Sanctifying Time
Just as meditating regularly and consistently in the same place is important – so is meditating at the same time of day.
It is ideal to meditate in the early hours of the morning. Getting up a few minutes earlier to do so will set the tone for the rest of your day and it usually is a quiet time, especially if you can squeeze in a few minutes before the rest of your household wakes up.
I know finding this time can be hard. I get it. I’ve been there.
I know it is especially so, when you need to get to work, get kids ready for school, and so forth. But those few quiet moments will make so much difference in how your day flows and how you cope with things in general.
Meditating just before sunrise and nightfall are especially auspicious and beneficial and much has been written on that topic. The ancient yogis and mystics knew this. There is a special energy in those times of day that can be harnessed, enhancing your meditation in ways you might not be cognitively aware of.
But those times may not be feasible in a busy schedule filled with many demands. So, you will have to decide what will work for you. Maybe it’s a few minutes during a lunch break, or a few minutes in your afternoon, where you close an office door, or go outside and sit on a park bench, or find a room that is not regularly in use. You can be creative. But remember to make this time as regular as you can. Perhaps on busy weekends you can let your family know you are going to be taking a bit of time for yourself.
If you haven’t already done so, consider carving out a set time of the day to meditate that makes sense for you, your family’s schedule, and your own needs.
Think of it as a form of self-care.
When I was a young mom, my son knew that if I was in my office with the door closed, he was not to disturb me. Often my designated time for meditation in those days was after I came home from work. I would do a restorative yoga pose to recoup from my long commute first and wind down.
One day my son passed a note under the door because he knew he was not supposed to knock on the door unless it was an emergency! I had to laugh.
I remember one of my yoga teachers telling me she had a similar rule with her children and had an experience that was more dramatic than mine. Her kids had been instructed not to interrupt her no matter what happened. Then one day one of her kids was mortified to have to interrupt her practice but did so because another one of the kids had fallen out of a tree and broken a leg!
You certainly don’t need to go to extreme measures, but family members should respect your choice to set time for yourself and your practice – not that they need to know all that it entails.
Eventually, you will want to increase your practice to twice daily. When you do so, you will make greater progress! So, it is important to establish this first session for yourself.
Reflection/Journal Questions:
What time(s) do you think would work best for you and why?
Which times might not be optimal and why?
If you miss a designated time, what other slots in your day might work as a substitute?
NEXT
Just as meditating regularly and consistently in the same place is important – so is meditating at the same time of day.
It is ideal to meditate in the early hours of the morning. Getting up a few minutes earlier to do so will set the tone for the rest of your day and it usually is a quiet time, especially if you can squeeze in a few minutes before the rest of your household wakes up.
I know finding this time can be hard. I get it. I’ve been there.
I know it is especially so, when you need to get to work, get kids ready for school, and so forth. But those few quiet moments will make so much difference in how your day flows and how you cope with things in general.
Meditating just before sunrise and nightfall are especially auspicious and beneficial and much has been written on that topic. The ancient yogis and mystics knew this. There is a special energy in those times of day that can be harnessed, enhancing your meditation in ways you might not be cognitively aware of.
But those times may not be feasible in a busy schedule filled with many demands. So, you will have to decide what will work for you. Maybe it’s a few minutes during a lunch break, or a few minutes in your afternoon, where you close an office door, or go outside and sit on a park bench, or find a room that is not regularly in use. You can be creative. But remember to make this time as regular as you can. Perhaps on busy weekends you can let your family know you are going to be taking a bit of time for yourself.
If you haven’t already done so, consider carving out a set time of the day to meditate that makes sense for you, your family’s schedule, and your own needs.
Think of it as a form of self-care.
When I was a young mom, my son knew that if I was in my office with the door closed, he was not to disturb me. Often my designated time for meditation in those days was after I came home from work. I would do a restorative yoga pose to recoup from my long commute first and wind down.
One day my son passed a note under the door because he knew he was not supposed to knock on the door unless it was an emergency! I had to laugh.
I remember one of my yoga teachers telling me she had a similar rule with her children and had an experience that was more dramatic than mine. Her kids had been instructed not to interrupt her no matter what happened. Then one day one of her kids was mortified to have to interrupt her practice but did so because another one of the kids had fallen out of a tree and broken a leg!
You certainly don’t need to go to extreme measures, but family members should respect your choice to set time for yourself and your practice – not that they need to know all that it entails.
Eventually, you will want to increase your practice to twice daily. When you do so, you will make greater progress! So, it is important to establish this first session for yourself.
Reflection/Journal Questions:
What time(s) do you think would work best for you and why?
Which times might not be optimal and why?
If you miss a designated time, what other slots in your day might work as a substitute?
NEXT