Plenty of time to meditate . . . not!

“When am I ever going to find the time to do this?”

I haven’t the slightest idea.

Only you know the structure of your life, but along with noticing that you don’t have an extra 30 minutes a day lying around where you wonder how you might possibly fill it, I’d like to encourage you to take a moment to contemplate a different question that might lead you someplace helpful.

Why are you asking the question?

Specifically, what is it about mindfulness practice that is compelling enough for you to consider trying to squeeze it into a day that is presumably as packed as the proverbial clown car at the circus? And might even include a few random actual clowns, depending upon where you hang out!

What is it about mindfulness practice that has moved, touched, or shifted something in you, that you are inclined to try to practice it regularly? Can you connect with that instant, that feeling, that lightbulb moment that hooked you?

If you’ve never meditated and you ask about when you will find the time, then this won’t necessarily work for you. But if you’ve practiced and found yourself wanting to practice more, then you have connected with that deep part of yourself that needs the practice and that will truly help you find the time to practice.

Give that little spark of wisdom and ease a time and a place to smolder and ignite, even 5-10 minutes a day if that’s all you can find, and see where it leads. I think you’ll find the time, and maybe you’ll be able to boot out a couple of those clowns to make room for a formal practice.

(This piece originally appeared in Mindful magazine in the recurring feature “Am I Doing This Right?”)