And here's to another 21 days...

A friend shared with me that she is doing a 21 Day Meditation Challenge and she invited me to do it with her. Being a person that is partial to meditation challenges, I accepted. Knowing full well that I didn't need a challenge because I was already a mediator and I knew more than "these people"did.

Oy...maybe it's time for a meditation challenge, after all. I love when things work out the way they do to remind me how to be humble and teachable.

Today is day three of the challenge I am doing and it was new and quite lovely. I am looking forward to the next two and a half weeks to see what I can bring to the experience and what I can learn from it.

Namasté

Another 30 Days Later...

Well, it has been a month since the end of the 30 Day Meditation Challenge and I wanted to report in.

I missed about 4 days but didn't let that derail me entirely. I also noticed that my mind wanders a bit more than it was during the first month. My instincts tell me it's time to up my time and so tomorrow I will change my timer from 10 minutes to 15 and see what happens.

I have meditation cushion now - I got this one online from Amazon for $28 - and I find it to be a great help with my sitting posture. I also moved my meditation place from sitting right up in bed to moving into my office. I think this has a little to do with why it has been harder for me to do it in the morning because I have to actually get out of bed now. Still, the intention is there and I am grateful for it.

All in all, meditation is no less a part of my life and I am experiencing no less of the magic and so I will keep with it.

How has your meditation practice changed in the last month? Care to share with me?

Namaste

30 Day Meditation Challenge - Day 30

Well, I did it. I have mediated for 10 minutes every day for the last 30 days. I feel great - calm, peaceful, more loving, energized, and capable.

I have been able to see where I am impatient and where I want to it corners. I have also seen where I am honest and when I am accountable.

All-in-all, it has been a great 30 days and I look forward to the next round.

Namasté

30 Day Meditation Challenge - Day 29

Day 29. Today I went through my regular meditation routine: Alarm. Sit-up. Wrap up in a blanket. Sit. Listen for second alarm. Get up and do my thing for the day.

It has really started to feel natural now. That's the thing that is exciting to me. That's the thing that gives me courage to believe I can keep doing this. That's the thing that brings me peace because when things feel tough I know that all I have to do is sit. All I have to do is sit and things will be better.

That's how meditating is changing my life.

Namasté

30 Day Meditation Challenge - Day 28

Today someone asked me how meditation has changed my life. The answer was quite profound when I said it out loud.

It has made me calmer. It has kept me steady. I have more energy. I am getting to work earlier and bring more productive when I am there. Traffic doesn't bother me like it used to. And here's the big one: with the people I don't like particularly much I am able to make the decision to love them.

That's pretty wild stuff. Not so bad for a 10 minute per day investment.

Namasté

30 Day Meditation Challenge - Day 27

Well, I didn't meditate lying down today; I actually sat up and did the deal. One thing I notice as the 30 days draws to a close is that I am much more forgiving when I catch myself thinking.

It's bound to happen, you know. I just do it. I'm sitting there all blissed out and all of a sudden I realize that I have been thinking about work for the last who knows how long. The difference now is that I just go with it. Ok, I'm doing that. Back to bliss now...

And it works during the day, also. When I am at work and I catch myself thinking about not work, I just say ok, I'm doing that. Back to business now...

It's neat not to beat myself up over stuff I don't really control.

Namasté

30 Day Meditation Challenge - Day 26

This morning I kind of cheated. That's not entirely true but hear me out...

I did my 10 minute meditation supine (yes, as in lying down) this morning. To my credit, I stayed awake and present the whole time but chanting my favorite mantra (see the footnote if you'd like to know what it is) but I was still lying down...with my eyes closed...at 5am...in the dark. That's kind of close to sleeping and sort of cheating on my part. And I only say that because it is this place in setting a routine where I have historically fallen off the beam. I've been doing this for 25 days - I got this thing... I'll make it up tonight... Skipping one day won't hurt... Oh, but it does hurt because it sets the precedent to stop and that precedent is known to spread like wildfire. For me, anyway...

On the other hand, today was soooo not cheating because it is Monday and I have my meditation group and so I do another sit for 15 minutes and I was fully upright for this one - in ardha padmanasana (half lotus pose) if anyone is curious about what pose I use when I sit. That meditation was quite lovely. From a physical standpoint, my body is used to sitting for 10 minutes now and my foot starts to tingle at about 12 minutes instead of 5 like it used to which affords me more time to remove thought from my body and actually be in the meditation. From a mental standpoint, when I noticed myself "thinking" I was able to let those thoughts move along and become still again and remain connected to that divine universal consciousness.

In summary, if I'm doing it, it's meditation and the only "wrong" way to meditate is to not do it. That being said, I really should sit upright for my meditation...otherwise it gets a little too close to nap time...

Namasté

P. S. My favorite mantra:

Aad Guray Nameh,
Jugaad Guray Nameh,
Sat Guray Nameh,
Siri Guru dayvay Nameh

Translation:
I bow to (or call on) the primal wisdom.
I bow to (or call on) the wisdom through the ages.
I bow to (or call on) the true wisdom.
I bow to (or call on) the great transparent wisdom within.