ROBYN BERKLEY

Meditation for me was, as they say at The David Lynch Foundation, “The Change That Begins Within.”

I made a major effort to learn how to practice, taking multiple classes and workshops, as I was told it would be extremely beneficial. But I just couldn’t grasp the how-to.

I thought my mind had to be blank, then a tranquil feeling would come over my whole body and I would be in a state of utter relaxation. However, as anyone who has tried meditation knows, that state doesn’t really exist, especially while living in an urban environment. That’s why it took me a trip across the world to understand meditation and create my own daily practice.

In Bali, every morning around 5:45am, I would head to yoga class and the sun wouldn’t yet have risen. Candles would be dispersed around the open air space, as incense burned, filling the room with a calming scent. Quietly and peacefully, I would enter, set up my area, sit in a cross-legged position, close my eyes and just breathe. That was the instruction: to keep focusing on my breath. And, as thoughts would come into my mind, to simply, through my breath, let them go.

I got it. It wasn’t about clearing your mind; it was about working with it and slowly letting go.

Over the course of those few months, I became more and more attached to my practice, meditating both morning and night. We learned several other different types of meditation over the course of yoga training too.

Being in nature was obviously an easier way of disconnecting and settling my mind, but how was I going to transition this practice to my city life?

Upon arriving back in New York, a close friend introduced me to The David Lynch Foundation. This was over two years ago and I didn’t know much about it, but I did my research and found it extremely interesting. I felt inspired by the teaching and the concept of Transcendental Meditation. I wanted to learn more and delve further into the practice, so I was trained over the course of four days and given a sound (my mantra) to use. This form of meditation was an extension of what I had been doing in Bali. It was structured and easy to follow and incorporate into my daily life—just 20 minutes, twice a day.

I was most astounded by the foundation itself, what it stands for and the work the people there have accomplished. When founding Live The Process, the foundation was always on my mind. I wanted DLF to be our first charitable partner. Since learning, I have been volunteering my time, helping raise awareness, and I feel the tool of meditation is a gift. The work that has been done for women that have encountered domestic violence, children with ADD and war victims suffering from PTSD is truly inspiring to me. It’s not just about raising money, but about giving people a practice that will change their lives.

I am so pleased that my dream has become a reality, and this week we will be launching our first collaboration with The David Lynch Foundation: a Live The Process capsule collection with an exclusive print inspired by meditation.

The pieces will be exclusively at Barneys New York and on Live The Process, where a limited edition t-shirt—a collaboration with artist Jason Woodside—will also be available, representing the combined ideologies of “Live The Process” and “Change Begins Within.”