If I had a prayer, it would be this: “God spare me from the desire for love, approval, and appreciation. Amen.” – Byron Katie
One of my New Year’s resolutions has been to meditate for at least 10 minutes every day. It’s only January 5th… but so far, I’ve managed to keep this resolution. I take 10 minutes at the end of every day to light a candle, sit before it (“a candle symbolizes the flame of the inner witness” –Sally Kempton), and connect to my breath. And I breathe. For those who haven’t tried it, this may sound silly. A complete waste of time.
Let me assure you: it will be your salvation.
For example, I recently struggled to find the answer to a question in my relationship: How do we move forward if we have different goals in life? Every person out there knows what this feels like at one point or another; whether it affects our romantic, platonic, or professional relationships, we wonder: ‘Am I right or am I wrong? Should I stay or should I go?’
This is when it’s most essential to be still.
As Byron Katie says: “Anything you want to ask a teacher, ask yourself, and wait for the answer in silence.” Meditate. This opportunity to reconnect to oneself allows us to filter the constant chatter in our head: the arguments with loved ones, the opinions of friends, and worst of all…our own stories of why THIS is happening to US! Whatever your “story” might be, lose it. As I learned in teacher training, your stories are boring.
As you sit in silence and wait for the answer to reveal itself, be patient. Know that it may not come quickly. And remind yourself that today is all there is.
To learn more about Byron Katie, visit her website here.
Meditate with Maeve 