Taming the Monkey Mind: Day 13

Posted on by stilllearning2b

Funny sleeping monkey

Today was a day I was very thankful to have meditation in my toolkit.  I had to go to mediation today to clear up one of my ex’s messes.  Now, to help you understand how stressed this makes me, I’ll tell you a couple embarrassing facts about myself.  First, I suffer from anxiety when I owe an overdue fine to the library.  No, I’m not exaggerating.  I wish I was.  I’ll be stressed and fixated until I can settle my $.20 fine and return the materials.  Another example?  I recently purchased a prepaid toll sticker for a local highway.  Every time I drive through, I am nervous until I see the green light flash, even though I know there are sufficient funds in the account.  I’m not sure where this pathological anxiety about money comes from, but it is there.  You pair that with my ex-husband’s secret out of control spending and hidden accounts, and you have a disaster waiting to happen.

I started today with a hard 11 mile run (my personal Xanax).  I ended up with my fastest pace ever for distance (7:01 average pace).  I figured I would tire that monkey out before trying to subdue it.  The meditation following the run went well.  I have discovered the Deep Energy podcasts and found that the music works really well for me for meditation.  I think it is going to be my go-to from now on.

I worked to maintain my mindful and calm state as I drove to the office where the mediation was to occur.  NPR was apparently aware of my intent, as they played Beethoven’s 5th Symphony for me as I sped down the highway (at least, I assume they had me in mind when they made the selection). It followed, almost to a turn, the path to a great little restaurant I went to over the summer to enjoy my first-ever gluten free pancakes that I did not have to make (oh, they were heavenly!).  I even took the same wrong turn today.  I began to actually enjoy the ride as I remembered that summer day.  I then drove through a neighborhood where I ran a Chili Festival 5K with a friend of mine a couple of years ago.  More smiles and good memories.

I entered the mediation relatively calm, the monkeys only chattering slightly in the background.  The entire process went well and went quickly.  More proof that most of my fears are due to anticipation rather than reality.

NPR cooperated again, playing light and lively Mozart on my way home.

I am glad that I have been training the monkeys; they did me proud today.  Now, I think I’ll visit the library’s website and renew my materials.  Just in case, you understand.

 

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Chocolate and Willpower

Posted on by stilllearning2b

According to a new study, those who eat chocolate tend to have a lower BMI.  My guess is that it all comes down to willpower.  You see, we only have so much of it.  If you use it all in one area, it tends to be lacking in another.  For example, people that exercise the most also tend to drink more; their willpower was used up going to the gym and they have a more difficult time resisting that glass of wine.  So, it follows that those who give in to a bit of chocolate may have more willpower left over for other areas.

Apparently my willpower was spent at the gym, as I am writing this while enjoying some dark chocolate and a glass of red wine.

This image was selected as a picture of the we...
This image was selected as a picture of the week on the Czech Wikipedia for th week, 2007. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
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Taming the Monkey Mind: Days 8 & 9

Posted on by stilllearning2b

Don’t worry, the monkeys didn’t get me.  Not that they didn’t try…

Thursday was one of those days.  If I hadn’t made a public commitment to meditate for 28 consecutive days, I am afraid that Thursday would have marked the end of my streak.

I have pretty much established the routine of meditating for around 20 minutes in the morning before work.  Thursday’s schedule was off because my boyfriend was out of town, which leaves me with morning dog care.  I elected to not get up earlier (5:00 am is early enough on the day I teach two extra classes) and to meditate after work.  When I came home that afternoon to find my boyfriend’s car unexpectedly in the garage, my first thought was, “Yeah, he’s home,” followed by, “I need to make sure I don’t neglect meditation tonight.”  He and I do not get much evening time together between his martial arts and work schedules and my inflexible teaching hours.  That time we do have is precious, and I want to take advantage of it.

So, here’s how Thursday night went down.  After a warm greeting, small snack, and quick chat, I went to change into workout clothes.  I had already decided to run 3 miles that day along with 10 100-yard sprints, so I headed to the park to make it happen.  The running went well and allowed me to discharge the yuck from the day (Thursday’s are especially yucky, thus the intensity of the sprints was needed).

Then, a short drive home was followed by a second snack (dinner in 3 stages), and a shower.  My boyfriend was interested in trying (together) an 8:00 pm yoga class at our gym, which left me with about 30 minutes to myself before we would have to leave.  Now, at this point in the day, I had literally only sat to drive to and from work and to ingest food.  I had spent my day meeting the needs of others, which the exception of the run.  I was exhausted, physically and mentally.  All I really wanted to do was collapse and read for those 30 minutes.  But, I had made a commitment.

It was not a successful meditation as far as my mental focus was concerned.  But it was still a success for me.  First, I didn’t neglect the practice on a day when it would have been so easy to do just that.  Secondly, I noticed that, even though my mind was frenetic, my breathing was deep, even, and calm.  That is major progress.

We enjoyed the yoga class, and I even managed to sneak in a mini meditation during chavasana, with was made especially nice by the instructor’s expert classical guitar playing.

A small monkey. Singapore.
A small monkey. Singapore. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

On Friday, I was back into the groove of my morning practice.  Or so I thought.  I used a guided meditation podcast that I had downloaded a few days prior.  I failed to notice that the playback speed was set to 2x.  Now that makes for an interesting meditation.  I guess it is one way to fit in it to a hectic schedule, but I must say, I wouldn’t recommend it.

So, the lessons from days 8 & 9: commit even when the practice isn’t perfect, meditation changes your breathing even when your mind isn’t aware of it, and check the playback speed before getting your om on.

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Taming the Monkey Mind: Days 6 & 7

Posted on by stilllearning2b

It is easier for me to meditate after I’ve exercised.  Shocking, I know.  Exhaust the body and the mind calms too.  I have always done better with more active forms of meditation: yoga, walking meditations, etc., but a) they’re not always practical and b) I want to learn to be still, body and mind.

I am enjoying trying different guided meditations and getting a feeling for what works well for me.  I am mainly downloading free podcasts (gotta love those podcasts!).

I tried a different guided mediation that allowed my mind to journey while the body remained still.  The meditation consisted of imagery that guided the listener through a meadow, down some steps, through a woodland, and to a pool.  Just this suggestion of movement made me more comfortable, more relaxed.  I think I might use this mediation and others like it when I am antsy and feeling the need for movement.

I was only able to do a short meditation this morning before work.  I found myself scatterbrained and irritated with the kids today.  I wonder if there is a connection?  I fully intended to take a few moments at work to breath and relax, but it never happened.  I’m not sure why I seem to separate that part of myself from my job, but I do.  I would like to make meditation a part of me, a part that doesn’t disappear when I put on high heels.

This evening, I did a meditation that used a special breathing technique: short, somewhat sharp inhale followed by a quick, thorough exhale.  I really liked this method for quickly removing tension and stress from the body after work (again, tough day today).

This is about the point where I have started to slack off in the past.  Hold me to my promise, guys.  If I haven’t posted about the meditation challenge in a few days, it means the monkeys are running the asylum:)

I love how wise and calm this guy looked hangi...
I love how wise and calm this guy looked hanging out on the Lakshman Jhula in Rishikesh. I wonder if he teaches yoga and meditation too? Probably really flexible! (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
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Taming the Monkey Mind: Days 3 & 4

Posted on by stilllearning2b

I have always found that I meditate better in the morning. I am one of those strange freaks of nature who wakes up at 5:00 a.m. (or earlier) and is wide awake and, even worse, perfectly perky even before the first sip of coffee touches my lips. Sick, I know. Of course, the other side of this coin is that I get tired early. And I mean early. I can actually go to bed before 9:00.

The result of all this is that I prefer to mediate in the morning. My mind is fresh. I find it easier to focus. And, it is also when I need to relax as I tend to plan my day as soon as I hear the first tones of my alarm. Afternoon or evening meditation for me is a struggle as I am more sluggish and unfocused.  I have rarely deviated from meditation in the morning.  Today was one of those deviations.

Today, I practiced a series of mini-meditations as I explored the city around me. Moments of mindfulness were found in the gardens, in the art museum (where they even had portable meditation benches), and in Vulcan park overlooking the city. I found it easy to slip into the right state of mind quickly, although I did not sustain it for long.

I returned to my hotel room after a day’s adventures. I was tired, fatigued, questioning if I could summon the energy to enjoy an evening out. I decided to meditate for 20 minutes, thinking that would be the end of my evening. Unexpectedly, it left me feeling refreshed and energized and ready for more. Maybe meditation is not just for morning after all.

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