Post: #1

Why you want to cultivate meditation
I am looking for all the benefits in all areas of my life: home, work, health, relationships, spirituality. I know this is possible from the studying I've done, I just need to make it a practice. I also want to teach my health counseling clients of the benefits as well, and would like someday to be able to guide them to a new habit of their own.

Time of your daily meditation
Early morning upon arising and right before bed at night. Right before Qi Gong.

Duration
Start with 5-10 minutes and work up from there.

Type of meditation you are going to do
I will need to look into this a bit more as there are many different types out there.

What I wish to get out of my 21-day meditation journey
A daily practice so that I can cross this 2011 goal off my list Also I want the health benefits, the focus and the feeling of being "centered" and "grounded". I also want to be able to share this experience with others from an experiential standpoint.

Post: #2

I really like all your reasons, but the first one particularly. I'm also addicted to crossing stuff off lists. Enjoy!

Post: #3

(10-07-2011 06:43 AM)Luis_magalhaes Wrote:  I really like all your reasons, but the first one particularly. I'm also addicted to crossing stuff off lists. Enjoy!

Yes, I have some fairly lengthy lists and I'm really hoping that meditation will help me focus and be able to cross more things off of them, rather than being overwhelmed by them! Good luck to you as well!

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Did I meditate today?
Yes!

Time of meditation & duration
First meditation: 4:30pm; 25 minutes once all the prep was out of the way.

Type of meditation I did
Guided meditation: The Silva Centering Exercise.

Impressions
I just finished my first real guided meditation. I am in the middle of moving so the room where I want to meditate is filled with boxes and stuff so definitely not optimal, yet. I had a hard time getting comfortable and finally settled with sitting on a pillow, back against the wall with legs extended. It's Autumn here in Northern Nevada and kind of chilly so I was a little cold so I wrapped my lower body in a light fleece blanket and now, my feet are not cold, which is a little strange, in a good way. The dogs were interested in what I was doing on the floor so a little adjusting there, but they fell asleep soon enough, I think they liked Laura Silva's voice and the steady beat in the background.

I find that I liked the guided meditation because it kept my thoughts from going every which way. I'm glad she changed up her narrative a little because I started to anticipate what she would say. I will probably try this guided meditation again tonight and for the next few days to get the most benefit from it.

Post: #4

Guided meditation is definitely a great way to start and get used to it. Way to go.

Post: #5

Did I meditate today?
Yes and Yes!

Time of meditation & duration
1. 4:30pm; 25 minutes once all the prep was out of the way.
2. 9:45pm; 25 minutes

Type of meditation I did
1. Guided meditation: The Silva Centering Exercise.
2. Guided meditation: The Silva Centering Exercise.

Impressions
2nd meditation: tried the Silva Centering Exercise again. And again, started out in this chilly room sitting on the floor but now I'm warm. Really weird because it takes a long time for me to get warm! I had a lot of fleeting thoughts this time, perhaps because the narration was not brand new.

A cool part of this exercise is that she wants you to visualize a place that you can go to that is your perfect idea of relaxation, whether on the beach, out fishing, or walking through the woods -- or anything that makes you tick. That part I need to refine.

I looked through Meditation Oasis tonight as well and am looking forward to downloading some of those to my iPhone. I am having fun with this.

Post: #6

Plan
Meditate twice for a total of at least 30 minutes today.

Did I meditate today?
Yes, once so far.

Time of meditation & duration
1. 3:45pm; 15 minutes
2. TBD; TBD

Type of meditation I did
1. LifeFlow 14-minute demo
2. TBD

Impressions
In general: You know, it may be a coincidence but after nearly 60 minutes of guided meditation yesterday, first ever, I was so productive today. I am in the middle of a move and just got back from a week-long business trip (yuck!). Yesterday was such a veg-out day but today, I got my weekly plan, weekly meal plan, grocery shopping, outdoor work, and planned unpacking done. Super productive. I hope it just keeps going this way!

1st meditation: just now, 14 minutes. My Life Flow experience much different than Silva. Not guided, only music with a water backdrop. Very pleasant, but no instruction. According to the website, the music is precisely engineered to layer the exact frequencies to entrain your brain to move toward the next level, alpha or even theta if you're that advanced.

2nd meditation: TBD

Post: #7

(10-10-2011 08:18 AM)livewellplayhard Wrote:  Plan
Meditate twice for a total of at least 30 minutes today.

Did I meditate today?
Yes, twice.

Time of meditation & duration
1. 3:45pm; 15 minutes
2. 9:00; 25 minutes

Type of meditation I did
1. LifeFlow 14-minute demo
2. Silva Centering Exercise

Impressions
In general: You know, it may be a coincidence but after nearly 60 minutes of guided meditation yesterday, first ever, I was so productive today. I am in the middle of a move and just got back from a week-long business trip (yuck!). Yesterday was such a veg-out day but today, I got my weekly plan, weekly meal plan, grocery shopping, outdoor work, and planned unpacking done. Super productive. I hope it just keeps going this way!

1st meditation: just now, 14 minutes. My Life Flow experience much different than Silva. Not guided, only music with a water backdrop. Very pleasant, but no instruction. According to the website, the music is precisely engineered to layer the exact frequencies to entrain your brain to move toward the next level, alpha or even theta if you're that advanced.

2nd meditation: tried Silva again since I had such focus today. We'll see if it is beneficial tomorrow. Was kind of difficult staying focused though; ate a late dinner so kind of full. Having seasonal allergy issues as well, so that was not fun. Plus my dog came in and laid down next to me but that didn't seem to bother me.

Post: #8

Congratulations on your third day.

And also on your productive day. I don't think it's really important if it's the result of the meditation or not, just go with it, a great day is a great day.

I believe that you are advised to focus on a mantra during Lifeflow to help you focus. I say this because this is the case with "Discover Meditation" and Lifeflow is the direct step above that.

Also, meditating with a full stomach tents to not be very productive for me. It's got probably something to do with digestion interfering with the brain patterns - same reason why it's hard to get a relaxed sleep right have a huge meal. Consider a light meal next time.

Post: #9

Plan
Meditate twice for a total of at least 30 minutes today.

Did I meditate today?
Yes, only once.

Time of meditation & duration
1. 9:00pm; 10 minutes

Type of meditation I did
1. Meditation Oasis

Impressions
I didn't get to meditate in the morning, overslept. I get up pretty early anyway so I need to figure out the best way to squeeze this into my day. I also would like to schedule my night meditation earlier because I tend to either a. fall asleep or b. stay up too late.

For my night meditation, I decided to check out some of the Meditation Oasis guided meditations. I selected "Simply Being" and it was really nice. I sat in bed with the lights out and noticed that it was very quiet on my iPhone even with the volume all the way up. So I guess if I use this on my iPhone I'll need to use headphones. It was Mary Maddox' voice over rain and so soothing that I fell asleep. After only 10 minutes! My thoughts did not wander, so that was good.

But then I had to wake up, find my phone, do a quick post here, and my qigong so that experience wasn't great! I wasn't able to get right back to sleep, it probably took about 20 minutes or so. But I am pleased that I did one more meditation for the day.

Post: #10

What's important is that you did it! Maybe it could have gone smoother but it's a learning experience.

Headphones are usually important to gain the full benefit of meditation music / soundtracks. I don't know the exact science, but it's got something to do with how you perceive sound-waves. You should try to wear them!

So was your day equally productive, maybe even more?

Keep it up!

Post: #11

Aarrgghhh! Well I haven't dropped off the face of the earth. Long story short, at Day 5, I had a massive fall allergy attack from the rabbitbrush dust from the last house, which was in the boxes that I was unpacking. That knocked me completely out of service for a full day. Anyway, from that point, I was consumed with moving into the house and playing catchup, esp. in school which I've fallen behind in due to the move. Once I got one day behind in meditation, I struggled each passing day and wondered if I could even finish the Challenge.

I did continue my qigong morning and night, and while this should count as meditation because I need to be completely aware and mindful, I hadn't been counting it to this point.

I did unpack my meditation room and am getting that setup to be more conducive. I like Celes' room ideas and am looking forward to having that sanctuary space over time. Anxious to get some nice lighting and candles in there.

So going forward, I will pick up from this point, which I guess is:

Day 10 Oct 16
Time(s) and Duration: Evening, 28 min.
Type(s) of Meditation: LifeFlow 14-min, twice, one right after the other. Plus two 15-min qigong sessions but I will keep that separate while I learn this meditation.
Impressions:
- I'm using my Macbook now to play the guided meditation instead of my HP laptop. Much quieter, much more efficient.
- The dogs joined me tonight, and there was some settling in needed, hence the need to do the 14 min. meditation twice. They seemed to enjoy the LifeFlow track.
- I didn't have a lot of mind wandering, but I do wonder how LifeFlow works - they say they're better than Holysync, which I was considering investing in. So I was wondering about that a little during the session.
- I didn't use headphones, LifeFlow says you do not need to use them whereas with Holosync, I guess you do.
- I am hopeful that I will continue the challenge. Tomorrow starts the work week. I know I need to schedule this or it probably won't get done.

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(10-12-2011 01:19 AM)Luis_magalhaes Wrote:  What's important is that you did it! Maybe it could have gone smoother but it's a learning experience.

Headphones are usually important to gain the full benefit of meditation music / soundtracks. I don't know the exact science, but it's got something to do with how you perceive sound-waves. You should try to wear them!

So was your day equally productive, maybe even more?

Keep it up!

Hi Luis, thanks for your post and encouragement. I am struggling with adding this to my already full plate, but I am going to make every attempt to make it part of my daily routine.

Post: #12

I really enjoy the fact that you make your animal companions part of your meditation. For me, few things put me more at ease and feeling tranquil that spending time with a dog or cat. Wouldn't you say?

As for Lifeflow, from what I understand it offers slightly different benefits whether you wear headphones or not, so they recommend you try it both ways.

So how was your day? Did you feel a positive effect? If you are a very busy person, regular meditation will help your brain make quicker and more effective decisions - trust me, I know.

Post: #13

(10-17-2011 03:35 PM)Luis_magalhaes Wrote:  I really enjoy the fact that you make your animal companions part of your meditation. For me, few things put me more at ease and feeling tranquil that spending time with a dog or cat. Wouldn't you say?

LOL, they weren't really invited, but they were checking up on me and behaved themselves so they were ok. But I agree, I am completely at ease when I am around my boys.

(10-17-2011 03:35 PM)Luis_magalhaes Wrote:  As for Lifeflow, from what I understand it offers slightly different benefits whether you wear headphones or not, so they recommend you try it both ways.

So how was your day? Did you feel a positive effect? If you are a very busy person, regular meditation will help your brain make quicker and more effective decisions - trust me, I know.

I am hoping you are right. So far I am not sure if I have experienced any changes really. I felt very productive after trying the Silva method demo, but not sure if that was a coincidence. I guess I need to do this without fail for at least a week or longer to evaluate. I did take your advice and used headphones this time with the same 14-min LifeFlow. The water in the background was excellent and helped me visualize a couple of really nice places I've been. :-)

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Day 10 Oct 17
Time(s) and Duration: Evening, 14 min.
Type(s) of Meditation: LifeFlow 14-min. Plus two 15-min qigong sessions morning and evening.
Impressions:
- Tried headphones on Luis' advice. It was a nice experience and what I got out of that was it was easier to focus and visualize on the water in the background. Which can only be good!
- I am not sure if I have noticed any change, because my practice has been sporadic at best. I am just happy to have done it two days in a row now!
- I worked on my strategic plan for my business tonight and made some good progress. My "single daily action" for tomorrow will be to schedule several things into my planner, and meditation will be one of them. I'll schedule where I'm sure I can make it happen.

Post: #14

(10-18-2011 01:54 PM)livewellplayhard Wrote:  I am hoping you are right. So far I am not sure if I have experienced any changes really. I felt very productive after trying the Silva method demo, but not sure if that was a coincidence. I guess I need to do this without fail for at least a week or longer to evaluate. I did take your advice and used headphones this time with the same 14-min LifeFlow. The water in the background was excellent and helped me visualize a couple of really nice places I've been. :-)

Well, everyone responds differently, of course, but I'd think that you'd need about a week to experience consistent benefits.

So, would you care to describe what you visualized? It's good to share beautiful things.

Post: #15

(10-18-2011 02:02 PM)Luis_magalhaes Wrote:  

(10-18-2011 01:54 PM)livewellplayhard Wrote:  I am hoping you are right. So far I am not sure if I have experienced any changes really. I felt very productive after trying the Silva method demo, but not sure if that was a coincidence. I guess I need to do this without fail for at least a week or longer to evaluate. I did take your advice and used headphones this time with the same 14-min LifeFlow. The water in the background was excellent and helped me visualize a couple of really nice places I've been. :-)

Well, everyone responds differently, of course, but I'd think that you'd need about a week to experience consistent benefits.

So, would you care to describe what you visualized? It's good to share beautiful things.

There is a place where I took my dogs many times that is in a wilderness area near Reno, Nevada. It is near a running stream and was very secluded and off the trail. In fact, I found this place and many times I would watch hikers walk by perhaps 100' away because they did not know that they could access this spot from the trail. The dogs would like to get in the creek and drink because it is always hot here in the summer. They would not stay in for long because it was snow melt. I would sit there and think how nice it would be to know how to meditate because it seemed like the perfect place for that!

I am also planning a trip to Oregon in a couple of weeks and there is a lot of water there so I am hoping that I can find some nice spots and maybe take some photos or even videos of the place so that I can develop in my mind that perfect restful place that Laura Silva talks about in her guided meditation. :-)

Post: #16

(10-18-2011 02:17 PM)livewellplayhard Wrote:  There is a place where I took my dogs many times that is in a wilderness area near Reno, Nevada. It is near a running stream and was very secluded and off the trail. In fact, I found this place and many times I would watch hikers walk by perhaps 100' away because they did not know that they could access this spot from the trail. The dogs would like to get in the creek and drink because it is always hot here in the summer. They would not stay in for long because it was snow melt. I would sit there and think how nice it would be to know how to meditate because it seemed like the perfect place for that!

I am also planning a trip to Oregon in a couple of weeks and there is a lot of water there so I am hoping that I can find some nice spots and maybe take some photos or even videos of the place so that I can develop in my mind that perfect restful place that Laura Silva talks about in her guided meditation. :-)

So nice, it sounds like you know some lovely spots! Thanks for sharing.

I'm sure you would have excellent meditation experiences there. I always feel like I have my deepest and most rewarding meditation sessions when I'm surrounded by nature.

I hope you have a great day and a productive meditation exercise.

Post: #17

(10-19-2011 04:10 AM)Luis_magalhaes Wrote:  

(10-18-2011 02:17 PM)livewellplayhard Wrote:  There is a place where I took my dogs many times that is in a wilderness area near Reno, Nevada. It is near a running stream and was very secluded and off the trail. In fact, I found this place and many times I would watch hikers walk by perhaps 100' away because they did not know that they could access this spot from the trail. The dogs would like to get in the creek and drink because it is always hot here in the summer. They would not stay in for long because it was snow melt. I would sit there and think how nice it would be to know how to meditate because it seemed like the perfect place for that!

I am also planning a trip to Oregon in a couple of weeks and there is a lot of water there so I am hoping that I can find some nice spots and maybe take some photos or even videos of the place so that I can develop in my mind that perfect restful place that Laura Silva talks about in her guided meditation. :-)

So nice, it sounds like you know some lovely spots! Thanks for sharing.

I'm sure you would have excellent meditation experiences there. I always feel like I have my deepest and most rewarding meditation sessions when I'm surrounded by nature.

I hope you have a great day and a productive meditation exercise.

Thanks, Luis. I hope the same for you! I had a productive day, and a nice meditation today. I am moving this back to the morning and I hope I will be successful with that.

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Day 11 Oct 18
Time(s) and Duration: Evening, 14 min.
Type(s) of Meditation: LifeFlow 14-min. Plus two 15-min qigong sessions morning and evening.
Impressions:
- Still on track. I find that the LifeFlow is peaceful and the duration is right. I find if I meditate for longer than say 14 or 15 minutes, it is impacting the rest of my day. For now.
- I have had some pretty intense dreams the last two mornings. These are both after meditating to LifeFlow right before bed/qigong. And both after waking to my radio. I don't usually dream where I can remember it so this is very different.
- I have been productive today and have scheduled meditation into my day, along with some other things. My day is packed, starting at about 3am. Ouch.
- I also experienced insomnia from about 2:10 this morning for about an hour. I think this is because I left some windows open and the house was pretty cold. I haven't had this happen for many months since I started doing qigong. I wonder if doing the LifeFlow right before bed had something to do with that.
- That said, I have moved meditation to about 1.5 hours after awakening, after feeding/walking dogs, exercise/yoga, and right before focused business action. At about 4:30...we shall see.

Post: #18

You do seem to have a very busy schedule, good job on fitting meditation in the middle of that.

I don't think meditation will cause you insomnia, it usually is quite the opposite, after meditating your nervous system is predisposed to go into a deep sleep faster.

So what about those dreams, are they lucid dreams? Do you find you can influence them even a little bit?

Post: #19

(10-19-2011 03:09 PM)Luis_magalhaes Wrote:  You do seem to have a very busy schedule, good job on fitting meditation in the middle of that.

I don't think meditation will cause you insomnia, it usually is quite the opposite, after meditating your nervous system is predisposed to go into a deep sleep faster.

So what about those dreams, are they lucid dreams? Do you find you can influence them even a little bit?

Wow, interesting, can we influence our dreams?

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Day 12 Oct 19: Did not meditate.
Day 13 Oct 20:
Time(s) and Duration: This morning, 14 min.
Type(s) of Meditation: LifeFlow 14-min. Plus two 15-min qigong sessions morning (and this evening).
Impressions:
- Made the switch to meditating in the morning now.
- Discussed meditation this morning with my health coach. She's been meditating now for over two decades. Very big advocate. She recommended BrainSync guided meditations, so another one for me to try.
- Downloaded several more LifeFlow meditations, including some guided meditations.

Post: #20

(10-21-2011 08:22 AM)livewellplayhard Wrote:  Wow, interesting, can we influence our dreams?

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You can, when you manage top dream in that small window between sleep and consciousness, you can have what is called "a lucid dream", where you can influence your actions. You don't have complete control of your body as if it was a video game, but you can will yourself toward the actions you want to do.

Congratulations on sticking to your meditation, is morning better for you?