melki

I'm committing to a daily meditations routine for one month. The plan is to set the time to meditate every day. biminiblue is my inspiration!

I am a complete newbie to meditation and will be learning as I go along. Please feel free to check-in here and/or post your meditation inspirations and experiences. Please share links to meditation topics or resources here too.

I have started with this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sQ0DTF2tAM
Guided Meditation with Eckhart Tolle

Daily meditation 1 - check!

Who's in? xx

LBrain

I don't know, I couldn't cook 3 strict meals a day for 30 days...

melki

I wouldn't be able to with meals or anything strict either. My only requirement will be to set the quiet time for myself and meditate. I really need to learn new ways of coping with stress and to curb my excessive thinking, this could be a good start.

jdooner

.

biminiblue

I'm in melki.

jdooner, of course do whatever you feel comfortable doing. I will use my own methods, I don't want to impose my method on anyone else.


I did one today. I use Zazen or sometimes use visualizing. There are many instruction methods available. I started with 10 minutes. Most times I'm able to stay with it easily for ten minutes and work up to twenty after a couple weeks. I'll try two a day sessions starting next week after I'm back in the swing.

Thanks for starting this thread melki (and for the shout-out.)

jdooner

You guys go get em.

Soberpotamus

Thanks for taking the initiative, Melki This is what I'm going to finish reading: http://www.urbandharma.org/pdf2/Mind...%20Preview.pdf. I started reading it last year. I picked Vipassana (Insight) style meditation because it seemed to make sense within the context of addiction recovery. Not that any meditation wouldn't work just fine. I guess it would, who knows.

I have a meditation cushion set that I'll use. I'll probably start meditating indoors until it gets cooler (October in the south) and will probably move out onto the porch at that point.

Wonder what time of day to start? Do you all stick to a specific time? I'm thinking after I walk the dog, and before I make coffee... around 7:30 or 8am.

biminiblue

I find meditation is much easier in the morning before my mind gets busy. I have found myself much more open and willing in the morning and it is easier to fit it into a routine. So I'll be doing a morning meditation/salutation.

Soberpotamus

Same for me, Bimini.

Aellyce

Hi everyone,

I'm in for this challenge! I've been meditating for ~10 years on and off now (yeah even when I was drinking, sadly it was more zoning out too often) and am a big fan. My problem is also consistency and regularity though, but I've been doing quite OK during the past few months. I like to do a session in the mornings after waking (20-30 mins) and also one in the evenings when I can before sleep.

Jennie, if you like Vipassana and think about doing something more serious later, I really recommend Alan Wallace's methods.
B. Alan Wallace
This is an organization he runs:
Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Studies
I learned to meditate from him several years ago and fell in love immediately with his knowledge and style. What he teaches most often is a sort of "2-layered method" with the basic practice called "Shamatha". This is ~an attention/relaxation practice. He has a great book about it called "Attention Revolution". Then, the more advanced practice (that incorporates Shamanta-type relaxation and focus) is Vipassana. He is also a fabulous guide, I think there are audios somewhere on the sites I linked above.
I'm up for his retreat in November in Santa Barbara, CA...can't wait!

Soberpotamus

I found him online recently, Haennie, and was attracted to his bio and what he's into, actually! Glad you mentioned it. So you will be attending that retreat in November?

Aellyce

Yes if I can. Work might get in the way but I'm hoping I can keep those days clear.

Nuudawn

I downloaded an app on my phone that I have recommitted to working my way through. I did Session 3 yesterday after Bimini's note in my thread. AND I did Session 4 this morning before work. It's a 10 day..10 minutes per day introduction ...and I guess I'm committing to you folks to that!

Thanks for starting the thread Melki

bookmaven

What a great idea! Thanks for starting this thread. I've been slacking in the meditation category. I used to do a body scan meditation until I lost the CD.

Aellyce

I like to vary my practice so that it does not get boring.

Today, I just did a ~30 min session with tunes from these guys:
Brain Sync | The Leader in Brainwave Technology
A simple relaxation/visualization exercise. With this morning routine, what I usually do is I wake up, make a coffee, get on the computer or a book and read something that is not related to what I need to do during the day and does not have overly stimulating effects, while sipping on my coffee. I also like to read something inspirational. This is for about 10-15-20 mins. I used to post on SR also during this time. Then I meditate for 20-30 mins, sometimes with audio, other times without.

Bookmaven, this is a "body scan" type session from Alan Wallace, whom I cited above. He speaks a bit to the audience in the beginning before the session starts:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuYrGkkU75o

Have a great day, everyone!

melki

You have no idea how hard it is for me to set the time to do "nothing". My mind races, there's always so much to do. I make lists to manage that. When I sat down to meditate today, I counted the breaths and was somewhat able focus on the breathing. It's still hard not to engage with the thoughts that pop in.

Thank you so much for the links! I started with zazen now and will give different techniques a try. Hope to find something that works and sticks for me. Guided meditation seemed a bit distracting since as soon as I felt myself getting in the zone, the voice would pull me out and it all just felt like dissonance.

It's beyond me how you do it in the mornings without worrying "what if I lose track of time". Sorry for the stupid question but how do you time them? When you say you started with 10 minute sessions, how do you stick to 10 minutes? Maybe I'll be less anxious about trying it in the morning if I know there's a time frame on it.

melki

What app is it?

Inchworm

Great idea, melki. I will start today. I have had a meditation practice that I've let falter a bit in the last two weeks and this is a fantastic way to get back into it.

biminiblue

melki, I set a timer on my iPhone. Otherwise I start wondering how long it's been and that kind of defeats the purpose. It's kind of a jarring thing to have it go off, though. In time it becomes easier to judge, in my experience.

I also have some tapes that are 20 minutes which are subliminal tapes (so they say, .) What I hear is the sound of waves crashing and seagulls and they aren't repetitive like white noise machines - so I use those for visualization meditation.

Nuudawn

It's called Headspace : )

I'm halfway through. Just completed Session 5 moments ago.