“Meditate at least 20 minutes a day, unless you don’t have time. If you don't have time, then meditate 40 minutes a day.”
— H.H. the Dalai Lama
We live in a time when everything blends and feels the same. We’re spending most of our moments with the same people, often feeling stressed and worried. We want to reach out to our dear friends but phone calls or FaceTime are not the same.
Meditation can offer an oasis of contentment in all of this. If you’ve been meditating for a long time, it’ll be easier to get to this place. If you are new to meditation, sitting down may not feel beneficial at all, at first. Your mind will race and your discomfort will peak. If you pay attention to the breath, you may find temporary relief. Breathing slowly, your body will calm down, bringing you to a place of peace and calm.
And then your mind might start racing again. When you notice, don’t get upset. You noticed, and that’s a good thing! It’s an opportunity to return to the breath and get respite for just a few more seconds, or a few minutes.
We believe that teaching meditation and mindfulness to our children is one of the greatest gifts we can offer them. Once our children realize that they are not at the mercy of their emotions, they will feel empowered and at choice. This skill will benefit them for a lifetime.
We will always remember this time, when we were forced to be fully present with ourselves and each other. Home schooling, bed time, tantrums — they’re all part of life. A little mindfulness can go a long way in making things feel more tolerable and finding the goodness in a difficult situation.