The Whole Practice of Meditation in One Word: Stay | Pema Chödrön

If you have ever felt you are bad at meditation because your mind will not stop wandering, Pema Chödrön has a reassurance and a method. The wandering is not the failure. The nature of mind is thinking, thinking, thinking. What matters is the gentleness with which you come back. She distills the whole practice into one word: stay. You take a posture, cross-legged or in a chair, become aware of your breath going out and your body sitting here, and when you notice the mind has wandered off, which it will, continually, you simply come back. Back to this body, comfortable or not. Back to this mood, disturbed or relaxed. Back to this mind, which the traditions compare to weather: sometimes a turbulent river, sometimes a churned-up ocean, sometimes perfectly still. Sit for half an hour and you will see more kinds of weather than you can count on your fingers. The heart of it is how you treat yourself when you drift. Pema uses the image of training a dog. Train a dog by hitting it and it becomes obedient but fearful, rigid, easily confused. Train it with love, kindness, and clarity and it is just as obedient but flexible, good-humoured, able to roll with change. So which kind of dog do you want to be? When your mind wanders, you do not snap bad dog at yourself. You just come back and give yourself a little treat. It is like feeding a baby, she says. When the baby's attention drifts from the spoon, you do not hit the baby. You say something sweet, here's the birdie, and gently bring the spoon back. That naive, almost effortless simplicity, repeated over and over, is the entire practice of making friends with yourself. Want to go deeper with Pema Chödrön? Join Sounds True One for more teachings like this. Get your first month FREE at https://bit.ly/4ctecMn Subscribe to Sounds True's YouTube Channel ► https://bit.ly/SubscribeSTYT Sounds True is a mission-driven learning and media company, and a recognized leader in wellbeing, personal growth, and spiritual transformation. Partnering with the world’s foremost wisdom teachers and best-selling authors, the company reaches millions worldwide with its unique programs, digital learning experiences, and worldwide events. The company also features a variety of original series, weekly shows, and live online experiences on Sounds True One, its global platform and community with members across more than 125 countries. Sounds True is a Public Benefit Corporation and also the home of the Sounds True Foundation. Connect with us: ▪️Facebook: http://bit.ly/2XFIIeE ▪️Instagram: http://bit.ly/2UlEoiH ▪️Website: http://bit.ly/2tOl02d