I’m too busy – I haven’t got time to meditate

I’m too busy – I haven’t got time to meditate

‘I’m too busy – I haven’t got time to meditate’… how many times have you heard that or even said it yourself? I was guilty of it too, but as the old Zen saying goes: “You should sit in meditation for 20 minutes a day, unless you’re too busy, then you should sit for an hour” and I couldn’t agree more. A daily meditation practice, granted not always 20 minutes but at least 5, for me, has become as essential as brushing my teeth in the morning.

Sometimes sitting in stillness can seem counterproductive, but what it helps you do is cultivate a relationship with your thoughts, ultimately giving your mind space to be able to deal with the challenges of life.

Imagine it like this. Your mind, and all its thoughts are like the sky, a sunny blue sky and your thoughts are the clouds that you can spot here and there. Some clouds may be small, light and fluffy, some may look darker, stormier and never-ending… but they’re just clouds, and they too like your thoughts will pass. Meditation helps you create space between your thoughts, leaving you with more sunny blue sky between your clouds.

Once you start to tap into that stillness within yourself on a regular basis, you start to become the observer of your own thoughts. Exploring the feelings the thoughts bring up without strangling them in a story. You begin to stop over analysing or judging, you just let the thoughts be and let them pass, making room for more self-compassion.

You become the sky, not the clouds.

So many people shy away from meditation because they feel as though it has to look a certain way and sadly social media is partly to blame for that. But I’m here to tell you that it doesn’t have to look ‘Instagram worthy’ (whatever that is anyway) – what matters is that you consistently show up for yourself, your practice doesn’t matter what you look like.

If you’re new to meditation, I’d recommend starting where you can with a guided meditation for a short space of time and building it up. Over time, you may then start to find it easier to spend some time in meditation with less guidance, just listening to your environment and focussing on your breath. I prefer meditating first thing in the morning, as the gate to the subconscious mind is more open allowing me to set up my day with the right mindset, before all the chaos – but find what works for you!

Take it s-l-o-w there is no rush, it’s all about the journey.

Join me for more guided meditations, breathwork and yoga in my 30-day programme The Daily Zen. 30 videos for just £30 that you can follow as a plan, or just dip in and out of when it feels right. Head to my website or social media to find out more

Always here to help offer any support and guidance you may need in your meditation journey.

Lots of love,
Chloe x
Website: yogibanks.com
Instagram: @yogi_banks