When you meditate, do you focus on your breath or do you repeat a mantra?

This was a question I was asked recently by one of my clients on the table. The short answer is... 

YES

Sometimes I focus on my breath. Sometimes I use a "mantra" in the form of an idea from my spiritual practice. Sometimes I do both. Sometimes I use another technique that works for me. But I think the real question being asked is...

 How do I deal with the incessant mind chatter that occurs when I try to sit in stillness?

Just to be clear, I am not an expert on meditation. I am, however, an expert of my own experience in cultivating a meditation practice. 25 years ago I started with a practice of sitting in stillness for 5 minutes. That was all I could seem to tolerate at the time! My practice has evolved since then and here are a few things I've learned for myself along the way...

• My mind wanders. It is what it is. Rather than get frustrated about it, which leads to me wanting to give up, I make it part of the practice - a practice of noticing. Oh, there goes my mind again, doing it what it does...and now I'll bring my attention back to my breath (or back to my idea for the day)...Oops! There goes my silly mind again, doing that thinking thing it does. Let me come back to my practice. Let your thoughts simply be like clouds moving across the sky of your mind. 

• The point of meditation is not to get it done in some perfect way, but to let it be a practice. It's like building a muscle, just like we would with learning to play an instrument or a sport. Let it be about the journey, not the destination. Practice. Notice. Watch what unfolds. Let it evolve. Let go of judgment and expectation. Let go of trying to get somewhere. 

• Find ways to navigate around the blocks that seem to come up. When I first started my practice, it was inevitable that my mind would remember something important as soon as I started to come to a quiet place within myself. And then I would get stuck there, perseverating on it, worried I'd forget it. I started keeping a paper and pen next to me so I could quickly jot it down and then return to my practice. After a while, as my practice evolved, I didn't need this anymore.

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• It's okay to find what works for you. There are many different styles of meditation, but what it comes down to at the end of the day is what works for you to make it a consistent practice...

If music is helpful, create a playlist. If you prefer complete silence, try earplugs. If it's difficult for you to sit up, try lying down. If it's challenging for you to be physically still, try a walking meditation. Try things on. See what you connect with.
​It doesn't need to look like anyone else's way. Find your way and stay open to it changing as your practice evolves.

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If you've been wanting to start a meditation practice, here are some resources I've found helpful:

• Palouse Mindfulness offers an online Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course. It's self-guided and completely free.
• Insight Timer is a meditation app that offers a variety of guided meditations and meditation music to support your practice.
• You may want to look into spiritual practices like Centering Prayer, Lectio Divina, Sufi Remembrance, and meditation practices from A Course in Miracles. (These are simply practices I'm familiar with, but there are many more from various spiritual traditions.)
• And a couple PDFs that I created:
  
  • 5 Simple Tips for Beginning a Meditation Practice
  • Mindfulness Practices

Most importantly, practice patience and gentleness with yourself.
Peaceful practicing! 🌟