Things were still off kilter this week. Juggling work, school, mom, and physical therapy is wearing me out at a time when I need rest most. I didn't have a chance to revisit the practices until this afternoon when much had quieted down (relatively speaking). I actually did the practices back to back, and experienced the tip of the iceberg regarding the feeling/experience I've been anticipating all along. Because the Loving kindness Meditation took my focus out to the world, there we very few rambling thoughts to deal with as I approached the witnessing mind in the second practice. Unfortunately, by the time I hit the fringe of my subtle mind, my mom started moving around upstairs, and I became more caught up in 1)what is she doing, 2)is she safe, 3) has she tried to go to bed too early. I realized how hyper vigilant I am in her care, and I truly understood for perhaps the first time how important these practices are in restoring/maintaining my health in the time she is still living with me.
So how do I make it work for me since I do NOT have 60-90 minutes to meditate during any point in the day. Starting the day with Loving kindness seems like a right decision. Focusing my attention and intention on just what I have to give before encountering anyone else sets a new tone in a crazy workspace. Using the Subtle Mind Practice to wrap up the day will prepare me for more restorative sleep - something woefully lacking in my life. Funnelling all of that end-of-day mindless chatter through my witnessing mind and then experiencing more of the subtle mind allowing me to end my day in a peaceful mind space much as I started my day.
I'm interested in seeing what some of you have chosen to do in implementing similar exercises into your journeys.
Still in it together,
Anita
Hi Anita,
ReplyDeleteYour blog so rang a bell for me. I care for my father and am plagued by the same thoughts of his care and safety. How can we get to the no cahtter place in mind when there are constant troubles and concerns? You are right( and the same for me) we need to find the time to restore our bodies and minds. I am glad that you are able to find that place of the sublte mind. This is the one that I still have a hard time with. The constant chit chat in my brain will just not turn off and the more I think of it, the worse it gets.
Yes, In this together,
Sharon
Hello Anita ~
ReplyDeleteI personally find meditation and visualization to be the two most useful techniques. I know they are quite similar, but they seem to work the best for me. Sometimes I am not able to sit and do formal meditation, but I work on my breathing whenever I can and find that knowing how to take deep cleansing breaths can really calm me down when I can feel myself getting worked up, stressed, or too anxious. I commute about 30 minutes to work each day alone, and I find this “ME” time is really important and I look forward to it each day. Sometimes I listen to books on CD’s, sometimes it is talk radio, sometimes I have on music, and sometimes I want no noise at all. I love having this time and feel it keep me balanced.
~ Cheryl