Unfortunately for me the practices that we
learned in this course such as Loving Kindness, Subtle mind, and the
Visualization exercises did not work for me.
I found each time that I would sit down to listen to these exercises
that my mind was not able to relax. I
was not able to clear my mind enough to relax and receive a benefit from the
exercises. I personally do not care for
these exercises because I do not like too much talking and direction in my
meditation practices.
I do however found that ‘straight’ meditation
has provided me a benefit that I have incorporated in my daily life. I take the morning to clear my mind and take
deep breaths while I gently stretch on the edge of my bed before I start my
day. I find that starting my day off in
this fashion allows me to stay focused for the morning and walk with a
purpose. I feel blessed to enjoy my
mornings and share another day on Earth.
I have also incorporated small little meditation sessions throughout my
day to keep me grounded. I will take
advantage of small opportunities of time when I can close my eyes and take a
few deep breaths to clear my mind. For
example: When I ride the elevator at
work alone, I take that time to close my eyes and take deep breaths. Also, when I walk outside I try to engulf the
beauty of the tree and sky while taking in a deep breath. It is the little things like this that keep
me going throughout the day. I find that
my focus is more positive.
I do however want to take my mediation
practices further. I am currently
looking into taking yoga classes again.
I am very interested in taking a hot yoga class. Yoga was very enjoyable for me both
physically and mentally when I practiced several years ago. Yoga allowed me to focus on myself while
helping clear my mind. Yoga is a
practice that I could absolutely incorporate in my life.
Jessica,
ReplyDeleteIt is great that you have identified what does not work for you and why. This will help you focus your time in the areas that do work for you. I am the opposite in that my mind wanders if I do not have talking or guidance during my exercises to keep me on track. Meditation is a great way to relax and to stay centered. I have never tried yoga but have thought about it. I am all for the physical and mental benefit from one exercise. Focusing on you is important. Since the practices and the visualization did not work for you, I am curious about your thoughts on the Integral assessment. Since this is a process to help you determine where you need to focus your efforts and does not require you to listen to a voice instructing you, I wondered if you found it helpful or not. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
Jessica
ReplyDeleteI definitely think people can have their own ways to meditate. I do alot while I am running. I may have some Christian music on in the background but not even really be paying attention to it and I just zone out to the scenery around me or the sound of my breathe and feet hitting the pavement. Now I don't know know if it is good to zone like that while running but it has worked for me. lol I find I don't think about the pain in my legs or how tired I am getting. I just look ahead and push through and I feel awesome for the rest of the day. Much more energy then usual and ready to accomplish what I can .
Hello Jessica
ReplyDeleteI also included meditation as one of the exercise that has benefited me the most. I think meditation is something lot of people should look into because for me this is one of the best thing I can do to help my inner health. I do my meditation at night once Im done with everything I go to the beach for 30 min. I think deep breathing helps me more calm at the same time I feel Im more mentally aware. I'm also thinking about doing couple yoga classes a 3 times a week. There are lot of yoga classes available here so Im really thinking about visiting couple places. Great blog
Jason
Hi Jessica
ReplyDeleteI can not believe how far we come this class has certainly been a interesting journey. I think meditation is something I want to incorparate into my daily routine. I think in order to do that I must remain focus, and remember that this will only help me in the long run. This class has introduced me to so many things that I would'nt personally look into at my own free well. I think that it is great that your taking yoga classes thats awesome, you give someone like me ambition to move forward to actually taking meditation to the next level.