Meditation of the month
om mind
Don’t put off until tomorrow
what you can do today. A
meditation for procrastinators
the world over. By Jill Lawson
om mind
Make the time
P
rocrastination. We have all been guilty of it. While we
might be fully cognizant of a looming deadline, some of
us will wait until the last minute to start something that
is too soon due.
Ironically, the definition of procrastination is, ‘the
action of postponing something’, as if procrastinating was an
active pursuit. Quite the contrary. When we procrastinate, we don’t
act. We succumb to inaction while time keeps ticking away.
If you have a pending deadline or expectation on your
horizon, and you’ve been putting it off, this meditation is for you.
Procrastination doesn’t mean doom and failure; it just gives you
less time to do what you need to do. When you’re crunched for
time, use this meditation to your advantage.Do it now
Find yourself in a comfortable position, free from thoughts of your
agenda. Close your eyes and take several deep breaths. Scan your
body to release tension, tightness, and stress. Spend five minutes
in this preparatory practice, or until you feel completely at ease
with your situation. Do not linger too long, as this is not another
excuse to keep procrastinating!
Rather than feeling stuck and powerless
over the end result, concentrate on thesteps necessary to complete your goal. Do you need to be sitting
at your desk? Picking up the phone? Typing? Visualise the steps
required to do the task you’ve been postponing. See these actions
as a means to an end. Release all judgement, fear, or aversion
toward them. Continue with this guided imagery practice until you
can completely focus on these actions without contempt.
By waiting to begin your project, you have become short on
time, but don’t worry. It is time to explore Einstein’s theory of
relativity and time dilation.
Imagine the finished product as a light at the end of a black-
hole-like tunnel. In your mind’s eye, step into the tunnel, and
remain focused. While you are in the tunnel, you will experience a
time warp. It will feel like you are able to stretch out the seconds
that count down to your due date. You must remain focused and in
motion for this to work.
Now, start your project as if you were in the tunnel. Understand
there is no escaping it until your project has been completed. Once
your work is done, the gravitational pull of procrastination will end
and you will be free to float in the universe of achievement. Until
then, keep that tunnel vision. Godspeed!Jill Lawson is a writer and yoga teacher in Colorado, USA
(jilllawsonyoga.com)