"To begin, begin." ~ William Wordsworth
Beginning a meditation practice can be a daunting task if we let our fears and expectations get in the way. We may think that we need a special meditation cushion, certain incense burning, or complete quiet when we sit down to meditate. We may feel that we need to find a certain teacher, or listen to that inspiring podcast one more time before starting to practice. If we wait until our ego is satisfied before beginning a mindfulness meditation practice we will wait forever. All of these prerequisites are manifestations of our own fears and expectations. We are trying to make things perfect in our thinking mind, and this is the exact opposite of what meditation seeks to bring about.
We practice mindfulness meditation in an effort to see things as they really are and accept them. We endeavor to experience reality and become one with it. The only thing holding us back is our egoic thinking.
I have a great driving mindfulness meditation practice that I experience every time I sit behind the wheel of my car and drive. I am able to practice several times a day for various amounts of time every day. In this way I have made room in my busy life to find unity in the now on a daily basis. With a job, family, kids, parents, commitments, and everything else that goes along with life, I don't have a lot of time to sit quietly in one place to practice for any amount of time. My car and my commute give me the perfect opportunity to practice on a daily basis.
If I waited for the perfect moment, in the perfect setting I would never practice at all. It is by facing what my mind perceives as the imperfection of this setting (driving my car in traffic) that I am able to practice mindfulness on a real and visceral level. I experience the now as meditation in motion, as dynamic as life itself. In this way, I am able to bring my practice with me when I exit the car to go about my daily life. Since I drive several times a day, I am able to recharge my mindfulness throughout the day. It works!
So don't wait to start your practice. Start right here, right now. The next time you sit behind the wheel remember that this is the perfect time to practice your mindfulness meditation. To begin....begin!
To learn more about the practice of Driving Mindfulness Meditation please check out "Learning to Drive into the Now:PRND" by Solan McClean. The book is a step by step guide to begin a lasting, fulfilling meditation practice in the comfort and convenience of your own vehicle.
