Kestrel Two Feet

While meditating this week, and struggling, I had an image pop into my head that explained what was going on. I saw myself trying to swim upstream in a fast-flowing river. The message was clear, “Stop fighting it”. I have been so tense and trying to force everything. I need to relax and let the energy flow around me and through me. I need to let the current take me where I need to be.

For someone who has always been a control freak, this is a very difficult thing to do. But the image made me realize that not only have I been forcing things my entire life (work, finances, relationships), but I am now trying to force my spiritual practices and meditations.

I quickly imagined myself flipping onto my back and floating with the river. There was an instant shift. The current slowed and calmed. I felt myself relax deeply. Most of my thoughts seemed to vanish instantly.

The point of meditating is to relax and unwind. To let yourself recharge. Not to fight yourself or force your mind into someone else’s ideas. There are many guided meditations out there that say you have to visualize certain things or breath a certain way. While these instructions can be helpful, especially for those just starting out, they are not meditation rules.

If you are struggling to get a meditation practice started, listen to your mind and body. You may feel silly doing one meditation, but comfortable with another. Do the one that makes you feel comfortable. If you feel that you need to be in nature, find a way to meditate in nature. If you feel that all you need is a quiet place, then find a place where you won’t be disturbed or distracted. Ask yourself, “What feels right for me?” Usually, the first thing that pops into your head is the correct one. Go with it and see where it takes you.