Wednesday 3 August 2011

Presently

Good Afternoon!
I am totally loving this yoga challenge!  Today is only day, but I can already feel my flexibility and focus improving in my practice.
As part of my attempt at yogic advancement, I have also been trying to meditate daily.  My goal is 10 minutes of meditation.  Just 10.  And let me tell you…it is HARD.  Most days I have trouble stopping for 30 seconds, let alone 10 whole minutes.  This feeling of constantly being in overdrive makes me feel anxious, and completely disrupts my ability to concentrate.  I’m in need of a deep brain cleanse.

I have always had a hard time getting my mind to slow down (it feels like trying to stop a high speed fan with a toothpick).  So needless to say, forcing myself to sit still, breathe and clear my mind for 10 minutes straight has been no easy task.

I confess.  I haven’t even made it to 10 minutes yet.  My personal best is 5.  But I’m not giving up yet! 
As I lay in savasana yesterday (after a short 20 min vinyassa), I was thinking about how hard it is to focus on the present.  My thoughts were wildly bouncing around (as per usual), but every though I had was either about the past or future.  No respect given to the present moment.
I want to make it a point in my life to truly appreciate the present.  So often I find myself trying to live in the past or future, but this isn’t really living!  Life is in the present moment.  Each moment is what makes up your life.

Mindfulness (or “Sati” in the Pali language spoken by Buddha) is non-judgmental awareness and appreciation of the present moment.  I’m hoping that I will be able to develop this quality as I continue practice.

Mindfulness meditation (or Vipassana Meditation) increases your patience, mental clarity and level of personal insight.  Just what I need!  Also, a study I read several months ago revealed a happy conclusion that consistent mindful meditation actually produces measurable changes in your brain’s grey matter.  The areas of the brain associated with memory, sense of self, empathy and stress were all positively affected.

Today I'm breaking my meditation up into two sessions (hoping this will be more successful).  I did 5 minutes this morning, and I'll do 5 more tonight.  I promise.

Namaste.  

1 comment:

  1. Wow Rach, I sure hope this meditation can help your overdrive feelings. It makes sense though, to think and be in the present moment.
    I need to try this !!!

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