This is a short meditation exercise for those who feel they cannot meditate for whatever reason.
This simple exercise will only take a few minutes and you can do it standing,
Sitting or laying down,
Whatever may be best at this time.
Simply follow along now.
Say aloud,
Or to yourself,
I can't meditate because… and then say why you cannot meditate.
Now say,
It's too hard to meditate when I feel… and add your own reason for not being able to meditate.
What do you feel when you say those words?
You may feel sensations in your stomach,
Your chest,
Your neck,
Not judge yourself for having these feelings or sensations,
Just be aware of them,
And what they are.
Again,
Out loud or to yourself,
Name the reasons that you can't meditate.
It may be that you simply do not want to,
And that's fine.
But it is important to be truthful to yourself,
And recognise and acknowledge the reasons why.
Whatever your reasons,
Just accept them,
And feel where in your body you experience those blockages,
And that resistance.
Those sensations may feel like a barrier,
Or look like a wall.
In your imagination,
They might have colour.
Remember,
Your feelings are perfectly valid.
Gradually expand your awareness of your thoughts and feelings,
And notice what they are.
See if you can experience what it might be like to breathe into these feelings.
See if you can locate the resistance in your body,
Without judging yourself for it.
Just allow yourself to be within the feeling,
Without trying to change anything about it.
Just be there,
Accepting it.
During that period,
You have begun to meditate.
When we face our blockages,
And stop resisting them,
Or running away,
We become more self aware.
Most of the time,
We try to distract ourselves and get away from those feelings.
We are judging ourselves for having them.
But you,
And they,
Are valid,
And when we go with them,
And acknowledge them,
We can begin to train our minds to meditate.
You might find that you have a greater sense of space within yourself after that exercise,
Or that more resistance has arisen.
Nothing you may experience is wrong,
It simply is.
Meditation takes time and kindness of self.
You can do this exercise whenever you wish,
Until taking those few minutes to just be within yourself,
Feels natural.
Just be kind and patient with yourself.
