Help When You Need It

This just in from my dear friend and counselor Karen Langley who is a serious student of A Course in Miracles (ACIM). I'd put out a call to her for support and insight on how to create more "me" time and here is her response.

Back in the day, I waited for my daughters' nap time and then dropped what I was doing and ran to the meditation pillow. Also, I had another mother who was working at home across the street from me and we would sometimes cover for each other. I agree that as a single parent it must be crazy hard.

Even now I forget to try this kinda simple thing. See if it helps: When Daniil's attention is on something else, close your eyes and remember meditating... rest in that remembrance for a few seconds and you might actually feel like you meditated when your attention returns to Daniil.

OR, remember sharing a moment of quiet peace with friends, or the laughter (usually at ourselves) with friends. Take as long as you can in that remembrance and you might feel that peace or laughter again.

OR, think of a color, or sound, or person, or painting, or a nature scene that centers you, or inspires you, etc. and let yourself go into that feeling.... Sometimes remembrance of what once worked/helped before brings about the same experience.

The brain is quite easy to trick. It really does not know if we are in that experience now or if we are remembering. This is kinda the reverse of 'being here now.'

Instead, be where a lovely moment happened (that you can bring to mind) and see if you can re-experience it now. This could be fun finding what works and what does not. This helps me a lot while waiting for doc. appts. or my grown-up daughter to show up when she is nearly always late, or even when my old sweet dog is taking her time doing her business and I am freezing outside. (I think of summer heat warming up my skin.)
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I say, 'whatever works.' We are already and always in The Love of God and often need to trick our brains into reminding us! It does not have to take a long meditation. In fact, ACIM says that a few moments of True Remembrance does more for us than a lifetime of meditation.