When you first begin to meditate, you experience meditation as a discrete activity. You likely set aside a block of time, lie or sit down, close your eyes and either listen to a guided meditation or use something else to focus your mind. As your practice develops, you find yourself going deeper and experiencing the more subtle aspects of yourself and the awareness from which you arise.
As your practice deepens, I challenge you to think of meditation as a state of being. A state in which you are always aware of your soul, or that unchanging, peaceful place within, coexisting with your thoughts, body and the world. Maybe even feeling that elemental awareness from which everything, even you, arises and dissolves.
This continual state of meditation has been key for me during the last couple of weeks. News of those affected by the coronavirus, the stock market decline, tax preparation and the upcoming election all leave my mind spinning with fear and worry. And while I cannot say I have been able to completely quiet my mind 24×7, my meditation practice reminds me that I am unchanging, infinite, timeless and whole. That the core of who I am can not be rocked or affected by the world.
Take time to meditate, especially when you feel are too harried or stressed to practice. That is when you need it the most! And let some of your meditation occur while you are walking around or doing ordinary things. Let meditation become your state of being, the foundation you stay anchored to during turbulent times.
