A Guide to Meditation for People Who Hate Meditating
There will be no ‘om’s’
A few years ago, when I told my cousin I’d been diagnosed with high blood pressure, she suggested I try meditation. I was wary, immediately imagining Tibetan monks sitting in complete solitude. I’ve always been a person who needs to be doing something. (And I was raising two kids under three years old — by nature, I always had to be doing something just to stay afloat.) The thought of just sitting there, breathing deeply, made me twitch.
But for health reasons, I was curious, so I gave it a try. I sat down, closed my eyes, and meditated.
It sucked.
During those minutes, which felt like hours, I went through my to-do list. I worried about bills. I felt an itch on the tip of my nose and willed myself not to scratch it. I remembered past events and felt a deep sense of regret. I fantasized about a different future. I wondered what time it was and how much longer I could do this without peeking at my watch. When it was finally over, I felt frustrated and wondered whether the experience helped me in any way whatsoever.
Maybe you’ve had a similar encounter with meditation. Maybe you’ve declared it “not for you.” I’ll say that the second and third and fourth time I meditated, I didn’t see much improvement. But I kept at…
