The problem is, you think you have time…

Image by @hheininge

I’ve been reflecting a lot recently about time.

I guess it’s natural as you get ‘older’. I’m 41 and often feel surprised by some chapters of my life now being 10 or 20 years ago!!

Conversations often go to “I can’t believe how quickly this week/month/year has gone!!”

And it’s there that I realise the fragility of time and life.

That sometimes time literally feels to be slipping through fingers.

it’s reinvigorated me to really make the most of every moment.

And this is of course what meditation and mindfulness teach us.

Each moment is a gift unto itself, not merely something passing for us to ‘get’ somewhere better. For some days I find that I’m so busy planning or thinking ahead that there have been more of those moments than the deeply present ones.

Along with this I’ve also noticed HOW am I spending my time. Am I sinking deeply into the things that guide me on my spirutal path, or am I being distracted by something new that seems shiny but keeps me bouncing along the surface of where I want to be rather than penetrating deeply and growing roots.

One of the oldest spiritual teachings is to be wary of the “spiritual supermarket”. Sure shop around, but if you end up staying in the market, going from one thing to another it can be one of the biggest blocks on our spiritual journey.

Our time here is precious. How am I using this moment, how am I getting the most from it’s infinite potential.

Am I using it to sink deeper into a practice. Or is my mind wanting to distract me with some shiny new thing?

The trick in spirituality is that the mind always wants something ‘new’ to be entertained by.

Yet so much of our spirutal journey is about learning to identify with that is beyond our mind.

Our minds confusion or yearning is often the very thing that gets in the way of us discovering our true self.

This is great paradox of meditation and the spirutal path. Sometimes information can help us, other times it can trap us.

But overall I come back to Buddah’s warning, “You think you have time” and it reminds me that through meditation we have so much to go deep, treat every moment as a precious jewel drinking it up and once you’re on your path and have received some guidance be resourceful with everything you already have before looking for anything else.