Chances are if you sit in stillness for any duration of time.

Not to do anything. Just to sit.

And pay close attention.

You might hear something like this:

Why the heck am I sitting here? My butt hurts. I have things I need to be doing. I can’t shut my mind off. What am I going to make for supper? Why am I sitting here again? I can’t believe she said that. I’m so pissed. I need a nap. Oh damn. My nose itches. Now my back hurts. Did I forget to turn the alarm off? Oh, I have so much to do!

But here’s what. Sit anyway.

If even for a moment. Sit.

For one minute.

Or for ten minutes. Sit.

Oh yah, and breathe.

Just like every inhale requires that you eventually let go and exhale.

Pay attention to your thoughts. Then let go.

Acknowledge your emotions. Then let go.

Identify your pain. Then let go.

One of my favorite mediation practices  is to start out by getting still. In a chair, feet planted. Or on the floor in a comfortable seated position. Back supported or not. Or you can even lie down.

Take several deep cleansing breaths.

Then, like a baseball bat to an 8 year old’s birthday piñata, allow your thoughts to “go to town”. Unabashedly let them fly. Whatever they are. Don’t censor yourself.

At first, acknowledge them. Attach to them. Get lost in them. Let them take over. Even judge them. Have thoughts about your thoughts.

But then, when you’ve had enough (which will come quickly when paying close attention to the things we say to ourselves), let go of each thought as it arises, picking them off, one-by-one.

As soon as you recognize you’re having a thought. Any thought. Notice it. Label it what it is. “Thinking”. And let go of it. Then put the focus back on your breath.

Notice. Label “thinking”. Let go. Breathe.

Notice. Label “Thinking”. Let go. Breathe.

Over and over.

Just like lounging in a soft patch of green grass while watching puffy white clouds slowly and gently moving across a powdery blue sky on a hot summer’s day. Nothing specific to do. No where to be. Leisurely. Without judgement. Just being. Allowing.

Notice a thought. Label it “thinking”. Let it go. Breathe.

This practice can help you understand the difference in what it feels like to acknowledge and release your random thoughts rather than being controlled by them.

And a little tip from an old Zen saying:

“You should sit in mediation for 20 minutes each day, unless you’re too busy. Then you should sit for an hour”.

So sit.

Try it once every day this week for whatever duration of time you can allow.

What did you notice? What shifts did you make? Did anything become clear to you? Did you make an attempt? If not, why?  What do you think your resistance is all about?

Share about it below.  And don’t forget to write about your experience in your FREE 52 week Adventure Journal.