Making the Sit Happen

The act of meditation is not complicated. Once one is over the confusion of what one is or is not doing, it is not a difficult action, or should we say, inaction. For some, the difficulty is in getting themselves to actually do the thing. They know meditation is good for them mentally, physically and spiritually, and yet procrastination reigns.

If you have noticed a tendency to avoid meditating, even though you recognize that it would be good for you, think about what is getting in the way.

Meditation is a period of physical inactivity and the mental activity is not associated with a specific output. Do you devalue it because your cultural reference is that you must be active and productive? Does it seem less important than other things you could or should be doing?

Does it seem hard to do? If something is hard, we may shun it. What would it be like if you took the hard part out of the meditation? Perhaps you are judging yourself and your performance unfairly. Meditation is not a performance, so you don’t have to score yourself on how well you are doing it. And sometimes it seems hard because we are confused about what we are doing. Often beginners feel inadequate in their early attempts at meditation because they can’t empty their minds. Thoughts keep forming and disturbing the tranquility that they imagine they should be attaining. Remember that it is in the nature of mind to generate thought. The task of meditation, at least in some cases, is not to stop the thoughts from arising, but to return the mind to the point of focus when thoughts have pulled it away.

Do you feel too busy to sit? The question then becomes, would you be more effective in your busyness if you took the time to clear your mind. As Mahatma Gandhi said as he very busily challenged the British Empire, “I have so much to accomplish today that I must meditate for two hours instead of one.”

If you decide that you will take the time to sit in meditation, when will you do it? You may find it helpful to have a specific time set aside each day for meditation. In that case, having a bit of ritual connected with the act may be helpful. Having a specific place and time and a set of behaviors you do to prepare for the sit can help you put yourself in the proper frame of mind to start.

On the other hand, one can take a few moments here and there to settle the mind. When you are forced to wait for something to happen, instead of doing impatience, why not get calm and quiet? A couple of minutes of peace can be very helpful and enjoyable. You don’t need to be on a cushion to meditate.

We can always find excuses for not doing the things that we think we should do. One strategy for overcoming resistance to an activity like meditation, or perhaps exercise, is to commit to the first steps rather than to the whole thing. Your goal may not need to be to sit in meditation for a given length of time. Maybe the goal to shoot for is just to get your body into you preferred meditation position and get started. Not everybody can get into a full lotus position, but maybe one of its benefits is that once you are there with your legs crossed, what else are you going to do but meditate?

“While meditating I sit quietly and rest in the nature of mind; I don't question or doubt whether I am in the "correct" state or not. There is no effort, only rich understanding, wakefulness, and unshakable certainty. When I am in the nature of mind, the ordinary mind is no longer there. There is no need to sustain or confirm a sense of being: I simply am.”

Sogyal Rinpoche

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