21-Day Meditation Experience, Making Every Moment Matter: Day 3 Recognizing and Healing Time Dysfunction

The psychological and physical pressures that we place on ourselves in trying to meet the artificial demands of a modern time schedule has been called “time sickness.” We feel there is never enough time in one day to do everything we need to do. Then we feel guilty, frustrated, and anxious for not accomplishing what we hoped to, taking us further off track.

To heal this time dysfunction we need to change our experience of time. In today’s meditation, we journey into the silence of our inner self and understand firsthand the timelessness of present-moment awareness. This experience shifts us away from clock time into the now. From this open, expanded state of awareness, the symptoms of time sickness lessen and give way to an easy and focused attention for meeting daily demands without stress and anxiety.

Journal Questions

1. Pressure and stress cause “time sickness.” How does this affect you right now? Write down three things that put the most stress on you every day, such as deadlines at work, not having enough time to finish what you start, financial concerns, or not being able to find the time to completely unwind and relax.
2. Take the three things you listed in Question 1 and journal about some simple ways to help alleviate these stresses, such as taking a five-minute break to stretch and breathe every hour during your workday, spending more time in nature, or committing to at least ten minutes of meditation every day. Come from a space of creating opportunity, rather than restriction. Even small changes make a difference.
3. Meditation brings a complete state of relaxation that changes one’s perception of time. Think about how you experience time during your meditations, and describe how it feels different than usual, such as slowing down, becoming more peaceful, or bringing more inner fullness.
4. Reflect further on your experience today.