Ready, Set, Sit

READY, SET, SIT!

We wish it were that easy! It can be with only a little effort. Here are some thoughts that might help.

READY!

Begin with a good attitude. We know sitting brings peace. If we resist our practice, feel burdened or obligated, sitting becomes just another demand on us.

If we stay constantly busy, we're in trouble too. "I'll sit when I have time" is how the ego works to keep us from what can bring us peace. It's important to reject the mind's unhelpful excuses for not sitting.

SET!

Establish a habit. Sit at the same time(s) every day. Work it into your schedule just like any daily exercise routine. Choose the same place each time, preferably a spot where you will be undisturbed. Beautify the space but keep it simple, clean and uncluttered. Use restful colors and meaningful images and symbols. Your neat and inviting meditation space will become a place of refuge, a welcoming place you look forward to entering.

SIT!

Sit on your cushion. Light incense. Chant a mantra mentally. Music can be a wonderful way to calm down and center. Read a few passages that inspire you spiritually. Become present to the moment and begin your meditation. Remember, we don't meditate to become enlightened. We meditate to connect with what we already are. When you finish meditating, sit quietly for a few minutes before getting up. Become aware of your body, your feelings. Bow with gratitude and go on, mindfully, to whatever is next.

In the beginning, we must make an effort to establish a holy habit. As our benefits increase, we become more eager. Then getting started is not as hard as it once was. Ready, Set, Sit! becomes an enthusiastic response - no longer a chore, no longer a challenge. It becomes the time we look forward to.