareness to your breath at points during the day. Remember meditation is a journey. Don't expect to be a master overnight and don't beat yourself up if you lose focus or forget to do so. The journey is what it is all about. We learn from the practice not the end result.

Bringing thisfocus to your tasks and breath will help you to relax during stressful situations (like driving, especially if you live in NJ) and can help you to experience life to the fullest. This makes every moment an opportunity to meditate, so really you always have time.