Since everyone could not make it to the CJ Spa Day I will share with you three things to know about meditation. If you remember from when I did the 10 for 10 meditation challenge years ago, meditation was not a joy for me. At least that is what I thought then. I invited Allison of Ali Yoga and Arts to speak at the CJ Spa day because I thought I’d have a better time with it if I received meditation instruction from someone who actually knew what they were doing. I was right. Allison was great and I enjoyed the meditation instruction immensely. Here are my top takeaways from her instruction, three things to know about meditation.
- It’s ok if you get distracted by your thoughts while trying to meditate. This happened to me all the time back when I did my 10 for 10 meditation challenge. I would get so annoyed, angry even, when I found myself getting distracted. Allison suggested we think of our thoughts like clouds. They are always there. Sometimes we notice them but more often than not we don’t. She said when meditating, instead of trying not be distracted by our thoughts a we should acknowledge they are there and let them pass by like clouds.
- It is ok if you fall asleep. This is another thing that bothered me during the meditation challenge. When I did manage to not have my thoughts distract me I’d end up falling asleep. Allison said falling asleep is ok. She said it is actually good if I am choosing to meditate before bed. She suggested setting a timer if meditating during times when you don’t have time for a nap if you fall asleep.
- Meditation is challenging. Even the Allison said it took her years to feel like she was good at it. She said practice is the key and that we can benefit from the stress reducing benefits of meditation before you feel like a pro.
Now I know that my struggles with my prior meditation attempt were typical and that I don’t have to be so hard on myself. I am ready to give meditation a try again.
Do you meditate? Did you struggle in the beginning like Allison? How did you deal with your thought or falling asleep? Tell me about your experience.
