“All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” Blaise Pascal
Mr. Pascal wrote this in the 1600s. We’ve always struggled with being alone with our thoughts and not being distracted. It’s not new.
This month marks the 4th anniversary of my meditation practice.
I initially started by meditating twice a day. I would sit down in the morning and again in the evening for 20 minutes.
In the four years, I have experimented with various approaches. Time lengths, breathing patterns, and guided vs. silent.
I’ve even attended a silent meditation retreat out in the middle of Nowhere, Texas. ABSOLUTE SILENCE!
I can now sit my happy little ass and meditate for a full hour with no guidance. Insane.
We have built the idea of meditation as this complicated thing. There is a multitude of approaches that can be overwhelming. The truth is that it’s stupid easy.
One of my favorite people, Naval Ravinkant, says that “Meditation- is the art of doing nothing.”
Just sit. If your mind wanders, let it wander. Let it sort through your day, your week, your life. We have a lot of unsettled thoughts, fears, and insecurities. Let your mind sort and process them.
But force your body to sit still with your eyes closed for 5 minutes, then increase it once you’ve reached some consistency. You owe it to yourself.
If you think you don’t have enough time, check your screen time on your devices. I’m sure you could magically discover a few minutes you could reallocate to your mental well-being.
The benefits of meditation are only apparent over time. It’s an exponential effect similar to compound interest.
I used to have a reminder on my calendar to meditate every day. Now, my body wanders to the couch automatically.
My girlfriend says she can tell when I haven’t meditated. I supposed meditation also benefits those around me. I’m just a ray of sunshine.
