Corpse pose - so relaxing! Photo: lululemon athletica
Let me start by saying I have a newfound respect for people who regularly meditate. It’s hard! With a day packed with work, appointments and other responsibilities, shutting your mind down for a set period of time and just, well, sitting with your thoughts, is the ultimate challenge. Case in point, here’s how my first four days went:
Day #1: I kicked off my 30-day meditation challenge on February 1, which happened to a yoga class day. We ended the class in Savasana, or corpse pose. It’s my favorite, because it involves laying on your mat, completely relaxed and focused on your breathing. It’s essentially a form of meditation and a time for your body to rest after a vigorous muscle workout. My class was at the end of a busy workday, so it was easy for me to slip into a form of meditation. Did my mind wander? Absolutely. But I was also so tired that my brain wasn’t nearly as active as usual. So I actually felt relaxed and refocused after class. Meditation success!
Day #2: It was a chaotic workday, full of last-minute client “emergencies.” Despite every intention to meditate before going to sleep, I was dozing about a minute into my meditation. Hey, I tried!
Day #3: I completely forgot to meditate and went right to bed. It may have been the two very full glasses of wine I enjoyed in the evening. Note to self: consider shifting meditation time to morning.
Day #4: My day started with an early-morning yoga class. Our teacher kicked off the class with something new – a five-minute meditation! Being in a calming atmosphere – and in weekend mode – helped. I was able to relax and let my thoughts drift as my teacher’s soothing voice guided us. She shared an invaluable tip for antsy meditators like myself: when you have a thought – and you will have thoughts – acknowledge them, then let them drift away. Being a visual person, I decided to think of my thoughts as leaves, gently blowing away or floating down a brook. After the five minutes was up, I found myself wishing I had more time – a definite first. I just may get this meditation thing down!
Baking in High Heels 