meditation

Part of Moose Man (see previous post) is workshops put on by participants.  they ranged from disco dancing, to shamanism, to bondage, to yoga or DJ basics.  I did a workshop on basic Buddhist meditation.

I thought I'd put up my (rough) notes...

Basics of meditation:
-let go of your thoughts
               -not about *not* thinking, but being mindful and letting go
-no judgment!  gentleness.  re. yourself.
-when a thought comes, think of it as a bubble, touch it with a feather, and pop it.  go back to your anchor-your breath
-if you get lingering feelings regarding that thought(s) -anxiety, anger,fear,frustration, over stimulation, distractedness- rest with that feeling.  don't push it away, don't run. (I used the analogy of meeting a bear...you never run from a bear.  you face it)
-The basics of Buddhas teachings is about about letting of your story line (this  thing happened, so I'm this, that thing happened so I'm that) and about opening, relaxing, leaning into what IS
-we're not in a movie-there is no plot-it doesn't matter if our life is a 'good story'.  what matters is *right now*
-'rest in the uncertainty of the present moment' (Pema Chodron)
-as it is about letting go of your story line, meditation is not about a goal
-meditation shouldn't be about becoming a better person...or about an end.  it's a life long practice
-not about throwing things away, but befriending what you are now.

"Sitting Meditation gives us a way to move closer to our thoughts and emotions and to get in touch with our bodies.  it is a method of cultivating unconditional freindlyness towards ourselves and for parting the curtain of indefference that distances us from the suffering of others.  it is our vehicle for learning to be a truly loving person" -Pema Chodron

I went through the postures of meditation.  here is a video of Pema going though seated meditation.

We talked about breathing with your diaphragm. 

I lead everyone in being aware of your body.  feeling your body with out thinking about it (like Pema goes though in the linked video above)

I guided everyone though a loving-kindness meditation.  (I used the 16th mp3 as a guide)  (I forgot a handful of stuff now that i'm listening again!)

Then we did a silent meditation for 10 minutes.

Plan of attack

I start back to work in a week and 2 days.  This after being off for 6 months.  I have NO idea if I will ever update this blog again! 

I *do* have a plan of attack regarding my week days.  There are several things I want to be doing in the mornings, before I have to be at work at 7:30.
1.  Oil pulling.  That takes 20 minutes
2.  Drinking 3 cups of hot water to help keep my digestive system happy. 
3.  Morning pages.  I haven't started this yet...not sure how long it will take!
4. eat!  and that means *make* breakfast.
5.  yoga/exercise.  My knees and shoulders have been bugging me.  I need to strengthen them.
6.  meditate

Then I have to get dressed and go!
My plan is to make lunch the night before.

When I come home in the evening I used to just shower make dinner and slump.  that needs to change too.

I want to add tidying the living room and kitchen to my evenings so they don't get out of hand.  J had been doing the kitchen when he was off work because of his back, but I took over when he was back at school and I was off.  I might be able to convince him to take the kitchen over again (I hope I hope)  But the point is to keep things tidy so it's not such a pain on the weekends.

My time line:

5:30 am-6:30 am:
Oil pull and drink water.  while I'm doing that I do my morning pages and make breakfast. 
I eat breakfast.
6:30-6:45- meditate
6:45-7:15 - exercise

get dressed and GO.

Work 7:30-5:30(ish)

20 minutes - shower (where you wondering when I was going to bathe?  I shower after work)
One hour- make dinner
20 minutes-30 minutes- Eat.  at the table, no t.v.  (HA!  this is a challenge.  J likes to eat with the tv on.  I want to get into the habit of no tv for when we have kids)
Relax until 8 pm  some days that might be short, some days longer.
8pm-9pm tidy, make lunches, get clothes ready for next day.

Now, I have 2 days I won't be home in the evenings.  Tuesdays is a meditation night, and hooping.  I plan on alternating.  Thursdays is circus conditioning.  Both those nights I won't get home until after my bed time (9:30).  I guess I will make lunch and put out clothes in the 'relax' spot. 

I plan on starting this tomorrow.  (yes!  on a SUNDAY)  Jason get's up at 5:30 right now for clinic duty.  That means I have from 7:30-5:30 all week to get everything done I want to get done that I had *planned* on getting done in the last 6 months.  HA!  I'll take those tasks 25 minutes at a time.