When we set out to learn about a new hobby, we do some online research about it and think we can keep all that information in our head. The reality is we can’t, at least I can't. Sometimes we need to go back and re-read and find new articles and blogs with different perspectives until we find one or two that click with our style of learning or way of thinking and processing. Also, reading a piece for a second or third time also allows us to pick up on nuances that we may have missed the first time around, especially with regard to something new and unfamiliar to us. Now that I’ve had some personal experience with meditation, I can revisit the original sites and look for new perspectives as well.
I scanned the Gaiam website again and found one helpful tidbit that I missed the first time around. They describe “mindful meditation” and encourage practitioners to "observe wandering thoughts as they drift through the mind." So all this battling against my random thoughts is a waste of time and obviously counterproductive. I can't stop the flow, and I shouldn't try. I just have to let them happen without judgment, which is truly the hard part with everything that I do and something to really focus on. Another interesting idea that I found on the wikiHow website is visualization. They suggest to create a “peaceful place in your mind and explore it until you reach a state of complete calm.” I discounted this idea when I first reviewed this website thinking that it would be too distracting, but now I’m thinking this could work better for me. It would give me something to focus my thoughts on, which I actually do at night when I can’t sleep (I replay the movie Notting Hill in my head). Also, visualizing myself floating on a raft over big ocean waves is what got me through labor, so it makes perfect sense to use this method. Each of the websites reminded me that practicing meditation is about the journey and that every step along the way is beneficial. I may not make it to Yogi status, but that isn’t really the point.
I know there are communities out there that could support me in my efforts, but honestly, I just don’t have much experience using the internet that way. I’m more of a face-to-face communicator, and even then I’m fairly private about what goes on in my life. I mentioned that I told one of my colleagues about taking on meditation, and it was completely random that I ran into him on prep and that it came up in conversation, which ended up being quite serendipitous since he had lots of advice to offer! No matter how many times this happens to me, where sharing with someone enriches my knowledge or experience in some way, I’m always reticent to share the next time. It’s something out of my comfort zone that I just need to force myself to do more often.
So, along those lines, what’s out there for budding meditators such as myself? I found a community called Spiritual Forums. It’s free and will allow me to post messages, respond to polls, and gain access to their Chat Rooms. There’s also Project Meditation, another place to post messages and have discussions. I like the idea of just reading about the discussions for now. Much of the advice is consistent: just keep practicing.
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