My mother is visiting for 10 days, which is lovely. BUT whenever I have a visitor, or whenever I travel, my morning spiritual routine must shift. I have grown accustomed to living alone and making my morning sacred : journaling (morning pages), gratitude, breathwork, meditation, yoga, spiritual texts. But now it has to shift, my mom even said this morning « no time for yoga when I’m here. » and so I must improvise. My meditation shifts to the evening, or I am reminded that walking my dogs is a walking moving meditation. This is what it must be. The trip is time limited, and just because for several days it has to be altered, it doesn’t mean I must lose the essence of the practice .
Years ago, this was the problem with my meditation practice. I became attached to what it had to look like. I only meditated using one particular method, and if it did not fit that mold, then I viewed it as if I had failed at meditation for the day. But over the years, I’ve learned to have more self compassion for myself. I’ve learned to be flexible, and to include other aspects of life into my meditation.
It’s easy in some ways to live a spiritual life on your own, or while you are on a meditation retreat. But what about when you get thrown into the everyday world ? Things must shift, and so it has. And this is okay.
We can still live with intention, even if our days are jolted a bit. We can appreciate it for what it is versus being irritated it does not look a particular way. We can turn towards the beings that are in our atmosphere and learn to mold our spiritual life to wave like strands of long grass in the wind. Flexibility is key to our daily lives, even with our morning discipline.
It Only Takes A Smile 