Do you sometimes feel that time is going by too quickly?
Do you worry that you are not only racing against the clock, but that you are not enjoying your days enough?
You can learn to experience the feeling of time being expanded. There is a way to slow down the pace, be in the moment and accomplish more than you would have thought possible.
We all get the same number of minutes in the day. Some of us savor those moments while most us of rush right through them without allowing ourselves to experience our feelings and sensations.
One powerful way to recalibrate your sense of time is through the practice of meditation. Some people feel that when they meditate they are not accomplishing anything and are simply wasting their time. The paradox is that meditation is one of the most productive and beneficial ways to spend 10-20 minutes.
Meditation helps us to clear the mind, consolidate ideas, gives us energy and focus, improves concentration, slows down the heart rate, lowers blood pressure, reduces anxiety, stress and pain and expands our capacity to slow down time and be fully present. Rather than doing or waiting or worrying, meditation teaches us to be.
The practice of meditation is simple to learn but it requires a commitment to continued practice. The steps to a breath meditation are as follows:
• Sit in a comfortable position with arms and legs uncrossed and low back supported.
• Watch the rise and fall of each breath.
• Repeat the word “in” to yourself as your breathe in and “out” to yourself as you breathe out.
• When thoughts intrude, maintain an attitude of acceptance (non-judgmental) and bring your attention back to the breath.
It is best to decide in advance how long you wish to meditate. Ideally 10-20 minutes practiced twice daily will yield optimal results. Although, even meditating once a day will bring many mind-body benefits.
When you need a pick-me-up or wish to slow things down and experience time expansion, meditation is always available to you. The power to take charge of your inner experience lies within you. The tool of meditation will help quiet your worry about time and will expand your sense of all that is possible.
Focusing in the present moment does not mean that you neglect the importance of your concerns. If there is something you can do to empower yourself to manage your personal, relational, or financial situations then of course you need to respond accordingly.
The question is how important are these concerns? How much control do I have over this situation? Am I worrying over something that will not matter in the future? Remind yourself that whatever the situation, you can handle this! One of my favorite affirmations is “I am an empowered woman and I can handle this!” Consider using this declaration when your mood or self-esteem begins to wane.
Notice the results from practicing the meditation exercise alone or in combination with the affirmation.
What are some of your observations? I would love to hear your thoughts, comments and questions regarding the meditation and the affirmation.
Thanks for this great reminder.
You can also try reading Buddha Standard Time: Awakening to the Infinite Possibilities of Now by Lama Surya Das!
“We are all given the same twenty-four hours a day. We can spend our time feeling hurried and harried, overwhelmed by chores and demands, distracted and burned out…or we can awaken to Buddha Standard Time, the realm of timelessness where every choice, every action, and every breath can be one of renewal and infinite possibilities.”
Thanks for the other suggestions!
Thanks Kathleeen for the great comment and book suggestion. It is all a choice – one step at a time. Would love to learn Lama Surya Das’s take on the possibilities of now. Will add to my summer list!