Last night, I did not want to meditate. It was almost midnight, my mind was busy with pleasant things, and I wanted to read more in Digestive Wellness before bed. Fortunately, my pride got the better of me, and I know just how to bribe myself. I lit some of my favorite candles (the cluster of five were a gift from my sister; the striped one in the front belonged to my best friend, and I inherited it when she moved to New York; the pillar on the right was purchased on a fun day out with a good friend), turned out the lights, sat on a folded blanket, and set the alarm for ten minutes.
It was meditation session #3. On Monday night I set my alarm for 8 minutes, Tuesday for 9, and last night for 10. By the time my 21 days are up, I should be able to meditate for 30 minutes at a stretch. The first night was hard. It's unsettling how difficult it is to just sit and try not to think about anything for even a small stretch of time. Mostly I kept thinking about the fact that I don't know how to meditate. I'd had a brief tutorial in class in college, and have done 5 minute stretches in an occasional yoga class, but had never really sat down to try it on my own. I'm eager for my latest Amazon orders to arrive, particularly Meditation as Medicine (see bookshelf at right). I'm looking forward to sharing what I learn.
The good news is, it's getting easier. Last night didn't feel like 10 minutes. More like 7. And let me tell you - that's huge! Tonight will be a bit of a challenge because I have so much going on, but I don't want to break my streak now. Maybe I'll try meditating on my train ride back from my FareWell Diet meeting? I'll let you know how it goes.
Does anyone else want to try the 21 day meditation challenge?
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3 comments:
I tried meditating years ago. I failed to get any benefit out of it. I think my problem is I've spent so much time cultivating thought in my life, it is now impossible to give it up. Can one meditate *through* thought, as opposed to *away* from it?
I plan on re-assessing my life this weekend (you know my obsessive need to plan, oh, everything) and I want to re-work meditation back into my routine. So, starting Sunday, I will be trying the 21-day challenge. Because I remember how to do it, I'll probably start at 10 minutes for the first week, then 20 minutes, then 30 minutes for the last week. I'll let you know how it goes. (Yes, I know, I was supposed to start last week, but that was far too haphazard a choice - this is conscious and calculated.)
Some time ago I was in the habit of going to the temple once a week - every Sunday morning. I spent 15 minutes to 30 minutes there and most of that was spent just sitting and having a conversation with God. That was meditation for me. It kept me grounded, thankful and conscious.
I have to work this back in.
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