Time Management for Meditation

OVERWHELMED SELF: “I do not have time for Meditation at all. I am very busy with my current responsibilities. I wish I had more time for myself. My job takes up all my time. I have so many things to do. I have long commute to work each day. I miss my deadlines if I don't work really hard. I am overwhelmed all the time. At times, I take on too much work load. I am afraid that if I refuse any task I will lose my job or suffer losses in my business. Sometimes I wish I had an assistant to help me. I have family responsibilities to handle. From where will I get time to Meditate?”

Yes, we all have several goals and our day-to-day tasks keeps us very busy. Sometimes we really wish we could just take a week-long vacation at our favorite holiday spot. With our rapid growing technology and ever increasing awareness of what we can accomplish, we simply find it difficult to create time for ourselves. So how can we feel that we are in control of our time? How can we feel that we have plenty of time to do the things we love to do? How can we increase our productivity and achieve our goals faster? And how can we reach to a point we never have to say that we do not have time for ourselves and for Meditation?

We have to learn few things:
(1) To estimate accurately how much time a specific task will take
(2) To learn how to say ‘NO’ to requests or tasks that are not in our best interest and are insignificant
(3) To learn how to say ‘YES” to requests and opportunities that are important and will help us achieve our spiritual fulfillment and our goals
(4) To learn to delegate tasks to others so that we are not struggling with our projects

This requires practice and takes self discipline. When estimating how much time a specific task will take always add 25% extra buffer to the timeline, because life throws us obstacles and hurdles that we may not be able to anticipate. For some of us it is very difficult to say ‘NO’ to our boss or someone in authority or someone we care about. So we have to practice beforehand. “I am learning to be more efficient with my time. At this moment I am unable to fulfill your request since I have allocated all my time to other tasks. Thank you for your kind understanding.” After our practice sessions we are more prepared and ready to deliver our message. Learning to say ‘YES’ to important opportunities can be equally tough. So similarly we have to practice beforehand. “I am very interested in learning how to increase my productivity. You have years of experience in this area. It would be great if you can give me some advice on how I can improve my performance.” As we practice eliminating meaningless activities from our lives and filling it with more meaningful activities we will be getting one step closer to spiritual fulfillment and achieving our life goals.

HIGHER SELF: “I am in complete control of my schedule. I know how to make time for tasks that are important or urgent. I have plenty of time for myself and my loved ones. I work limited hours and reach my financial goals easily. My work place is very near to my house. We go for vacations several times a year. I complete all my tasks very quickly and before the deadlines. I know how to delegate tasks to others. I choose to accept only those requests from others that are in my best interest. I can easily decline requests that cause me to become stressful. I am not shy of asking others for help and guidance. I do not waste my time on meaningless activities. I can easily estimate the amount of time it will take me to complete a specific task. I respect everyone’s time and promptly and clearly communicate any changes in our appointments. I only focus on being efficient and productive. My relationship with Time Management is very strong and works perfectly. I can easily find time for my Daily Meditation Practice.”

We Love Meditation... :-)

Orchard Valley to Silicon Valley

Orchard Valley to Silicon Valley (31^st Dec 2011)

Yesterday I found out a little bit more about my fourth home, that which we now call Silicon Valley. Fifty years ago it was known as the "Valley of the Heart's Delight" because of its rich soil, fruit trees, and farms. Children would wander through the blooming orchards on their way to school picking up walnuts, cherries, apricots, plums, and prunes. There were miles and miles of beautiful fields and orchards in full bloom. This major transition from an agricultural community to a technology hub with so many great corporations is so amazing, I am still letting it all in. Turns out that the local newspaper did a great job of capturing this transition to the best of their abilities. Until now I thought of them as just another local newspaper agency, but today I bow down and salute them for their efforts, as I have developed a renewed sense of respect for them. I also found SCVHA (www.siliconvalleyhistorical.org), their mission is to research and record the Silicon Valley phenomenon. How cool is that. J

Major transitions are a part of life...
- From good ones… from childhood to teenage, from dating to marriage, from student to working professional, from citizen to solider, from actor to Oscar winner, from novice to expert, from athlete to gold medalist, from lost to found, from failure to success, from broken to whole...
- To not so good ones… from CEO to jobless, from relationship to divorce, from success to failure, from home to prison, from billionaire to bankrupt, from homeowner to tenant, from colorful to black and white, from alive to 6 feet under...

Some transitions are graduations from one stage of life to another. Some are forced due to circumstances. Some are exploratory in nature. Some happen fast and some happen slow. As much as we love what we currently posses and have cherished for a long time, we cannot avoid such transitions as being a part of our lives. It defines who we are. “Change is Inevitable”. The skills to develop during major transitions are to allow for smooth changes while allowing growth and preservation of the good old memories for nostalgic get-togethers in the future. We have pictures taken, online videos, personal diaries, blogs, auto biographies, etc. Embracing the new and letting go of the old involves a leap of faith.

Three years ago I had hurt my right shoulder and got what is known as a “pinched nerve” which  made my right arm a little bit weak and caused me some annoying shoulder pains. My first chiropractor treated me and told me I had to see him three times a week for complete healing to take place. I simply did not believe him and once the pain diminished I stopped visiting him. Needless to say there was discomfort and I dragged on my injury for few more weeks. I was too stubborn to listen to my chiropractor to complete the full recommend treatment program. Then one day I found myself at the San Jose downtown fun-fair and there was a chiropractor booth checking people on the spot. I wandered around and it took me a good hour before I walked in to get myself examined. Then I signed-up for the x-ray examination and spine check-up at the clinic. This chiropractor (www.chiropracticfirst.com) also recommended the same for getting adjusted three times a week and I was thinking to myself if this is for real. The treatment seems very long since I was of the mindset of quick treatment plans. Nevertheless, he asked me to take a leap of faith and to enroll in the treatment program for one month and if I did not feel any better I could leave and he would refund my first installment. I took the leap of faith and enrolled into the treatment program. Before you know it I was feeling great within days and I managed completed the full recommend treatment program. This was a major transition to me because chiropractic methodologies are very different from general medical healthcare methodologies and I had to learn a lot of new ways of doing things along the way.

During major transitions many things will show up doubts, discomfort, resistance, pain, loss of faith, chaos, desire to quit. These are all natural, learn to be gentle with them to ensure smooth transitions. Mother Nature in all her infinite wisdom created seasons and cycles for a reason. Flow with the changes and embrace all the different manifestations of life. Hold on only to that which is dear to your heart, that which you must preserve, your spirit, love and well-being. The rest are all temporary forms of manifestation of the divine energy and must be allowed to freely travel in and through you. Take this moment to reflect on your transitory journey of life. Remember one of your long lost friend, say "Thank you, I miss you". 

While starting on your Spiritual Journey and beginning to practice your Daily Meditation Routine, the same feelings of doubts and uneasiness will show-up from time to time, that occurs during major transitions. Since meditation has the power to cause major internal transitions and shifts in belief systems, in the lives of those who start to practice meditation on a regular basis. Plan to stay disciplined with your meditation practice and keep returning back to your meditation routine whenever there is an unexpected break. Eat healthy fresh fruits, raw vegetables and drink plenty of water to keep your digestive system working optimally. Forgive others and stay in the high state of gratitude and happiness throughout the day by focusing on positive aspects in others. Keep working on your goals and have high ambitions in life. And be prepared to take the leap of faith when life offers you your next major transition. Good Luck... J

We Love Meditation