Meditation

Well a co-worker had a good idea to invite a friend of her's to teach meditation every other week. Yesterday was the first day I was able to participate and it was a good experience. I actually took some time to look up how one defines meditation and its actually hard to define lol I guess I can best describe it as getting centered and blocking out other worldly distractions.

I have been reading a lot about mediation and in the book The Power of Positive Thinking the writer tells us how important it is to take a few minutes to meditate in the morning to help enhance your day. To be honest when I wake up, I jump up and my mind starts racing before I am fully awake lol so this a challenge for me to just sit back and take a breath! I do try to say a quick prayer while getting ready but to actually wake up and meditate I haven't been able to. This noon time practice might be for me though. Apparently last week I missed a good one on mindful eating I may ask her to send me that one.  

She mentioned Spirit Rock and Sylvia Boorstein and she is well known for being one of the people who brought mediation to the West. She is actually a Jewish Buddhist! Interesting stuff. I did find myself nodding off and literally I would have to snap my neck back up to catch myself lol she gave us three words to focus on while breathing in and out. The "trick" is to breath in a certain number through your nose (say count to 4 on the inhale) then breath out also through the nose but double the number (so exhale to the count of 8) 

Another options was to focus on certian words and another was something with holding your thumb I can't recall. Anyway the word I used was Dayaa I liked the way it sounded its Sanskrit and she added the Sylvia comment which was "Life is easy..." I did a combo and switched it up but here are the words:   
Gratia-Grace
Chesed-Loving Kindness
Dayaa-Grace/Compassion

Here is the interview http://being.publicradio.org/programs/2011/what-we-nurture/

I felt more relaxed and my body felt less tense and that alone was worth it! I think it will be helpful on the mental and physical health aspects of the journey and help me reframe and refocus my goals. I made me miss Hot Yoga and I think I need to get that back in the rotation since my schedule will be a lil more free after all the grades are in!!

I was looking through some pictures and man 25 (*cough* 35) pounds makes a big damn difference! The picture on the left was from this year March 2011 and right March 2010 --last year same event! WTH?! I got to re-frame and refocus! 9 pounds is good but I need to go deep and keep my goal in the forefront of my mind. I am 21 pounds away from where I was on the right and I want that back! The next goals I'll worry about later. Game on! :-)

That's all for now! :-)