Engage your ego to Meditate

Praying is asking for help, and meditation is the act of receiving. Some people get so conce
ed about procedure when they hear the word meditation that they never actually meditate. They have this worry that they have to sit in a particular position for an extended period of time. It does not have to be that way.

Meditation is any time when you are in an open and receiving mental state. I have a friend who meditates while he vacuums, because it is repetitive motion and he does not need to “think”. Any time we do something that is truly mindless, we can be open to divine guidance. One of my favorite ways to meditate is walking meditation. I will walk my dog in a safe place and just let my mind be open to whatever comes to me. Some of my most profound connections to God and my angels come to me during my walking meditations.

To get started meditating, here are three tricks to help your ego cooperate.

1. Set a timer. It sounds so simple, but it really works beautifully. Start out with five minutes, and at the end of each week increase it by a minute or two until you reach the desired amount of time. Your ego will not be worried about what it might be missing, how long you will stay in this meditative state or if you will be late to your next activity. This is a wonderful way to get started. You can use a kitchen, egg or microwave timer. Whatever works for you is fine. Just set it and be at peace for five minutes.

2. Occupy your ego. Engage your ego and allow it to be part of the process. What I usually do with my ego is to ask her what activity she would like to do while I am meditating. She is about 4 or 5 years old and one of her favorite things to do is to read. I will ask her what book she would like to read. I will get her settled in her favorite little corner, get her comfortable, get her a snack if she needs it, and allow her to read her story. I tell her approximately how long I am going to be in my quiet time. She peacefully entertains herself and allows me to connect with God. I always make sure at the end of my meditation that I ask her how her time was and invite her back. She always very happily joins me and then we move forward with our day.

3. “To Do” List. As your mind relaxes you may be reminded of things you had forgotten or items that need to be taken care of. To avoid distraction or worry that you will forget these tidbits of information, envision a white board or a post-it note. As those random thoughts flow into your mind while you are doing your meditation, write down what you need to remember. At the end of your meditation, take a look at those little notes and bring them back with you so you can actually write them down…and then accomplish them.
Investing time in meditation will enhance your life, bring you more energy and allow you to thrive in all of your endeavors.