My meditation time yesterday was a mess. I could not settle my mind for the entire 20 minutes I'd allotted. One thought after another screamed out for my attention; mostly reminders and 'to-do' list items. My Monkey Mind was in full swing.
Monkey: "Milk! You have to buy milk today. And a new nozzle for the hose. Remember to pay the water bill. I hope my veggies grow. Make sun tea. Better get it out there on the table. Wait...I need more tea. Fruity would be nice. Buy tea. It will taste so good while sitting on the deck later. I wonder if they have that little sandbox on sale anywhere? Grandkids would love it. Get online and check. Sand too..."
And on and on it went. I realized I was fighting it. Every thought was followed by a sense of frustration and semi-decision to just get up and go do something. But I kept sitting and watching it unfold and soon, instead of reprimanding my Monkey, I thanked her. I told her she was like a workaholic, doing the thing minds do with such great dedication, but man oh man, she was working overtime! Again!
Then with each new "reminder" I said, "Thank you. Thank you for reminding me." As as the thank yous piled up, the reminders became fewer. My mind started to quiet, if not exactly calm completely down. It wasn't like the workaholic knocked off early, but she did head to the break room for a cup of coffee. Some days, meditation is just that. A slight break. A time of noticing. A time of sending gratitude to those parts of us that are doing their jobs. I appreciate that my mind keeps me on task and takes care of the details of my life. My job is to encourage her to take more breaks.
Self-compassion takes many forms. ©
Namaste, donnajurene
Photo Credit and Resource: http://eocinstitute.org/meditation/how-mindful-meditation-tames-the-anxious-monkey-mind/ Disclaimer: I thought this article had some good info, but it also links to something called EquiSync and I don't know what that is; I AM NOT ENDORSING THAT.
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