A Meditating Skeptic
Do you meditate? I have nothing against it, but until recently I never really thought of myself as the meditating type. It just seemed like it would be new-agey and uncomfortably boring. I recently came to the conclusion that I had no clue what I was talking about.
It started when I read an article about how some U.S. Marines are using meditation techniques to improve morale and positively control emotion. They use the term "mindfulness training" instead of "mediation," which to me sounds even more touchy-feely, but whatever. Call it what you want, it turns out that these mind exercises are not only boosting the Marines' moods but also helping make them more mentally tough when they need to be. I was intrigued.
You would think that meditation would be easy. You go somewhere quiet and sit still. You either concentrate on one postive thought or feeling, or allow thoughts to come to you one by one and dimiss them.
Today I set aside 20 minutes for meditation, and to be honest with you, actually doing the meditation was a struggle. I kept wanting to multitask. I thought I was meditating but then Id realize I was also making a mental checklist of what I had left to do today. I wanted to check my email. I kept looking at my clock (which was not allowed) because I was sure the alarm had not gone off at 20 minutes. It felt uncomfortable to leave my head so empty. I guess my thoughts don't usually get much time to themselves. And it was not that I was bored, not at all. The uncomfort was more like when you're doing a stretch and the teacher says "hoooollllld it" and you think you can't hold it one second more but then you do.
By the end of the 20 minutes, I would say that about ten of those minutes were actually spent meditating. When the timer finally went off, though, I did feel refreshed. I was eager to get back to my day and I felt more focused and confident about things that had been frustrating me. I'm know that to achieve the true benefits of meditation, it's going to require that I do some research and a lot more practice, but it was effective enough that I'm going to try again. And for this skeptic, that's saying alot.
-Brigitte
http://www.flickr.com/photos/superfantastic/ / CC BY 2.0
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Comments
Bilal Tuesday, February 23, 2010
I hear, well not literally, ya :) Meditation takes practice. I've done some research on meditation as well & from what I've learned the avg. person has roughly 60,000 thoughts a day. Meditation helps to quiet the mind (negative thoughts) and thus improve mood & health, but like you wrote getting started and keeping at it takes discipline. I've only tried it once, or twice myself. Hopefully, you'll stick with it?! I did purchase a book titled 'A Morning Cup of Meditation' - John A. Bright-Fey. A very simple intro to meditation. It comes with a an instructional CD to help you meditate & it's affordable $13.00/U.S. & 20.00/CAN
P.s. Check out some of the research conducted on Shaolin Monks/meditation; it's really interesting. Best of luck everyone!
romeo Tuesday, February 23, 2010
:)
Joe436 Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Brigitte,
I'd probably fall under the same trap as you did and start thinking about the things I still had to do today. Or worse, the things I did today and didn't finish. So what are you suppose to think about?
Blargal D. Alien Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Hello,Brigitte.
I don't intentionally set out to meditate, but I do have moments at home where I have no urge to be online or multitask. I stare out a window,usually towards the bay,and let my mind wander. It is refreshing and does help calm my mood,if I am feeling stressed. I bet you may notice this,if you can naturally find a moment or two ,to just empty your mind.
Rob Tuesday, February 23, 2010
I have before. It can be pretty calming. But it also makes me pretty tired, up to the point where I just go to bed and sleep lol.
Cheryl in KC Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Meditation is an ongoing practice, its not something to be achieved or conquered, as any meditating person can tell you. It is a training of the mind that can get easier with time but is always useful when adhered to regularly.
Keep going, it gets easier and more enlightening the longer you practice!
Namaste!
Joe Fan Tuesday, February 23, 2010
It's so funny that after years of watching your videos, I hear your voice speaking when I read these posts. I never believed in meditation either but now maybe I'll try it.
Ilikewarmcolors Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Mindfulness is a bit different. The next time you eat a cupcake do this, as slowly as possible.
Observe the cupcake, the frosting, the color, the wrapper, the colors on the wrapper, how the cake sticks to the wrapper, how the frosting is smoothly spread. How the color was made.
Smell the cupcake, what happens when you smell it, does it remind you of something, how does your body react to the smell, how do you think that smell came to be, can you smell the flour separate from the sugar?
Take a bite, chew it slower than you ever thought you could chew. Notice how it touches your tongue and moves around in your mouth. Where do you taste it? What do you taste, can you taste the flour, the sugar, the flavor? How does your body react, your mind, your soul?
Swallow it, feel it going down your throat notice the pleasure you're receiving from this cupcake.
Then do it all over again for every bite. That will be your introduction to Mindfulness.
Tell me how it goes.
And then make a video!
Amy Wednesday, February 24, 2010
I went to a Catholic high school and one year in religion class my teacher was really into meditation. A few times a week we'd have to pick something to meditate on (a phrase, a word, a line of scripture, etc.) and she had all of these techniques to help us relax and focus. I think if the religious aspect hadn't been involved I would have been much more interested - it's good practice to shut down your brain, focus and slow down once in a while.
jackle61 Monday, March 01, 2010
I used to meditate quite a bit,, then life got more and more complicated and I tended to not have the time for meditation. I realized that I need the meditation now, more than ever before. Now I'm back into it and it helps tremendously.
just me for now Friday, March 05, 2010
perhaps it's knowing -by having no motives, no speculations, no apprehensions or rationalization and expectations with effort
is in fact true meditation.
to enter beyond emptiness where nowhere is everywhere and all things are realized to be unreal...