Yesterday’s post was a simple practice that you can incorporate into any moment of your day. You can decide to set a timer and repeat the exercise until the alarm goes off.

I explained a few days ago that meditation is essentially about teaching your mind to keep its attention in one place. It’s about playing with focus and concentration.

Today has been a tough day for me to get to the blog. My morning started with some sad news and a long list of things to do for work.

There are 1000s of places to find a definition for meditation. Dictionaries, news articles, teachers, schools, lineages, celebrities. These definitions might come with complicated backstories and additional features that highlight the benefit of a particular style.

Sometimes we can’t articulate why exactly we want to do something, but there is a vague idea of the outcome. Some people decide to run marathons because they can connect with the sense of accomplishment, of pride, that will come after the run. We choose vacations, adventures, new habits, challenges, based on that feeling that lies somewhere inside.

You can already feel the finish line, or the vacation. It’s amazing, isn’t it?

Habits, rhythms, patterns, algorithms can be useful. They help us to be more efficient. If we had to think carefully about everything we do, it would be tiring. It takes up a lot of energy. I don’t think I could get through the day.

But sometimes it’s good to take a moment to ask why you do the things you do. Don’t ask about everything all at once. It’s overwhelming! You can start small. Why do I drink coffee in the morning? Why do I skip lunch? Why do I get a little stressed every time I make myself camera ready for a virtual meeting? Why do I fear some new things? The two land a little harder. I don’t know the answer. So I stay with the question an extra moment and take a deep breath or two. It’s okay not to have all the answers.

It’s a big step, the step of asking why.

Take a moment to be aware that you are reading this. Then look up. Stretch your neck. Take a deep breath. And another.

Notice your posture now. Roll your shoulders back. Take another deep breath.

Notice what happens in your body when you start to breathe more slowly. This is already meditation. See, you can do it any time, any where!

I want to make meditation simple. Everyone is talking about it. Many of us want to do it, but there’s never a great time to start. Well, how about now? If you did the exercise above, you have finished your first meditation. Congratulations! I hope you come back for more.

We’ll learn techniques, science and other fun stuff. Stay tuned!