A participant in one of my mindfulness sessions offered the feedback that, “When you asked us to spend two minutes paying attention to our breathing, it felt like 20 minutes!”
This led me to consider three moments that professionals often experience when they begin a mindfulness practice:
You are surprised by how quickly your distracted mind wants to move away from whatever we are trying to focus on (i.e. your breathing)
You are surprised to discover your mind’s tendency to focus on everything BUT the reality of the present moment. (You think, “When will this be over?” You worry about events that will happen later that afternoon. You start daydreaming about an argument you had last night…)
Every now and then, you experience a startling moment of peace and contentment, when your mind settles down and time may seem to stop. (This often happens when you stop trying and simply settle into that present moment.)
It’s that third, often elusive, moment that will keep you working at a new mindfulness meditation practice. If you haven’t experienced it yet, please be patient. Trust me, you’ll be handsomely rewarded when it happens.