What to do about interrupted meditation?

[PrettyCandles]

I'm just beginning learning to meditate. Finding it extremely difficult to find the time and space to do it.

Just now, dh is at home, dc are all engaged either with him or playing, so I took myself off for a 15min breathing focus in the ensuite. The lid of the loo seat is just the right height for a seated meditation, and I thought I was less likely to be disturbed than anywhere else in the house.

4yo ds2 found me. I asked him to leave and said that I would come and talk to him later. Then I returned to the meditation, but did not restart from the beginning.

So, what do you do, how do you handle interruptions?

maybe you could try waking in the morning before anyone else awake, and finding a cozy place to nest for a while....? interruptions are so challenging but inevitable with family life, maybe just come back to deep conscious breathing once you are alone again, i find the only way to truly be alone is rise at 5am or wait til little ones in bed.... not always easy to commit to this as often very very tired!

but keep going keep going.... the universe needs sane folk xxx

Oh god, 5am? Noooooo. I can barely drag myself out of bed as it is!

If I haven't managed a session during the day, I try to do one before I go to bed. I inevitably fall asleep.

If you think you're going to be interrupted just try 5 minutes and hope for the best.
I try meditating at 6pm before cooking supper and starting the evening housework shift! I also get interrupted usually by DH though! (I agree 5am is unthinkable!)

BTW I love the idea of you meditating in the bathroom!

I can sympathise, I struggled when mine were younger. What helped me was to not see their interruption as an annoyance or inconvenience, rather a blessing. If I tried to keep them away, they wanted to be with me all the more. So I cuddled them, changed the focus of my meditation to giving thanks for them. They then felt reassured and in time I was able to get that space.

Perhaps sit in the car outside? Not sure if meditating in a car is possible, but it would more or less guarantee some peace.

I've done it in the car, too, when the dc are in a class. Nope, it's not comfortable, but OTOH it seems to be a good way of doing an 'active' meditation, rather than a relaxed meditation (ie one during which I will not fall asleep!) and of learning to go through discomfort without fighting or giving in to it.

I don't know the proper terminology.

how about a walking meditation -when you are going shopping, off to school etc ? I find it hard to breathe and walk mindfully t the same time though- I lack coordination
I have an older dc (13) so usually just say am off to meditate-generally after 6pm- I do a 20-25 mins meditation (guided sitting meditation or just on my own) I think the intention to meditate is half the thing anyway- even if you did 5 good minutes that is better than nothing !