In this meditation, I speak about a very old and very familiar experience: the feeling that you would rather be somewhere else.

In the monastic tradition, this restlessness has a name: acedia. It is not laziness, but a subtle boredom that arises just when practice begins to deepen. It offers us alternatives — other places to be, other chairs to sit on, other tasks to do. It may even suggest that we are not progressing and should stop.

Rather than fighting distraction, we learn to notice it and smile. We gently return to the breath. We quietly reaffirm, “I choose this time of meditation.”

This daily guided meditation offers a moment of calm, whether you are pausing during the day or winding down before sleep, helping you stay steady when restlessness appears and strengthening the simple habit of returning.

Chapters

 00:00 – Introduction

00:34 – What is acedia?

01:00 – The bell

02:40 – How do you feel about the meditation?

03:00 – The urge to be elsewhere

03:25 – “I choose this time of meditation”

04:40 – Observing distraction

05:10 – Subtle alternatives and novelty

05:50 – The urge to check the time

06:15 – “I’m not progressing”

08:20 – Persevering in practice

09:09 – Closing bell

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.