Princess Sassy Pants & Co.™

Why do we even want to meditate? Imagine you are in a little box floating in the infinite universe. All that you know is in this box. It’s dark and tiny, and you are searching around in this little box for answers and solutions to your problems—solutions that can only be found outside the box. Outside the box is infinite, limitless beauty, light, joy, and peace—everything you are searching for inside the box, is everywhere and all around the box.

When I began to see this, I saw that it was no wonder that all I felt was a constant disappointment; I was looking for something where it didn’t exist. I began to see that to find what I was seeking; I had to look to where it was. 

Mediation is a practice that helps allow cracks in that little dark box. Light only needs the tiniest sliver to shine through. It’s what it does. It does this automatically when we allow space for it. It’s all very simple, but in a box of complexity, we have to learn simplicity and practice it.

The Mechanics of Meditation

How do we meditate? Meditation is a practice; we practice under the most ideal circumstances, where there are few distractions so that we can bring it into all circumstances where we need it most. So, to begin with, you can practice when you have a little quiet time, preferably in the morning upon awakening and at night before going to sleep. These periods can be a little longer, but only if you don’t feel resistance. If you feel resistance, continue for a short period, and if the resistance doesn’t lift, stop. Resistance can come in the form of feeling anxious, afraid, distracted, or sleepy.

You do not need to sit cross-legged. It’s better if you don’t unless you find this is a very comfortable sitting position. For people in the orient, this is a common, everyday sitting position, so it’s what is most comfortable. Sitting in a chair is usually most comfortable for occidental people. It’s also best not to practice lying down as there’s a greater tendency to fall asleep.

Long periods of sitting also aren’t necessary. It’s actually better if you practice for many very short periods throughout the day. And I mean short—a few minutes for the more extended periods and a minute or less for the shorter periods. Even tiny, instant reminders can be powerful meditations that are as short as the blink of your eye.

Finally, do not worry if nothing seems to happen while you are meditating. This is a cumulative practice. Imagine if you decided you wanted to learn to play the piano; you wouldn’t expect to sit down and play a concerto the first time. You practice each day, and then one day, you’re playing a song. It might feel like nothing is happening as you practice, but then when you’re doing something else, a realization might come into awareness, or you have some other profound experience.

There are also many ways to meditate other than sitting quietly. Writing can be powerful meditation, some find gardening or walking meditation is the best way for them. As I wrote earlier, eventually, we see that everything can be a meditation practice. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

A Meditation Excercise

What I am going to share now is just one approach. We will explore many. 

Start by sitting comfortably (but not lying down) at the earliest time in the day that is conducive to a little quiet time. Slowly look around the room and allow your eyes to fall upon various things in the room indiscriminately while saying to yourself, “I want to see this differently.” It doesn’t matter what it is. Try to treat them all the same. It doesn’t matter if you think they are good or bad things, animal, vegetable or mineral. Treat them the same for the purpose of this practice. Do this for less than a minute.

Close your eyes and simply watch any thoughts that come to mind. With each one you notice, say to yourself, “I want to see this differently.” Again, it does not matter what the thought is about or whether you consider it a good (positive) thought or a bad (negative) thought. Try to treat them the same. There are thoughts within you that so far transcend both positive and negative thoughts; you will be amazed at what you discover within you.

Do this for a couple of minutes if you feel comfortable. If you feel anxious, go a little longer. If the anxiety lifts, continue. If it doesn’t, stop and go about your day. Repeat this same process at night as close to when you go to sleep as possible.

Try to remember this idea throughout the day in between your longer meditation periods. You can practice with this idea with whatever you are looking at in whatever situation or circumstance you find yourself in. Use it particularly if you are disturbed or upset by anything by simply saying to yourself, “I want to see this differently.”

You can do this while doing the dishes or while driving, and you can do it whenever you see or meet someone or when you’re in conversation. In this case, the idea might take the form, “I want to see him, her, or you differently.”

Remember, we are practicing ways to allow a little crack in that little box of what we think we know so that the light can enter our awareness.