Finding the time

[booboo83]

Back in my youth I used to meditate on a regular basis, back then I had more time and more silence.

My mind is always on the go, very difficult to calm it down, I know that in time and with practice I will yet again tame the beast when it comes to meditation.

These days I work full time and I have my eldest son who is 9 living with me.
The building where I live has its noises and the neighbours aren't exactly quiet.
From other people in a similar situation to me, where do you find the time or peace to meditate or work on your spiritual development?

I am moving house in the next couple of months, should I just wait until then or is there anything I can do now to help myself despite the situation?

Love to all.

Originally Posted by booboo83

The building where I live has its noises and the neighbours aren't exactly quiet. From other people in a similar situation to me, where do you find the time or peace to meditate or work on your spiritual development?

While it might be difficult at first give this a try. When you settle down to meditate and right before you start welcome your noisy neighbors and from the heart. It's kind of like how Yongey explains how he dealt with panic attacks when he first started meditating. He eventually decided to welcome his panic attacks and they became his friend, his teacher and support for his practice. That's in the first 15 minutes of the YT video.

https://youtu.be/ukTaodQfYRQ?list=PL...XKU_1z5sHaw a

Barring that have you ever tried sound meditation? I usually use Tibetan Singing Bowl YouTube tracks I have in a playlist, but it occurs to me you can use your noisy neighbors instead. And if they're not making noise meditate on the silence.

You can also check out this video from this point for several minutes.

https://youtu.be/UUnUjkxuZOk?t=878

[PatrickFinley]

The links were helpful. Thanks.

[FairyCrystal]

To relax maybe watch a movie first, not an action movie of course. Or maybe an Abraham Hicks clip or similar to slow down.
You can also search on YouTube how to do a focus wheel (Abraham Hicks). Doing a focus wheel is dang near as good as meditating! And once you understand the concept and get the hang of it it can get you to a higher vibration within 3 short sentences.

Use headphones to not hear the neighbours.
Do guided meditations so you have sound to focus on yourself
Or just soothing music, bubbling stream, binaural beats, sound bowls (all YouTube)
Don't try to do a long meditation. And guided is easier and often more pleasant.

Do it in weekends and/or when the kid is in bed. And 9 yrs means he doesn't need your constant attention anyway. You can also ask him to be quiet for half an hour so you can tune in and do a short & sweet meditation.

[snowyowl]

This is also a huge issue for me, one of the main obstacles in my spiritual practice too. I don't have a good answer though. I usually meditate last thing at night, when I'm tired and drowsy which is probably not optimal but at least the house is quiet and I have less internal chatter. I wish I could get up early and meditate first thing in the morning, but I'm not a morning person.

The other thing I try is mini meditations during the day, 5 or 10 minutes. I've started using headspace to give me some more structure and motivation which is helping too.

[Unseeking Seeker]

Aversion to noise
Desire for silence

Both are blockages
Both resist the magnetic current

Likening life to a lucid dream
A dream we alone witness
In astonishment & wonderment

We celebrate
Each breath
Each pulse
As it fills
Our emptiness

Mindfully cognisant
Here & now present
Embrace & release
Each moment with ease

We may call this orientation
Ever present meditation
In continuation

[LYACMT]

Given your situations, you could do your meditation in the early morning which happens to be the best time for any meditative techniques.
Sleep early and get up early, your problem solved.

I really do not recommend to do meditation in any noisy environment or any environment which big sounds may occur in a sudden, that is very halmful to your mind, not to mention any progresses.