Do A Little Dance

Have you ever noticed that its usually easier to balance one leg than the other? We easily recognize a lack of balance in our physical selves, but it can be more difficult to recognize a lack of balance in our mind and spirit.  For many, that imbalance will never be fully realized except through some meditative source, whether that be yoga, a seated meditation, or a moving mediation such as walking or running.  In Western culture, however, the word meditation often incurs eye rolls or raised eyebrows, or is brushed aside as something that we busy, successful, hard working people can't be bothered with.  But what if we simply decided to make that time?

I was a guest teacher at an elementary school in Wisconsin a few years ago and in the middle of my lesson, the principal came over the speaker and told everyone it was time to stand up and dance.  At first I thought it was a joke, but seconds later The Macarena came on and all the kids got up and started doing the dance. When the song ended, they all sat back down and we went on with the lesson. It was amazing and it took less than 3 minutes. Apparently, they did this twice a day, and the kids and teachers had to drop whatever they were doing and get up dance, move, stretch, or whatever was called for.

I think every school should do this. I even think every business should do this. Calling for the Marcarena isn't necessary for the lawyers, bankers, customer service employees, and such (or maybe its completely necessary!) but at least a call to stand up, stretch, breathe, and take a lap around the office a couple of times every day.  Consider this a walking meditation, a few minutes every day to clear your head and remember your breath.  Just those few minutes will help to bring your mental and physical self into better balance.  Why would a business owner or company want their employees to do this?  Here are just a few:

1) Meditation, breathing, stretching, all calm the mind and allow for clearer thinking, better judgement, heightened awareness, and improved decision making and problem solving...all good qualities in an employee.

2) Provides relaxation and stress relief to employee when they need it most - during their workday.

3) Improves the workplace environment - happy, strew-free employees communicate and work better with one another and with clients and customers.

4) Improves mental and physical health employees

5) Increases the productivity of your employees, and thereby improves the productivity of your company.

Maybe someday schools and businesses all across the country will have meditation breaks - sitting down for a 10 or 15 minute meditation.  To sit and meditate for 5, 10, or (gasp!) 30 minutes makes people nervous and anxious. I've heard people say countless times that they just can't sit still for that long, or they feel like they're wasting time because all they can think about is all of the things they need to do.  All of these things are exactly why people need to mediate.  What could possibly be so important in our lives that we can't allow ourselves a window of time to do nothing?  Why are we so accepting of letting our bodies sit around and do nothing but we refuse to allow our minds to do the same?

Our obsession with time is one thing, but I think fear is another.  For many, its that stillness, that silence that we fear. What will we find when we enter that space of solitude? Yet fear is usually a good indicator of what we really want and need. Fear of meditation is therefore a sure sign that it is exactly what we need. Instead of recoiling from that fear, embrace it and let it be your guide.

~Namaste