Question of the Day: Sunday, May 21

[gilmargl]

Good Morning!
It's a fairly bright, but cold morning here in Germany, and I'm wondering how to make the most of the next 15 hours before going back to bed. This afternoon should get warmer so I'll sit or work outside.

Evidently today is:

• World Meditation Day

So let's think - about meditation. It's not something I do and I don't think I will ever be good at it, no matter how long I practice. Even autogenic training and bio-feedback were lost causes as far as I was concerned. I can no longer even balance on one leg, let alone do yoga !

I still have 4 Buddha figures, which have been in my living room for the past 20 years or more. They will no doubt have to be removed and given up to my late partner's remaining family (nephew and nieces) to be sold for cash. Suddenly I feel quite attached to these gentle, unobtrusive figures. Now that I have more time, I must try meditation - sitting on my couch.

​

Do you meditate, and if so how and when? Any tips for a beginner?

 

[di and bob]

No, I don't meditate. I try to occupy my mind, when I empty it bad and sad thoughts seem to intrude. I concentrate on the now and enjoy the day hour by hour. I try to purposely seek beautiful moments in nature, I guess I 'meditate' in a way on them, soaking in the beauty.

 

[catloverfromwayback]

No, I don’t. Totally not my thing. I’d rather knit or play solitaire or go for a walk.

 

[Jem]

No, I don't meditate. I just can't sit and do nothing, which is what meditation feels like to me. The whole clearing your mind thing doesn't happen for me, my mind just fills with all the many things I worry about or what I should be doing. When I need a break, I do calming activities instead like puzzles, diamond art or coloring...they hold my attention and clear my mind without needing me to really "do" anything.
I have (on and off...I'm not very committed) done breathing exercises, which is a form of meditation/mindfulness as you focus solely on your breath, your counts, what it feels like, and what it's doing to your body. But I do it for physical reasons...there's no..."Imagine your worries are leaving your body as you exhale" or "inhale all the positive power of the universe" type stuff. I focus on the movement of my diaphragm, the expansion and contraction of my ribcage, etc...I do breathing exercises to correct postural imbalances and help with proper breathing. Most people don't breath correctly which can lead to many health complications. When I actually stay on top of doing them, I can breath better and it helps with endurance, it lowers my back and shoulder pain, it helps with my hiatal hernia/reflux, and so many other things. Maybe give simple breathing exercises a go first to practice your focus and stillness and then it might be easier to do the "head stuff" after.

 

[strider rose]

yes i do try to meditate , im wiccan and we call it " grounding" . i listen to celtic music and light some incense ... i mostly do it when the hubs is at work and i have time to myself .

 

[Mia6]

I don't but I would like to learn

 

[susanm9006]

I don’t meditate but I think my rowing time every other day comes close. I focus on muscles, moving and breathing, and something about the rhythmic back and forth calms me and clears my mind.

 

[neely]

I don't meditate per se but I cherish my quiet time in the early morning when I sit and drink my first cup of coffee with Carleton by my side. It's peaceful and serene and I can contemplate what I need to do that day.

 

[mani]

This is basically what I do for a living; Yoga is about meditation. But honestly, I wouldn't know where to start in terms of 'quick' advice, except to say that it's not about clearing your mind.. it's about learning to witness how the mind behaves.

 

[Margot Lane]

 

[denice]

I concentrate on the now and enjoy the day hour by hour.

That is the basis of the martial art that I studied for a number of years. Being in the present not the past or the future. Of course that is necessary when sparring or heaven forbid you are in a real fight but it translates into a way of life that lessens stress.

 

[NY cat man]

No; I have too many things to do to take time out for meditation.

 

[Kat0121]

No I don't. I'd probably fall asleep if I tried. It's the cat in me.

That statue is beautiful. If they have been in your house for 20 years they are yours unless your partner specifically wanted the relatives to have them and it's in writing. If not tell them to kick rocks.

I'm sorry for your loss. When DH passed away I did give a few of his things to his dad and brother. Things that were sentimental to his youth that would help them remember him. I found an old wallet of his that had a very old driver's license and very expired credit cards and such. I gave that to his dad. I gave his brother a watch that he had had for many years. Probably since he was a teenager. I didn't know him back then so I felt that they would appreciate things like that most. DD has the wallet that he used until he passed. She still uses it now.

 

[misty8723]

I haven't been able to so far, but I've never worked very hard at it. I wish I could.

 

[MonaLyssa33]

I don't meditate with any regularity. If I feel a panic attack coming on, I will pull up a mediation video on YouTube to help me calm down before the panic attack hits. I probably should do it regularly, but I forget and I often feel like I don't have the time (which is probably a sign that I should actually do it).

 

[MoochNNoodles]

I spend time meditating on scripture but not emptying my mind. It wanders too easily or I fall asleep in the quiet.

 

[aliceneko]

I don't meditate but as I have anxiety, I do practice different types of mindfulness. Normally this just consists of breathing exercises and listening to brown or white noise.

 

[lizzie]

No,I never have,but then I don't know all that much about meditation either.I throughly enjoy my quiet time when drinking my morning coffee.I love watching the kitties sleep...most of them are when I get up...and the birds at the feeders...all very calming to me,and this is when I usually try to come up with a plan for the day.I'm in the country and it's very quiet out here...I love it.

 

[Winchester]

No; I have too many things to do to take time out for meditation.

What he said.
There's usually too much stuff going on around here. And when I do have some free time, my nose is usually in a book. (Which, in my mind, can be a form of meditation. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.)