Welcome to Meditation One.
I'm Amin Van Buren.
I really got into meditating every day a few years ago.
But I have to be honest,
It took me a while to get into it.
I thought meditation was just another to-do on my list every day.
Adding to the noise that is already present in my head every day.
If I'm honest,
I'm never really into here and now.
Always busy with the next flight,
The next gig,
The next production.
When do my kids have to be up for school?
Do I still need to go for groceries?
I've started reading about meditating and practicing in groups.
Then after a while,
I finally got it.
Meditation for me is a moment for myself.
Every day I check in with myself.
If I'm ignoring what I feel,
I get irritable,
Restless and discontent.
I'm not a nice person to be around.
I ignore my pain.
Am I tired?
How did I sleep?
Am I worried?
Or am I happy?
Is something bothering me?
Is that conversation from last night bothering me?
What is my heart trying to tell me?
And then I saw,
It's all there.
If I listen to my breath and just focus on my breathing,
Immediately my mind starts to wander.
Now I understand that's okay.
I make a note in my head and bring my focus back on my breathing.
That's always my anchor.
I invite you to do this together with me.
Try to go to a place where you cannot be distracted for 10 minutes.
This is you time.
You can even do this in public.
People probably think you're sleeping.
Sit or lay down and close your eyes.
If you fall asleep,
That's okay too.
It probably means you're tired.
And you can look at that.
Try to forget about everything now.
Don't worry about anything.
Try to focus on just your breathing.
Breathe in slowly for three counts.
Hold it and then breathe out for three.
One more time.
If your mind wanders,
That's okay.
Make a note and focus back on your breathing.
There's so much noise around us.
All the time.
The moment we wake up,
Life wants our attention.
And that's okay.
Life is beautiful when it's in balance.
Sometimes your busy life takes your focus of the most important thing.
You.
You can take on this world.
Breathe with me.
I worry all the time.
Sometimes worries can be overwhelming.
Fear of losing control.
Sometimes I try to control a situation that is not for me to control.
My brain goes in overdrive.
What if this?
What if that?
I'm trying to predict an uncertain outcome of a situation.
Or worry about something in the past.
Let it go for now.
And go back to your breath.
Breathe in slowly.
And breathe out.
Breathe in slowly.
And breathe out.
I once did an exercise.
I wrote down all my thoughts.
Eighty percent of them were just thoughts.
And the rest were feelings and facts.
First of all,
I'm not my thoughts.
I made mistakes in the past.
And all I can do is make amends.
Say I'm sorry and learn from them.
Second,
I want to look at those feelings.
What are they trying to tell me?
And finally the facts.
I ask myself,
Can I do something about it?
No?
Then ignore.
Yes.
Then do it.
And then I go back to my breathing.
Sometimes I reach this magical place where I don't think about anything anymore.
It's difficult,
But it's beautiful to be in the here and now.
If your mind wanders again,
That's okay.
Focus back on your breathing.
Don't let the distortion of every day cloud who you really are.
That's what I learned.
Trying to control.
And in most cases,
I have no control.
Control is an illusion.
I try to let go and focus on my breathing back in the here and now.
I have so much to be thankful for.
If I worry,
My mind doesn't even want to see that.
My mind is too busy to see the blue sky,
The sun,
That beautiful tree.
I don't even taste my cup of tea.
I'm on the phone.
There's so much I miss.
And then I focus on my breathing.
My mind gets distracted,
And that's okay.
Focus back on your breathing.
Slowly start coming back to the place where you are.
Wiggle your toes.
If you're ready,
Open your eyes and have a stretch.
Thank you for joining me in this meditation.
I hope you feel better.
And I hope you can feel again.
Thank you.
