Hi Gordon, greetings, welcome to Openhand *OK*

Many people struggle with formal meditation in the beginning. If you're used to a busy internal process, and if you're fully engaged in the toxicity of the world, it'll be pretty painful as soon as you work to go into quietness - you start to feel what you've (really) been suppressing.

But there is a way to work with this - meditation is really about becoming the observer of your process. What is it that brings you joy? When do you feel really alive? In some kind of physical excerise perhaps? Maybe a walk in nature? Dancing or moving to music? When you find what brings you joy, then engage in it, but most essentially, watch your inner feelings - just observe.

This is a good bridge into formal meditation.

Open *OK*