Meditation


Wow! Getting a full night’s rest makes a huge difference! Last night I was able to sleep in a different room from my usual. This room happens to have a door unlike the one where I’ve been sleeping and that door keeps little cats out. I love my kiddos more than anything, but they sure are rowdy during the night.

Yes, 2ishAM to 8AM may not be a full night’s sleep, but before I’d need to sleep longer because I’d wake up with pounding headaches. I knew my interrupted sleep added to the headaches and not feeling 100% when I woke up, but not that it was mostly the whole reason for them. I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to keep this new sleeping pattern, but I hope it’ll be for a while.

I woke up feeling like a different person. After turning on the pot for my daily, first thing in the morning green tea, I attempted to meditate. I’ve been wanting to meditate for quite a long time, especially after reading one of my very favorite books Eat, Pray, Love. I’ve read a vast amount of information about how important and beneficial meditation is and I feel like I’m letting myself miss out on a much better life, a much better me, for not doing it.

I got a free download of “The Power of Meditation” from Pure Citizen and I decided to play that to see if I could take something from it and hopefully, finally, figure out how to meditate. I’m sure there’s no “right way” for everyone to meditate, but I’m pretty sure meditation is in large about quieting your mind. I can’t do this. There’s just too much going on up there all. the. time!

I listened to the first third of the recording (it’s an hour and 15 minutes long) and realized that people have been meditating for years. There should be nothing odd or uncommon about practicing meditation daily or more. I then noticed that even in movies (I was thinking Disney) people are most likely shown meditating and, since it’s not obviously written on their forehead, we don’t realize that that’s what they’re doing. All of this was going through my mind while I was trying to meditate. Case in point.

So! Since I’ve read quite a bit about meditation and still feel no where close to knowing how to do it, I’m taking it upon myself to learn. I’ll read and absorb all the information I can about it and hopefully, sooner rather than later, I’ll be right where I need to be meditation-wise. And, of course, I’ll keep Four Leaf Clover filled in during the process!

If you’ve ever meditated and know how to silence your mind, please do reveal whatever information you can to help me out! I’d greatly appreciate it. If you’ve never meditated, what are your thoughts about meditation? Do you have any questions you’d like answered that I should be looking out for the answers for on my search? Feel free to join me in this process and share your own thoughts and knowledge!

Comments

Deidre
14 June 2011 - 1:08 pm

I do a little bit of meditation in yoga, and I’ve done a few workshops, but I’m never quite as into it as I want to be. Good for you to keep discovering and learning and following something that seems right for you!

Liz Longacre
14 June 2011 - 3:51 pm

Eva, I swear we’re soul sisters 😉 I’ve been thinking endlessly about meditation lately and wanting to try it. I feel like it would do wonders for me. Then I serendipitously got something in the mail this weekend selling these amazing sounding meditation CDs (how to live in the moment, letting go of fears, etc.) but of course it’s super expensive. Not sure where to start! Let me know how it goes for you.

Also, happy blog anniversary 🙂

Brandi {not your average ordinary}
14 June 2011 - 4:09 pm

I haven’t done much with meditation in the past, but I once tried the type where you’re only supposed to concentrate on your breath or heartbeat and have no other thoughts. It’s hard! And honestly, a bit discouraging. But I really do need to start doing more of it, especially in the mornings. Right now, I get up, feed the cats then pull my computer out, but there’s time in there before I get on the internet that I can just sit and meditate for a bit. Thanks so much for the reminder, Eva. Now, I just have to figure out how to incorporate it.

Caroline
14 June 2011 - 4:38 pm

I also have listened to “Hypnosis”/Meditation CDs…. its pretty cool!
Which Disney movie are you thinking of???
Also, I have SUCH a hard time falling asleep these days- my mind is spinning- and I have started a weird little meditation:
Instead of listening to my breath, I start counting my pulse up to 100. It goes fast enough that there is no time in between the beats while you are listening to think of other things- and very calming. I have fallen asleep the past few nights that way!

Misty :)
14 June 2011 - 10:12 pm

Meditating. I have never really thought about doing it before. I have no idea whatsoever how to quiet my mind and let go of all my thoughts. I’ve watched movies where people are meditating and I’ve always wondered how they do it. But I’ve never really tried it before. I think it would help with all the stress in my life though. I think, if I can find enough information (which of course I’m sure I can) I may give it a try!!

Kayla @ Exquisite Banana
15 June 2011 - 2:10 am

I really really want to start yoga and a meditation practice. I find I’m so much more centered and focused when I commit to stillness as often as possible. I’ve also started writing more…the private kind, just for me. It helps.

Eva
15 June 2011 - 4:36 pm

Thank you all so much for giving your input! Honestly, I was worried/thinking this would be one of those long posts of mine that went by the wayside and have been very pleasantly surprised by the responses you’ve given! I’ve already learned a bunch about meditation since I wrote this post, but I’ll wait at least a week before diving back into another huge post about it, ha!

Deidre – That’s a bit how I’ve been. Never quite as into it as I want to be. Hopefully, with something like this, it’ll end up being practice makes perfect. On the other hand, though, you’ve done workshops? Have you tried other techniques/kinds of meditation?

Liz – There’s definitely something in the water (even though we’re an ocean away, ha)! : ) I’ll definitely keep you all updated. The “Power of Meditation” free download came with a long music mp3 as well. It’s called “Music for Energy Healing” and is definitely nice, calming music.

Brandi – That’s what I’ve been trying and it’s either not for me or I have a looong way to go!

Caroline – Gosh, I don’t even know. For some reason I was thinking there was a wise medicine woman in Pocahontas, but now I can’t remember if there was or if it was just the Willow Tree (think she was called Mother Willow).

Misty – I’ve heard so many amazing things about what meditation can do to eliminate stress! Ask me what you need/want to know and I’ll look for it in my search.

Kayla – I could have written your first sentence. I tried a bit of yoga and a bit of meditation yesterday morning.. they just go so well together. Definitely… writing in my journal always makes me feel like a weight, even if miniature, has been lifted.

Misty :)
15 June 2011 - 5:13 pm

Ha! Anything and everything you can find! I wouldn’t even know where to begin when starting to meditate!

Pingback Four Leaf Clover » Meditation: let it go…
21 June 2011 - 8:47 pm

[…] var addthis_config = {"data_track_clickback":true}; It’s time for a bit of an update on how meditation is going! I’ve really been giving it a shot and thinking about it every day. I’ve […]





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