Most of us who meditate encounter resistance to our daily practice to a greater or lesser magnitude. How can something that gives us so much be so difficult to sustain? It’s way too easy to answer this question – limited time, being over-committed, feeling a nagging discomfort during the actual meditation process. Fill in your favorite excuse.

All of it – really, all of it – comes down to resistance. Now I know whereof I speak, so before you get mad and swear with certainty that I cannot possibly know how busy you are, let me assure you, I know this one all too well. If you really aren’t finding time for your favorite things, for instance reading, seeing movies, working out, sex – then you may well not be in resistance but in simple impossibility. In that case, resistance can take on significant proportions.

But lets face it, we feel better when we meditate. We are more effective, more creative, more calm and perhaps even peaceful. We waste less time in internal chatter and beating ourselves up. We are likely more caring toward those we adore. These changes can be subtle or profoundly obvious.

When we do not make time for activities that influence us thusly, it is generally a personal form of derailing. A blockage. Since these are the very things that meditation helps to shift, it means finding the will to do it.

In my life I have had phases where I have completely given up sugar – not even ketchup – for years at a time. Then, well, then I lost the motivation. Recently, somewhere deep inside, I decided I was going to give sugar up. The choice was so deep that I did not even experience any withdrawal or cravings.

Resistance is quite simply – and most difficultly – a standard part of the process of meditation.

Find the part that wants to meditate. And just do it. Really.