~ Meditation in the Mayhem ~

Meditation in the Mayhem: Finding Mindfulness in Everyday Moments

Over the years, I’ve deepened my studies in meditation and mindfulness. I’ve been a semi-regular practitioner for what feels like forever—but if I’m honest, the one thing I’ve never mastered is regularity itself.

With five kids in the house, I quickly learned that there’s rarely a perfect, uninterrupted moment in the day when someone or something isn’t calling for my attention. So I learned to snatch moments.

I found ways to create meditation time that looked nothing like the picture-perfect image: me, sitting cross-legged in lotus pose, hands upturned, bathed in sunlight and zen. That version is lovely—but not my reality.

Instead, it’s been me, sitting in the car at the bus stop, grabbing a breath or ten. Or standing at the clothesline, where—oddly enough—no one ever seems to follow me. Sometimes it's the quiet warmth of a shower, or even pretending to be deeply focused at the stove while actually meditating and breathing. They never seem to notice…

Seconds. Minutes. I take what I can get.

Here’s the truth: You can meditate anywhere. It doesn’t need to look a certain way.

Many of us, in different seasons of life, don’t have the luxury of setting the alarm for sunrise and flowing gracefully into a 30-minute practice. Did I mention I’m not exactly a morning person? Or a night owl, for that matter? Sleep has always been the cornerstone of my ability to function the next day.

As my kids have grown and the house has quieted, it has gotten easier. The ones still at home are wonderfully independent. And I can see a time not far off when I’ll have the spacious, golden mornings I once dreamed of—when I can just sit, breathe, and let thoughts pass like clouds in a big blue sky. Of course, that ease comes with the bittersweet gift of an empty nest. But what a joy to know my five little chicks are out there, stretching their wings, chasing adventures of their own.

So here’s what I’ve learned: Meditation works however and whenever it fits into your life.

Let go of the image of perfection. Meditation can be messy. It can be scrappy, stolen in slivers of time. Some days it’s awkward and confronting; other days it’s like slipping into a dream. A soft, suspended state where you lose track of your breath in the most beautiful way...

Just keep showing up. Keep coming back. Even if your practice is something you wander away from and later return to—it’s worth it. Every breath is a beginning.

With love and gentle encouragement on your path,

Kaz 🌿