If you are new to meditation or familiar with it, you probably know that one of the main challenges is not only sitting still, but quieting the mind! In 1996, I began meditating, after learning about it at the Self Realization Fellowship Center in Los Angeles, CA, where I lived for 16 years. (I lived in L.A. for 16 years, not at SRF, though that would be nice, it’s gorgeous!). At first, I found I could sit and somewhat calm my thinking for about 2 minutes! With visions of yogis in Tibet sitting on mountain tops for hours on end with flies buzzing around them, staying still and calm no matter what, my 2 minutes hardly seemed like an accomplishment or worthy of saying that I actually meditated! This is where the practice begins, though. By being gentle with ourselves. We did not learn to walk through a mall in one day! Imagine a baby trying to get from Macy’s to Nordies in their first steps! Even the most motivated fashionista couldn’t learn to do that without first taking one wobbly step and falling into their parents’ arms. So, take a breath, get comfy and take your first step. These days, I can meditate for a good 20 minutes at a stretch when I make the time for it. Otherwise, I do 2, 5, 7 minutes, whatever I can to stay in the habit. When my mind goes to thoughts of the day, I just do my best to go back to the silence or focus on my breath. Eckhart Tolle says that every moment is a meditation. So, some days, when I’m at the park playing with my daughter, I just look up to the sky or a tree and take a breath and clear my mind. It’s amazing how much that simple moment can center me and keep my day in perspective!

Amy Roemer September 24, 2009