It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a person in pursuit of personal development must be in want of a meditation practice. Meditation is the cure-all for everything. Stressed? Meditate. Tired? Meditate. Anxious? Meditate. But it is much easier said than done especially when the process of meditating can be frustrating, challenging and boring.
App meets ancient practice: I have tried many different kinds of meditation. From 3 mins first thing in the morning to a silent 10 day retreat (yikes). There are some great apps that combine this ancient practice with the convenience and technology of our ever-present phones. I like Headspace with Andy Puddicombe’s dulcet tones and the breadth of teachers and themes available on Insight Timer. My current fave is the poetic Sarah Blondin who recently reminded me to tell myself, “I love you and I’m listening”.
More words of wonder and wisdom from Sarah:” I wish someone had told me when I began to run, divert, distract, over consume, point fingers, over work, fight, create drama, choose everything other than love, that I was running away from my own magnificence. That I was running from it because I didn’t believe it was something I possessed. Because I didn’t believe in my own ability to give myself all I needed.”
Monkey Mind: Even just taking a moment to focus on your breath and slow it down seems to help clear the mind a bit. It is a ‘practice’ so some time dedicated daily come rain, hail or shine is a great addition to one’s routine. You can try a walking meditation or enjoy the brain space that following a white line up and down a pool brings. It’s inevitable that our monkey minds will wander but just continue to gently bring the monkey back when it starts swinging branch to branch. This persisting is part of the whole thang.
“When it comes to meditation, though, the goal and the journey are the same thing.” Andy Puddicombe
Daily Dose: When I have managed to do some form of it daily, I have noticed a subtle difference. A slightly longer gap between an event and my reaction, a sense of time slowing down-ness, a buffer from the strength of raw emotions, a good kind of detachment. Dr. Science backs this up as meditation has been found to reduce stress, improve concentration, encourage a healthy lifestyle and increase self-awareness and happiness.
AM TO PM: I set 2 alarms 15 minutes apart in the morning and do a 10 minute Headspace meditation in the interim. The 2nd alarm is in case I drift back to the land of nod. Before bed I often listen to an Insight Timer track to encourage my drift back to the land of nod. During the day I try to deepen my breathing when I notice it’s shallow or I’m holding it (this happens surprising frequently).
Do you have a meditation practice friendsies?
Love and light and Om Shanti xxx Yvette
For more:
https://insighttimer.com/sarahblondin
https://www.headspace.com/meditation-101/what-is-meditation
Weave the Future Magical 