Day 52 – Finding Ease in Effort

Every so often it's good to check in on your practice (and on life in general!) and make sure that you're not trying too hard. Which, although it comes from good intentions, only adds tension to everything, guaranteeing that it won't go as well as it could.

In mindfulness practice, what we need to accomplish can only be achieved by doing less. As you observe your breath (or do any activity), feel a lightness of touch, and a sense of ease to the observation. Breath is right there – it will come to you (over and over again), and you don't have to create, find or understand anything about it – you simply and merely observe. And when the monkey runs off to something more exciting, notice and calmly recover your attention and self-control.

PRACTICE

Bring a sense of ease to your observing breath practice. Try bringing that same sense of ease to whatever else you do today.