Be Gentle with Yourself

I have learned so many unexpected life lessons from meditation as I have furthered my practice. I am still learning and am by no means an expert but every sitting teaches me something new. The chatter is surprisingly not my biggest obstacle. Of course, there's chatter - still much more than I'd like to admit - but my biggest obstacle is my reaction to the chatter. As soon as I recognize that my mind has strayed, I begin berating myself for once again not being able to completely release. Ironic, no? I am so harsh with myself and it's unfair and unproductive. It was after a group sitting that I did a couple of weeks ago that it came to me. Be gentle with yourself....