One of the things that prevents many people from meditating is their perceived inability to sit still and quiet their mind. It’s completely understandable, given the nature of this fast-paced world and how we have been trained to expect stimulation at all times. It’s not easy to turn off the mind, especially in the middle of the day. If it’s helpful to meditate first thing in the morning or last thing at night, that’s certainly a good plan. The other technique I’ve found when thoughts impede on my meditation is to focus on a series of images or ideas. In this case, a fall of snow.
An apt idea, as some of us have had more than a brush with winter storms. So take the image of a snowstorm as it nears its end, and the last few snowflakes are falling to the ground. Or better yet, think of a day when there’s a brief snow squall, and then it stops, as if it hadn’t been snowing at all. In those last moments, picture the snow gradually clearing from the sky, the distracting pings of frozen water landing softly on the ground and leaving an airy stillness in their wake, a wide expanse of clarity and clearness.
If you can, think of your thoughts the same way – they may flurry, they may fluster, they may rage – but eventually they should slow and subside, like the snowflakes. And if it doesn’t happen today, try again tomorrow. Every snowstorm comes to an end, and eventually even winter will limp away. Spring and summer will come again, and the snow will stop; the same can hold true for your worries and concerns. That’s when the beauty of meditation begins.
