Meditation Monday #1 – Beginning

Meditation is nothing new to me, but I have never been very good at it or kept at it very long. Several months ago, as my untreated anxiety disorder was running rampant, I finally sought some help for it. While life has been much better since then, I still felt like I couldn’t get my mind to calm down. I also wanted to have some time each day for peace and quiet.

I was listening to Mormon Stories Podcast 246-249: A Mormon’s Spiritual Transformation through Meditation and the Hindu Yogic Tradition. Not only did it give some very good advice for those that wish to start meditating, it talks about the spiritual and mental benefits of meditation. Specifically it mentioned its success in helping anxiety disorders. So I had to give it a try.

I decided mantra meditation was the best for me as it gave my mind something to focus on. I chose the mantra, Sa-Ta-Na-Ma, from the Kirtan Kriya of the Kundalini Yogic tradition. At least that’s what they tell me. I really liked the meaning behind it: Birth, Life, Death, Rebirth. Though, I did not choose to do it the traditional fashion. Rather, I used the mantra along with deep diaphragmatic breathing techniques.

I have long known that proper deep breathing can relax the muscles of the torso. It is a technique used by singers and other musicians. So by combining these two things, I was able to find a technique that not only relaxed my body, but focused my mind.

After several sessions, I noticed that just starting the mantra and breathing deeply would put me in a relaxed state almost immediately. My body would align, tension would disappear and my breathing would become deep and relaxed. I now use this anytime that I need to relax and look at situations calmly.

Daily Grind - Exercise

Yesterday we bought a gym membership for our entire family at the County Rec Center. Today I had my first 5:30am workout. It was somewhat Slou's idea for me to workout before work. I have been reluctant to get a membership because I am usually so busy that I can't ever figure out when to work out. I tried doing it at home and even have a bit of equipment. I didn't do too bad last summer. I worked out for 3 weeks. We will see how long I can make this last.

I actually see pretty fast and consistent results when I start to exercise, so motivation is not a factor. It really is about time. I can't exercise between work and students because I don't have time to shower before I teach. By the time I'm done teaching, I am either too tired or it is too late. If I workout too late, I can't sleep. So I have decided to try and go before work.

I hear people say how much more energy they have when they get to work. This morning, it was the strangest feeling. I had energy but at the same time I was tired. I still can't figure that out. Now I just have to work on getting more sleep.