“People began doing (yoga) postures so they could sit for a long time.
And what will happen if you sit longer? Conflicts will disappear. You will feel calm.
So learn to sit first before you talk about meditation.”
~ Vijayendra Pratap
I enjoy this practical approach. So many beginners try to meditate when their mind is hyperactive or they feel overwhelmed and distracted. Just sitting down and expecting your mind to be still doesn’t work.
Taking time to prepare for sitting meditation is important for beginners and practitioners alike.
Yoga postures prepare us by moving the body and stretching while focusing on the breath.
At the beginning you are able to sit for a bit and notice what is alive in you: your thoughts, emotions, body sensations, resistance or judgments about what the experience should be like…
In meditation you learn to embrace everything that comes up.
Focusing on the breath will help you keep coming back to each moment.
Remember meditation isn’t about getting anywhere.
Its about finding where you already are.
In that knowing is where peace resides.
Find Your Middle Ground 
Perfect! A wonderful understanding of stillness and how we can practice this gift. 😇💚❤️
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Thank you Karen 🌅
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I needed this reminder, Val. My brain has felt so cluttered and full of distractions lately. Thank you! ❤
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Thank you Jill. So glad it resonated 💛
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I love this, Val. So so true. Practical stillness.
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Thank you Mary 💕
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Oh! That’s my problem. I have trouble sitting for any period of time! ❤
Diana xo
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Get thee to yoga Diana 😊
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Awesome post Val. True for all, at every level of practice. We forget so easily. Thanks 🙂
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Thank you for your kind words!
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thanks Val – exactly what I needed to hear
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Thank you MK. Glad it resonated today 💛
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This makes perfect sense! Thanks, Val. 🙂 ❤
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Thank you Eliza 💕
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I embrace everything that you say. Yet there’s a little devil inside me that gets in the way of me really committing to meditation.
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Sometimes the only preparation I need for meditation is to seat my seat in my meditation seat and look within . . .
But when thoughts refuse to settle, yoga is a most effective tool.
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Ahhh yes Nancy. When we have a practice that works for us, the settling becomes easier 💕
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Good reminder! A few weeks ago I sat to meditate and couldn’t settle, couldn’t settle, and couldn’t settle. I couldn’t get my mind to stop and then I started fidgeting. First time in ages, I stopped the practice, right then and there. I stepped away, did a few other things and regrouped. I was able to come back later and have a very successful meditation. It was a good lesson – there are somethings I can’t always control or force to do my will! 🙂
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Keep trusting the inner listening Kate ❤️
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Thanks for this reminder, Val. Sometimes it’s so hard to quiet the mind.
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Glad you enjoyed this post Carol. May you find a quiet time today 💕
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I tried meditation once or twice before I went to a yoga class, and my mind never once settled down. But during the quiet time at the end of a yoga session, I do begin to feel the benefits of meditation. It must be the breathing and focusing on my body that prepares my mind to settle down and let go of distractions, but whatever it is, I really appreciate it!
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Thank you Ann for sharing your experience. When we are ready we will feel the benefits💛
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