What I did when I fell out of practice

For a while I found myself devoting very little time to practice. I don't know why, perhaps I was trying to do too many things in a day while balancing work, family and running a house. In other words, I made it a low priority.

Eventually I asked myself, why is meditation so low on the priority list? Since the benefits of calmness, insight and a clear mind are so important why am I not starting my day this way and treating it as the number one priority that it is.

I knew I was feeling a tad uninspired. The ritual of sitting became just that- a ritual. It was ordinary and had lost it's sense of freshness and adventure. I then realized that making some slight changes in my routine could make a world of difference.

First I tried walking meditation, and that helped but it didn't excite me enough to get me in a daily routine again. Then I tried getting up earlier in the morning but my kids would hear me and then they'd get up. No good.

Finally, I found some incense sticks given to me and I tried that. It worked!

It put me in the mood, gave me a good vibe and the burning scent held my concentration for an entire 30 minute sit. It seemed like the scent was cleaning the air and setting the stage for a positive frame of mind.

Plus the scent lingers in the house all day which is a pleasant reminder that I meditated today and to remember to stay in the present moment.

If others would like to post their own "best practices" on how they stay on the cushion please feel free to click on the "comment" tab below.

Be happy and well