OM IN THE CITY: I get it — the path is the journey – but the truth, at least for me, is that even though I know academically that I am on the journey, sometimes it’s hard to remember that when I’m going about my life. Like when I’m waiting on line and a kid is bugging me or when I’m running late and spill coffee on my shirt or really, anytime my mother calls. What has helped keep my focus is meditating every day. I know, I know, it’s hard to just sit and think about nothing. That’s for really spiritual people, advanced spiritual people, people with a lot of time on their hands.

Well, not really. Meditation can be incorporated into what you’re doing in your life now. It can be as simple as paying attention to your breath as you wait for the bus, or learning to chant while you’re in the shower. Meditation can also mean spending time in silence either alone or with a group at a Buddhist temple, but it doesn’t have to mean that. Meditation is about mindfulness and you can be mindful just walking down the street.

I’ve been leading meditation workshops for the past few years and we work on “active meditation.” We begin by chanting a mantra. I like the Hindu chants to the goddess Lakshmi and Saraswati, they really resonate with me, but you may be more comfortable with a Buddhist chant or just repeating a really peaceful word or phrase, something like “I am ready to accept peace into my life” will work great. To start out you may want to sit in a quiet space and light a candle to help you get into the mindset that you are creating a sacred space for yourself, your mind and your body. I like to sit on the floor cross-legged, but remember there is no wrong way to do this. If you’re more comfortable on the sofa or laying on the floor – go for it.

After you get in your relaxed position I want you to repeat your chant over and over. Let yourself get lost in the words. This is especially helpful if you are doing one of the hindu chants and don’t understand Sanskit. You can lose yourself in the moment and stop thinking about the words. For today let’s practice with a Buddhist chant that I love Om Mani Padme Hum. (My students call this the mani-pedi chant because they memorized it while thinking about getting their nails done.) Repeat the words out loud to yourself as you relax. Let your breath relax as you inhale and exhale. What you may notice after doing this for a few minutes is that your breath begins to become very even as you find yourself getting quieter and calmer. The energy in the room will change as you invite the peacefulness of meditation into your home and your body. As thoughts come into your mind don’t judge them, just let them go and return your attention back to the chant. You’ll notice that there will be energy shifts after four minutes and then again after seven but if you can make it past 11 minutes you’ll see how your body, mind and soul have really become relaxed.

I usually chant for 12 minutes and then sit in silence for 10 minutes – when I have time. When I don’t, I chant in the shower, I chant while I’m putting my kids to sleep – I’ve got to sing to them anyway, we all might as well get something out of it. I’ve also learned to lean on my chanting while I’m waiting on line or doing things I don’t particularly like to do, like cleaning or carrying the dry-cleaning home. What’s amazing is how a few minutes of mindfulness can help me remember that even though I’m surrounded by people and traffic and life moving at a terrific pace, inside I can be calm. It’s a wonderful way to remind myself that even though I have a lot to do each day and I might not have a chance to slow down – at least I know I’m on the journey.