The time of day was not appealing. 7:15 AM for morning meditation. But after the moaning and groaning, I have to admit that the Sikh meditation exercise was one of the most lasting gifts I carried away from a vacation week at Chautauqua.
Repeating it for 15 minutes each morning feels symbolic of another lesson learned there, that regular practice is as important as success. It is so easy to flit, to try one thing and then another, when remaining faithful to a regular routine can provide the structure we need. To say nothing of the calm that comes from putting the cell phone on “quiet” and closing the door.
If random thoughts sneak in, as they inevitably will, try calling them by name, as Elizabeth Lesser suggests in “The Seeker’s Guide.” Just say “thinking, thinking, thinking,” and they will skulk away. At least temporarily.
