aroraborealis

I’m home from my time at a 10 Vipassana Meditation Course! THANK GOODNESS

( Overall )
( Quibbles )

Overall, I’m glad I took this course; I think it was beneficial in a few ways, and I bet that feeling will grow over time. I’m even more glad the course is over! I think I’m likely to look for another silent meditation course or retreat in the future, but from where I am right now, I can’t see the path that would be likely to bring me back to one of this network of centers to repeat this particular 10 day course.

( Details/logistics, for those curious: )

I've intermittently tried to develop a meditation habit, to pretty limited success. I enjoy meditation when I do it regularly, but I find it difficult to carve out the time for it, and it's easy for me to get distracted while meditating, and then it's more like "sitting for 10 minutes lost in thought" than what I envision meditating to be.

A couple of months ago, contessagrrl introduced me to headspace, a meditation app/website/course that addresses a lot of the struggles I've had with freeform meditation:

* It's guided meditation, which gives me, as a beginning meditator, the support I need to keep each session on track (and to lessen my fear that I'm "doing it wrong").
* It feels like doing something, so it's easier to make the time to do it AND
* Because it feels like doing something, I feel like I get to check it off my to-do list, which encourages me to do it, and helps me notice when I don't.
* The narration is just right for me in the sense that I find the cadence and word choice accessible and pleasant.
* It's not wifty.
* It is gentle.
* It builds over time, both in content and in length.

I'm really loving it, and I find myself wanting to tell everyone about it! I know meditation isn't the solution to every struggle we have, but I also know there's a lot of research support for the idea that it's helpful to a lot of the things we struggle with in ourselves and our relationships, and it fits well with my multi-year project of developing a robust sense of compassion, both inward and outward.

If it sounds like something you might enjoy, I highly recommend Headspace, which is available on their webpage and as a free app with a 10 day course for free, and then you can subscribe to continue if you like it. I'd be delighted to hear about your experience with it if you try it or have tried it.

I started today feeling out of sorts, grouchy, and off-kilter. Then I went to therapy, which totally helped. Then I had a productive day, which also helped. Then I had a meeting with my boss and got back on track, and that helped, too.

So I'm feeling a lot better. It's nice! It's good to feel better, and it makes me happy the things that were helpful.

Also, my boss named me among the top three reasons that every job offer we've extended this year has been accepted, and we've had no attrition so far.

The Guest House

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they're a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.