I remember that feeling after reading my first meditation book by someone who actually knew what he was talking about; I was driving from my farm in the Hawkesbury Region to North Sydney, which is just across the harbour bridge in Sydney. It was in the 1980’s.
There was a feeling of elation in the air as I drove my Mercedes 450SL with the sunroof down. The feeling of elation was not that I had a Mercedes, which, although a great car, does nothing for personal happiness, but because I had read the following words:
The Simplest Meditation Ever:
Step 1: Whatever you are doing–you may be digging a hole in the earth, planting new rosebushes in your garden, working in your shop, or fighting a case in the court; it does not matter what you are doing–do it consciously, do it with full awareness. “Any action done with awareness becomes meditation”
“In the beginning it will be difficult; you will go on forgetting again and again. But don’t be discouraged. Even if in 24 hours you can manage for 24 seconds, that is more than enough. Because the secret is the same. If you can manage it for one second, you know the key. You know the knack. Then it is only a question of time.
Slowly, slowly, you will be having bigger gaps when you are aware. The action continues; not only it continues, it becomes better than ever before; because now you are doing it with such consciousness. Its quality changes, because you are conscious, you are totally there. Your intensity changes, your insight, your understanding; and the action that you are doing starts having a grace of its own. “Meditation should be slowly spread all over your life.”
Remembering these words as I was travelling to Sydney (to one of my legal practices), I was making an effort to be aware of my hands on the wheel of the car as I was driving- just that!
This simple exercise changed my life as I found out I can also be aware whilst walking, that each foot is touching the ground, left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot.
After awhile you don’t deliberately count each footstep, nor do you stress when you forget each foot touching the ground. As you proceed you can extend this watchfulness to the thoughts that are spinning around in your mind and notice that their intensity and frequency changes with watchfulness. Further you can extend this watchfulness to when you are angry or feel hurt and rejected by life.
The good news is that we don’t have to allocate a specific time for meditation, you can do it anywhere and at anytime, on your computer now as you see if your knees are tense, or if your shoulders are hunched, or if you’re slightly anxious.
The good news is now I know that meditation has nothing to do with effort although some meditation techniques do.
In short, you can do it anywhere at all, and at anytime. It just takes willingness.
Chris Borrett
Image Credit: FreeImages.com-Mátyás Huszár
I am in a new and exciting venture with another Business Coach, Lana Ratapu, offering a FREE workshop called “Business Mechanics for Hard Working Business Owners” on Thursday, 23rd June, 2016. It’s a whole day event at the Campbelltown Catholic Club, inclusive of all-paid morning and afternoon tea.
If you happen to be within the area or you know someone who is and will greatly benefit from this inspiring and valuable workshop, please register here. Booking is limited to 30 slots only.