Question: When I sit down to meditate, thoughts crowd in, and I can’t seem to find a truly quiet moment. How am I ever going to change if I can’t even do this simple exercise?

Answer: When you’re meditating, here’s a way to invite those true inner changes your heart longs for: Repeatedly bring yourself back to yourself and then, from within this present self-awareness, realize that instead of being connected to the “you” who is always struggling to get something hoping to become someone, trying to resolve things — surrender yourself to the understanding that the whole issue of who you are is already resolved. Let go and know that Life is complete, timeless, and so are you. Do not go into imagination. The self you imagine will be a secret extension of the self you wish to escape. Everything you need to pray, to wake up, to be new is right there with you.