Meditation is the act of being present in the moment. By being present in the moment, we learn to become reacquainted with ourselves. This is crucial, since we need this relationship with Self to use as a compass to navigate our lives. On a daily basis, we are rarely in the moment. As soon as our eyes open in the morning, our minds start whirling. The distractions start. We think about the past or the future. We turn on the computer. Read a newspaper or magazine. Listen to music or turn on the TV. Drink a cup of the concentration drug known as coffee, which puts us further into our head. And we are off to the races. The consequence of this non-stop loop of activity is that we have become strangers from ourselves. We float through life without being conscious of a center that can be our guide. Meditation is the momentary stepping away from incessant external focus, and paying attention to self. Since we have become estranged from ourselves, for many of us there can be initial feelings of anxiety as we attempt to meditate. This is normal and can be tolerated. Understand that this is the single most common reason why we do not undertake a regular meditation practice: unexamined anxiety. You can push through it. There are many types of meditation, and they are all useful. There are types where one repeats a word or mantra as a way of staying in the moment or types where one uses breath or sensation to do the same. What I am sharing with you here is a body centered awareness technique. What I have found useful about this technique is that it can be used throughout the day to keep connecting internally. One can do this in the midst of all daily activity. The audio piece will guide you on how to do this. The sounds of the crickets in the background are there to give your ears something to use to stay in the present moment. Start with a 10 minute daily practice, and you can work your way up to the full 20 minutes. In these times of rapid change, our inner voice is crucial as a navigational guide. Here is a simple tool to help you do that. On this Mother’s Day, and every day forward, mother your self. You are that you seek.