50 days of meditation

My new years resolution for 2016 is 365 days of meditation.  I passed the 50 day mark this past weekend and thought it a good time to reflect.  I’ve been half-assedly (new word alert) committed to meditation for years.  I know the benefits, mental and physical, are proven.  I know from experience I feel really good when I exercise the discipline to sit in stillness and simply breath and observe.  And make no mistake, it’s a discipline.  But I’ve wandered in and out of this practice more times than I can count.  So as I pondered what commitment I wanted to take on for the new year, I thought of meditation.  As yogis often say, “if not now, when?”

So 50 plus days in.  What have I learned?  First and foremost, there is magic in a consistent practice.  Some days feel good and I can sit comfortably for a decent amount of time.  Other days 5 minutes is all I have and I might meditate in my car (not, of course, while driving!) instead of on my meditation cushion.  But there is something transformative about doing some practice every damn day.  As founder of Ashtanga yoga Pattabhi Jois famously mused, “practice and all is coming.”

I’m feeling some truth in those words.  No, I’m not all unicorns and rainbows, nor is my daily life.  But I feel a little more centered and grounded.  With a constant thread of my yoga practice running through my days, I breath a little easier.  Consistency of practice (not perfection; that’s why it’s called yoga practice) can be transformative and healing.  See for yourself!