Meditation without stress

med·​i·​tate |  \ ˈme-də-ˌtāt 

1: to engage in contemplation or reflection.

“Meditation is an umbrella term for the many ways to achieve a relaxed state of being.” ~Mayo clinic 

I've stated this before in these musings~ sitting to meditate is tough for me. 

I do love all the reasons why we should meditate, which include stress management, focusing on the present, improving our sleep, lowering resting blood pressure, etc., but sitting still to do this is hard work for me!

I started meditating (AGAIN) first thing in the morning before I left my bed. I continued this for a few months and then, it seems, eventually the habit is broken.  

When I was biking in South Dakota, and my average speed became 4 miles an hour, and then 36 miles an hour, I realized the only thing I was thinking about was pedaling and trying to stay upright on my bike.

Moving meditation is definitely one of my favorite ways to meditate. 

I'm so present in the moment, that no negative thoughts have a chance to enter my mind, it is purely turning the pedals, or hanging on to the handles for dear life. This is a form of mindfulness meditation where I am completely living in the present moment. The other ways in which I feel like I have success in meditation is through Yoga, guided meditation, deep breathing, & mantra meditation.  

As I continue to do research and learn from more experienced meditators, they all tell me not to get stressed about meditating the "right" way, you can meditate anywhere, and it doesn’t take a lot of time to reap the many benefits of meditation.  

So, if you are like me and come and go with your meditation, let’s just enjoy the moments that we remember to give it another try!