I'd be willing to bet that a lot of you are living in the meditation misery closet- the one where you think it should be easy and amazing but it actually isn't, but because of your belief you don't own up to this or ask anyone for help. Yea, I think most of us hang out in there at some point.  Frankly, not enough people share the reality of meditation and mindfulness and these misrepresentations and lack of explanations can easily turn you off because you feel like you're missing something or you're such a hot mess that even meditation can't fix you. 

Today I want to discuss sitting, or I should say "hold you position your body while you meditate" because the reality is that you don't have to sit at all. Meditation is the practice of focusing one's mind to a singular point (anchor) in an effort to relieve the stress associated with mental distractions. At no point has it ever been insinuated that a meditation needs to be done in a certain position. Actually that is a lie- the "certain position" that a meditation needs to be done in is one that minimizes discomfort, but how this minimal discomfort is established is completely up to you, today (because tomorrow may be different). So how should you be when you begin meditation? In a way that maintains dignity within the body and minimizes discomfort. 

Mindfulness does not have to be a big deal- actually it shouldn't be a big deal- it is simply the practice of paying attention and intentionally taking time, or even just moments, to do so. Although in the beginning stages of exploring mindfulness practices it may be easier to have processes and rituals woven into the day, ultimately it is the mindset, not the practice, that we are seeking to master. What is the mindset? The mindfulness mindset is one that is continuously aware, less reactive and responds to life with care and control. It is the practices that support the mindset, the practices are only relevant if they support the mindset. 

Let everything you do be your own choice, following your own internal guidance and timing. This thought came to me this week during Savasana. So often I see people coming out of savanna moving exactly as I tell them to, when I tell them to. This largely ruins the point of the practice- the goal is to get into a more present and intuitive space. Your yoga practice should be the practice of presence, which means tuning into yourself, not into me as the teacher. I am guiding the class to various poses at various times, there is a reason for the sequence, however it is important that you move into each pose and hold each pose in a way that is in-tune to yourself, not myself. Each pose, regardless of the guidance, needs to come from your own inner drive. Does this mean that each person is going to be doing a completely different practice? No, however I suspect this is the fear. This does mean that each person is going to be experiencing a completely different practice, because they will be experiencing their own practice..