Did you ever say you were going to sit quietly and try, quite earnestly, to center your thoughts, focus your concentration, calm your ramblings, musings, and wandering notions? ( Believe it or not, I do this quite often) (No, really, though I understand your disbelief at such a preposterous suggestion) Whenever I try however, it always seems I end up thinking about 101 different things rather than enjoying a soothing, gentle, unhurried moment (or twenty). I end up spending half my time telling myself to be quiet and the other half of the time wondering about what is going to happen in an hour, during the afternoon, what I’m going to make for supper, if I bought enough cat food for the week, try to determine when I’m going to fit in time to finish Dark Fey ( a question my mother, and perhaps some of you, may also be wondering with a slight hint of annoyance), attempt to remember if I turned off the light in the dining room before I left the house, remind myself that a car payment is due, and try not to think about my rumbling tummy that is empty because I rushed out the door in the morning before eating something and was too distracted to remember to grab a protein bar or a yogurt for lunch.
Meditation is not my strong suit, to be sure. After all, for someone who lives, breathes, eats, sleeps, thinks, dreams, and paints words like the ocean heaves and sighs, perpetually, upon the shore, trying to quiet all the words rushing around in my mind is never, ever ever an easy or simple proposition. (as this one sentence might so clearly illustrate) It can be frustrating, however, when the manic mania that tends to be our daily lives, starts to eat away at my sanity; chipping away at the peace I like to carry around with me like a warm, soft blanket to soothe my nerves and steady my attention when work tries to eat me alive or the morning commute has far too many drivers in it who are more interested in their phone than the road.
We do lead frenetic lives, most of the time. Most of my friends have schedules that are packed and planned out for weeks in advance, bursting with one activity after another, special events, mundane appointments, children’s sports, dance, band, chorus, and school related comings and goings, work, family, maybe friends, car repairs, trips to the gym, to the spa, to the salon, book clubs, happy hours, shopping, coffee-shop stopping (sorry the rhymes just happen!), YADDA YADDA YADDA! We charge around like frenzied bumblebees, rushing hither and thither in restless haste ( to coin Dicken’s immortal phrase), cramming as much into our days (and sometimes far into our nights) (myself included since its nearing midnight and I’m sitting here typing when, in all honesty, I ought to be sleeping) as we can possible force 24 hours to hold.
Which leads me to the (long-awaited, no doubt) query: Why? What Purpose does this Mania really serve? Does it improve our Happiness, lower our stress levels? Does it add a sense of accomplishment and meaning to our lives? Does it do anything to develop the relationships we have with people about whom we care and love? Does it Bring us Peace? Hope? Joy?
Maybe.
Maybe Not.
Thus, I am trying to learn the fine art of meditation. A hushed moment (or twenty) in which I do nothing except breathe and try, with all my might, to still the mania of my thoughts so I may be quiet.
Breathe
Slow
Gently
Know
Love
Peace
Joy
Flow
Only
Breathe
Slow
Deep
Ever
Linger
Serenity
Keep
Only
Breathe
Sweet
Free
Quietly
See
Touching
Thee.
~Morgan~
.
.
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Beautiful Photograph found at : seomisukart.com
BooknVolume 
When I first started meditating, it was the same for me, and I could not find a way to quiet my mind at all. I found that when I actually focus my thoughts on one thing, all other thoughts just fade away. For me, I used the word “silence” because that was what I wanted….so I imagined the word ‘silence’ flowing through a river, with the ripples being my breath as I inhaled and exhaled. I was focused solely on that one word, and at first I was able to quiet my thoughts for a few seconds, and now it’s like second nature. That was the easiest way for me, so I thought I would share it with you 🙂
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Thank You so much. I will definitely try that 😉 Its such a beautiful practice. We have entirely forgotten our souls and I truly believe this is one way to reconnect.
Peace ~
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yes,it is difficult to start..focusing on one wor does help. only one word..it blocks out everything else…just one word..be still…silence..silence..Peace…
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OH how I am laughing! Meditation is NOT my strong suit either, and when I try, my Mind begins to compose poetry. WAIT!!!! QUIET!!! And then I start thinking all I MUST do, and please please just QUIET!!!
You know what does it for me? My cat Karma, sensing my dilemma, quietly and with royal dignity, comes to snuggle with me. Ahhhh……the thoughts slow down. And I become “cat”. How simple to be a cat. Lounge, eat, sleep, not a care in the world! Just BE in the moment.
Karma carries a powerful message, one that I usually deny. “Mom, you are too busy. You don’t even spend time with me.” (sigh) I’m with ya, Karma, and with you, too, Morgan. This thing called meditation when I have these WORDS begging to be told….it is terrible when the “monkeys” just won’t hush!
In empathy,
Amy
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PS Pass that rum bottle, will you? Hehehehehe
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LOL precisely 🙂 Most animals understand what we have forgotten.
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It is hard but do-able. Some nights I work at emptying my mind to help me sleep. I love when it works because i don’t even realize I was sleeping when I open my eyes and see several hours have passed.
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I don’t think I’ve ever had a quiet moment in my mind in my life Lol . it might be somewhat frightening, should it happen!
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I think it would be calming. I chase my thoughts away. It took a long time to learn and now that I can I love doing it. Don’t get me wrong there are times it just won’t work. Practice.
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makes perfect 😉
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This is the best time I experience, so I take advantage of it every morning and in the evenings when I am alone, which is not very often. This is a time you can’t get back so practice, no need to rush. Five minutes will soon turn into fifteen and so on. Namaste 🙂
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I do keep trying,,,yet often I end up hearing poetry in my head and then have to get up and get it down “on paper” so I don’t lose it. The only time I get reasonably close is when Im jogging because then all I think about is breathing, so Im trying to translate that into being as rest.
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Have you tried having meditative sounds play low in the background? I will tell you it is rare that I can concentrate in complete silence; that does come with much practice. I love hearing water, streams, rain and the ocean waves hitting the shore. Find what it, is you like listening too that brings you a sense of calm allowing your mind to rest it will happen with practice. I manifest for you a calm mind and peaceful vibrations :).
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I just woke up from the reverie your words brought over me 🙂 Yes, I love to listen to the sounds of the ocean. or thunderstorms. oddly, when its pouring with rain and storming violently…THEN I find calmness. lol
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Reblogged this on georgeforfun.
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