Meditation, Gratitude, and the Unexpected Lessons of Jury Duty

What Do Meditation and Gratitude Have to Do with Jury Duty?

What do meditation and gratitude have to do with jury duty? A reasonable question. The answer: seemingly not much. Or at least that’s what I thought until I found myself sitting in a courtroom with nothing to do while waiting for the jury selection proceedings (also known as voir dire) to begin.

Other questions you may be asking: “How did you end up with nothing to do while waiting? Surely you brought a book, didn’t you?”

Well of course I did! Not only did I bring a book, I also brought my journal, snacks, and water. You see, I’ve been summoned for jury duty several times. I planned ahead and was well prepared for the long hours of waiting that the process usually entails.

What Do You Mean, No Book?

But what I didn’t know was that the rules had changed since I last served. The jury summons tells you only that you cannot have a phone or electronic devices in the courthouse. Fair enough.

So I armed myself with the ultimate low tech options: a physical book, several pens, and a notebook. I intended to get stuff done while I waited. No wasted hours for me—no siree Bob!

Imagine my surprise and dismay when the guard at the door, who rummaged through my backpack checking for weapons and explosive devices, pulled out my book and asked, “What’s this?” Yes, he really asked me that. Wondering if this was a trick question, I replied somewhat hesitantly, “Um . . . it’s a book.” He scowled at me and advised me that I couldn’t have a book, a smart watch, or any electronic devices. I stared at him dumbfounded and asked, “I can’t have a book? Why not? The summons says no electronic devices; but it says nothing about a book.” His only response was a somewhat hostile stare.

With no rational explanation forthcoming I, being wary of making an even bigger fuss, trotted back to my car (in a driving rainstorm no less) with my thoughtfully packed bag and stowed it in my trunk.

The Ordeal

When I returned with nothing but my key fob, I was ushered through the metal detector and directed to take the elevator to the second floor. When I inquired about the location of the stairs, the guard looked at me like I was from Neptune and incredulously asked, “You want to take the stairs?” Yes, I wanted to take the stairs all the way up to the second floor. Heavens!

This entire ordeal was quite vexing. I wasn’t thrilled about having to appear for jury duty. The courthouse is a 25-mile drive. I had to drive through blinding rain; and I don’t like driving in the rain. Further, my plans for reading and writing while waiting had been thwarted on the basis of unwritten, arbitrary rules, which in my mind at least, were designed solely to punish prospective jurors.

The waiting area for the jury is in a courtroom and the jury pool is required to sit on hard, uncomfortable wooden benches. There was no clock, and apparently no one wears a traditional watch anymore (because it seems that everyone now either wears the prohibited non-juror-compliant “smart watch” or uses their non-juror-compliant phone); so there’s no way to know what time it is.

So I sat on the hard bench fuming about pretty much everything having to do with this experience. Truth be told, my ire was mostly directed at the “no book rule.”

A Mindset Shift: Finding Gratitude

When it became apparent that there was no rush for the proceedings to begin, I had an epiphany: Yes, I could sit there peeved and focus on all of the negative aspects of the situation, or I could change my mindset and use the time productively.

As I sat there in the midst of all these people waiting for the process to begin, I practiced a gratitude meditation. I started by taking several deep breaths, closed my eyes, and began to focus on everything I had to be grateful for in this moment. The list was long.

I won’t bore you with my list, but one thing that really stood out was my gratitude for living in a country with laws and a system of justice that allow an accused to be tried and judged by a jury of his/her peers. It’s a privilege to serve on a jury, and the jury system is a fundamental aspect of what makes our country great. I shifted my mindset and went from being angry about the process and viewing it as an ordeal, to recognizing that I am and should be thankful for it.

I probably meditated for about 10 minutes. When I finished, I was no longer angry; instead I felt more relaxed and centered.

It was nearly two hours before the judge came into the courtroom to tell us that the defendant had decided to plead guilty and had agreed to a plea deal. We were free to go. Our service was concluded.

Was I grateful for that? Indeed I was!

Meditation Anywhere: The Jury Duty Edition

You don’t need a quiet room, candles, a yoga mat, or a lot of time to meditate. Life often gives us unexpected opportunities to pause and reflect—even on a hard wooden bench surrounded by people. It doesn’t have to be complicated or scripted. Here’s the simple gratitude meditation I used:

• Step 1: Take a few deep diaphragmatic breaths.

• Step 2: Close your eyes (if appropriate) and bring to mind one or more things you’re grateful for. If you’re angry about something (as I was), try to view it through a lens of gratitude.

• Step 3: Spend a few moments focusing on that gratitude. Let the tension melt away with each exhale.

• Step 4: Open your eyes and return to the present moment, hopefully calmer and more centered.

Mindset shifts and mindfulness practices like this can transform frustrating moments into opportunities for growth and reflection. The next time you find yourself stuck in an unpleasant situation, try it out. You may be surprised by how much better you feel!

What’s the most unlikely place you’ve ever meditated? Leave a comment below and let me know.