每周沉思 1：面对阻力

带我离开这里。我清楚地记得，在我接受瑜伽教师培训的第一个晚上，在几乎没有任何准备的情况下，我们被要求冥想 30 分钟，那种轻微的恐慌感笼罩着我。三十分钟。分钟。就这样。我的大脑开始飞速运转。我怎么能一动不动地坐上三十分钟呢？我会想些什么？我怎么忍受这种无聊？要不是周围还坐着五十多个学生，我早就扭头走人了。在同伴的压力下，你能忍受的东西真是令人惊叹。

在开始课程之前，很少有最了解我的人会用 "禅 "来形容我的大脑。在参加教师培训时，我的身体已经为瑜伽做好了准备，但头脑还没有完全准备好静止。一开始，我害怕每天的课程（每天两次，每次 30-45 分钟），但很快就变成了恐惧和挑战。每次坐下来，我都不知道事情会怎样发展。但关键是，我尝试了。每天两次，连续一个月，我都在尝试。

Meditation, as it turns out, is about persistence. A little effort turned into a deeply rewarding practice: I learned that obstacles are part of the experience, that there is no way of doing it wrong, that stillness is the opposite of boredom and most of all, I felt like I finally had a handle on my mental chaos. When it comes to the rewards of meditation however, you don’t have to take my word for it. From the ancient Buddhists to the new-age spiritualists, from pop-psychology to managerial sciences – meditation and mindfulness are heralded as the golden key to well-being. The benefits of meditation are no secret.

There is an abundance of research on the mental, emotional and even physical benefits of regular meditation. The real impact however, is better understood through experience – there is something mysterious and powerful that happens when you take a few moments to become rooted firmly in the present. So why not just meditate? In theory, meditation can seem quite simple. Sit. Breathe. Be. In practice, however it can be anything but. Busy schedules, anxiety and a racing mind can make the idea of sitting still impossible. Despite the infinite techniques and philosophies at our fingertips, I’ve encountered many friends that have felt overwhelmed by it all, and needed a little help to get started. Starting any practice begins with taking a few thoughtful, small steps and this series is designed help take a few towards the habits of a regular meditation practice.  

第 1 周：克服阻力

Despite being dedicated to yoga for over a decade, there are moments (months even) when my mat is the last place in the world I want to be. Sometimes we find ourselves mentally, physically or emotionally resisting the things that make us feel the best. This is the complicated part of life-long practices. The force of resistance that seems to come from within is daunting and it can be tempting not to face it head on. But in reality, it isn’t a static thing – it is fleeting thing that wanes if view it as something surmountable. We have to think of resistance as a muscle. When we choose not to face it – even in seemingly small or insignificant ways – it gets stronger. The key is to make a small effort – any effort — to keep it in check. When I can’t see myself doing a whole yoga class, I commit to even just 5 minutes of deep stretching. Getting started is often all you need to confront your resistance. This week’s meditation goal is to play with our power to overcome resistance, to flex a mental muscle and to see if you can create a bit of space to seed a new habit.

This week, all you need to to is find five minutes a day to sit in stillness and breathe deeply. The easiest way to do this is at the same time each day. You don’t have to worry about how you’re sitting or where you are. Just set a timer, close your eyes and breath. If five minutes seems impossible, do three. If three seems too daunting, do one. Whatever you choose, commit to it. Let us know how you’re doing, and don’t forget to come back next week for another small step to building a great meditation practice.