Meditation is a beautiful thing. It really, truly has changed my life. My mind is far less reactive and I feel so much better. The practice requires self-discipline, though. I am driven by what/how I feel and I'm only now beginning to be able to commit to a truly disciplined practice - not the "willy-nilly-when-I'm-teaching-or-taking-class" version. I was coached, as an athlete, for most of my most formative years. I've begun to rely on myself a bit more now.
The Buddhist teacher, Sharon Salzberg, is one of my main teachers along with Pema Chodron and Thich Nhat Hanh. I've been fortunate enough to sit with her on many occasions, the last of which was my birthday a few weeks ago. Her instruction is simple (the breath/mindfulness) and she manages to articulate many of the thoughts/experiences we all have during meditation, not the least of which is spending an entire sit wrapped up in our own inner discourse! Her instruction, though, - the one that I come back to every time, is "just one breath". Both she and Pema Chodron speak about "beginning again" and how that moment, the one where we notice ourselves wrapped up in our thoughts and then bring ourselves back to the breath is the real practice.
When I sit at home my dogs "sit" with me. Mike, my lab, sits at my left knee and Scout, my yet-to-be-defined breed of mutt, is on my right. Just one breath.
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