Meditating in stressful days In stressful days, when I really need to calm down and find some inner peace, is when I find it harder to meditate. A lot of thoughts going in and out and creating intense feelings as a consequence of the events of the day.

Is there any kind of method one can use to meditate in such days?
One of my favourite quotes is an old Zen adage


  You should sit in meditation for twenty minutes every day - unless
  you're too busy; then you should sit for an hour


I find that both infurating and inspirational at the same time. So on the zen theme, when I am just way too busy I can't do mindfulness of breathing or metta practice. So the one I turn to is a just sitting or zazen type practice. I just sit there and ask - what is it like to be this. It might not be traditional zazen but it helps me.

Ironically when meditation is going well and seems to be taking off (if that makes sense) then I also do just sitting. It's the beginning and end of practice for me.