Having your first cup of coffee or tea in the morning, outside. Whatever natural space you have, be it a deck, but it a landing, be it a travel cup with your morning walk. Take in the world with your five senses.

Sip, listen. Sip, look. Sip, smell. Sip, feel. Sip, taste.

Concentrate on being mindful about each sip and about each sense. This can be a type of meditation you can do with yourself. I try to do this everyday, but it usually ends up about once or twice a week. Other days I am diving into emails for work, or scurrying around getting ready for work or baking and opening the Farm Store. Once or twice a week, I take time with my first cup of coffee and really savor the moments. Appreciate nature. Inhale and exhale the cool morning air. It really energizes me for the day. Steadies my soul. Allows a deep relaxation so that I can conquer the day.

Back in January, when I began blogging, I wrote about my morning routine. Taking my first cup of coffee outside does remind me of being on vacation, carefree, without a schedule. However, most days we are not on vacation. So getting some of those special moments for ourselves is really important to feeling good and being at our best.

Part of my morning routine included meditation.

Mindfulness and meditation is most likely the foundation of not only anchoring us in the current moment, but allowing us to be more attentive to the world around us, more accepting and ultimately more fulfilled in life. I mentioned a few blogs ago that I had stopped meditating recently. I need to pick up where I left off. I believe our capacity to lead a fulfilling life that has meaning for ourselves, allows us to be our best self and brings us joy is directly associated with being mindful and practicing meditation.

So, why have I fallen out of my meditation routine?

Time.

I have been suffering lately with feeling like I don’t have enough time. Feeling a lack of time continuously becomes a vicious circle. Almost a year ago, I added an hour commute to my day, so there is that. Two hours in the car per day. When I start to think about that and add up the hours I miss being at home, being with Ella, taking care of my own needs, I start to get a little bit jealous of those without a commute and angry that I don’t have enough time for myself. However, the hour commute is an excellent time to catch up on reading (well, listening to books!), catch up with friends on the phone (hands free of course!) or catch up mind wandering as I pay attention to the traffic and the road. There are always two sides to everything. Finding the special moments even in something that feels like a time suck will help me live the life that I want.

I forgot what it feels like.

I think I have forgotten how meditation makes me feel. More relaxed and composed. More like myself. Not hurried or harried. Just more me. Able to take on new pressures and emotions with ease. Finding coincidences and synchronicities in everyday life. Attaining balance between work, play and rest. As I look back to when I was meditating at least once, if not twice per day, I see a happier me.

So, a commitment to a better me and a better life includes meditation.

I am getting back to it, starting right now! What about you?

Be well,

Teresa

Additional Reading and Resources

Stress Less, Accomplish More. Meditation for Extraordinary Performance, Emily Fletcher

www.zivameditation.com

www.mindful.org/michael-baime-on-stress-management/

Davidson, et al (2003). Alterations in brain and immune function produced by mindfulness meditation. Psychosomatic Medicine, 65 (4), 564-570.

Real Happiness. The Power of Meditation, Sharon Salzburg

The 6 Phase Meditation Method, Vishen Lakhiani

Sound Medicine, Kulreet Chaudary, MD