Very often when we look to make shifts in how we be or we want to add practices into our life or we want to reflect, we want to have the active practice of reflection and observation about how we’ve been in the world in order to make our life our practice, it always seems as if, for many people, that we have no time. “Finding the time” seems to be beyond the reach of many people. So, great intentions never get realized. Often, when people think about making shifts in their behavior, or simply looking to add time onto their day in order to reflect and add the practice of meditation to their day it seems as if there’s no time.

I find in talking with students when we talk about putting a practice into their life or adding time to reflect on how they be in the world, they look at it in a very big way. I’ll ask them, “What would it take to begin to observe yourself within your life?” They’ll lay out all these different steps and they’ll start to project into the future. Suddenly it’s very clear to me that one act isn’t one act. What they’re laying out for me is the whole next year of their life or the whole next several months of what they’d have to do in order to put this one practice into place. That happens to us quite a bit. We globalize. We think ahead.

I’m going to suggest that the next time you’re looking to make a shift whether it be to incorporate the power of observation into your life, taking a daily scan how you really were in that day, how you were with other people, how you walked in the world, or perhaps you\’re looking to add meditation into your life, you’d like to take a yoga class, or you’d like to do yoga at home, I’m going to suggest you consider the power of an hour. One hour a day, whether it be added in the morning early by getting up or at the end of the day. Many people have very full days. At the end of the day they’re tired. If you add the power of an hour at the end of the day, take a rest first. Just close your eyes and deep breathe for half an hour. Lightly breathe for half an hour. Then take the power of an hour. You’ll be refreshed after your nap. Take an hour a day and focus on your new intention, whatever the first step is of the shift, or an hour of observation, an hour of yoga, an hour of meditation. One hour a day, five days a week, four weeks a month, 20 hours a month of meditation, 20 hours a month of yoga, 20 hours a month of observing each day for one hour how you walked through the world. That’s an awful lot of attention you’re building. 20 hours a month, one hour a day, five days a week, that’s a great deal of attention put on any intention that you have.

The power of an hour. Surely you can find an hour a day to place and devote to an intention that you feel is important. The power of an hour. How will you use yours? Wonderful question. How will you use your hour? The power of an hour.