Start Here First. Always.
- paigedoughty
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
I have a spot in my living room that my husband calls my “consciousness corner.”
It’s one corner of the couch, near a window, beside a small table. On that table: a lamp, a stack of well-worn spiritual books, and space for a cup of coffee. This is where I sit every day to meditate.
I try to get there first thing in the morning, before anyone else is awake—when the house is quiet and the cats are playing.
Some mornings I arrive earlier than others.
Some mornings it’s harder to wake up.
Some mornings a child wakes up and sits in my lap. Life happens. Still, I come.
When I sit down, I set my timer. I place my warm, steamy coffee beside me. I close my eyes. And I breathe.
I always start with the breath.
Then I feel my body.
I check in—what’s here today?
If there’s tension, I notice it.
Then I come back to breathing.
Then I let go. And I sit.
Usually it’s thirty or forty minutes. Sometimes it’s less. Again—life.
Why does this matter? Why sit still every day with no input except silence?
On a very practical level, this practice calms my nervous system. Once the nervous system learns stillness, it settles more quickly during meditation and has the possibility of doing so throughout the rest of the day as well. Spaciousness becomes available. Stillness becomes possible. Yes, there are thoughts— as there are all day. Yes, I return to the breath again and again. That’s part of it.
But what really matters - more than what happens during any given meditation is this: this is where my choices, decisions, actions and next moments begin–from Presence.
As the year unfolds, this is often the part we skip. We rush toward resolutions, goals, and intentions without first pausing to ask where those choices are coming from. Are they coming from old patterns and unconscious momentum—or from a place that is open, aware, and present? Knowing the difference is key. And being able to know the difference takes consciousness.
Consciousness is awareness with a choice. It helps us see ourselves accurately, and choose clearly and from the part of us that makes choices that are of benefit.
This time, each morning, is landing in and as that place/space/Self.. From here, the rest of my day—and my life—unfolds differently. I’m living from spaciousness, not from the spinning mind.
So wherever you are on your journey, don’t skip this part.
I know the “doer mind” wants to jump ahead—to productivity, success, clean homes, healthy bodies, happy children. Let all of that come after presence.
No intention lasts very long if it doesn’t come from the deepest part of ourselves.
So many people set health goals this time of year—on paper, they sound reasonable. Exercise X or XX times a week. Be disciplined. Push through. And then, eventually, something breaks down. The body resists. Motivation fades.
Our bodies and lives aren’t machines we program. They are living, breathing, dynamic systems that need different things on different days. And most of all they need / crave / want the stillness and moments of pause that bring our whole selves into presence.
The New Year often comes with pressure: resolutions, lists, goals. But this is not a self-improvement project. It is an awakening project.
Presence allows us to listen. Awareness invites flexibility, curiosity, and gentleness. And that kind of wisdom only shows up right here—now. This is the work. Everything else can wait.
A Practice For Daily Life
As you begin this year, take time to sit quietly.
Acknowledge your growth.
Set one intention, not as pressure, but as devotion
Let It be your compass..
Additional Reflection
Read my poem, A New Year’s Resolution — a reminder that this year is about awakening, not striving.
The New Year doesn’t ask you to do more. It asks you to remember who you are — divinity, presence, love.
With peaceful presence,
Paige
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