Post: #1

I've been wanting to meditate regularly for a while. Hopefully being here will help calm my monkey-brain and give me a reason not to put it off.

Post: #2

Hi there. Do you prefer to be called Mag or Moo?

I think this challenge and the community will definitely give us all the motivation we need for meditation.

Post: #3

You can call me Kitten!

(10-07-2011 11:37 AM)Matt Wrote:  Hi there. Do you prefer to be called Mag or Moo?

I think this challenge and the community will definitely give us all the motivation we need for meditation.

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Day 1 complete.

It's been a lazy morning so far, but this was important for me to do. I sat in a comfortable chair, promptly got up to do something else, sat back down. Got up to get my Buddhist prayer beads. Sat down.

Then used my prayer beads to bring my focus back to my breath. My mind went everywhere - to contemplating going into work to borrow the office iPad, to an Alanis Morrissette song, to giggling that Mag was walking across my lap to get my attention, to thinking that my coffee was getting cold, to wondering what time I will have to get up in the morning to do this before work.

But each time I paid more attention to that song, rather than my breathing, I dragged my thoughts back to the breath.

I feel calm and relaxed.

Post: #4

Sounds like you have had a really nice first day experience. Well done. So do you have a cat named Moo?

I love that you used your prayer beads to focus. I'm not a religious person, but I do believe that prayer has a big benefit - it's meditation in disguise.

Post: #5

Today was a little harder to settle in to practice. Tried earlier, but am going to try again before bed. I hope everyone had better luck today.

Post: #6

Good luck on your before-bed-meditation. If anything, it will help you have a great night's sleep.

Post: #7

Fell down a little on the meditation yesterday.

Spent some time at it this morning and a little later today am going to try a guided meditation that I found. I hope the talking isn't too distracting.

Post: #8

(10-13-2011 03:19 AM)Mag and Moo Wrote:  Fell down a little on the meditation yesterday.

Spent some time at it this morning and a little later today am going to try a guided meditation that I found. I hope the talking isn't too distracting.

I've personally found guided meditation to be very soothing. Something about focusing on someone else's voice and words, instead of the ones in my head, help me find that calm center.
Good luck!