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Monday, November 22, 2010

getting your meditation started

I know lulu can be controversial in the yoga world, but I love reading their blog posts- there are a lot of hidden gems to be found there. One of the bloggers recently posted about finding your inner space - including a lot of great tips on starting up a personal meditation practice. It seems perfect timing, given my recent goal to start a regular meditation. (This compounded by the fact that one of my projects for teacher training involves a 30-day "savasana challenge"). Here are the tips on how to get started on your own meditation practice.

  • Commit yourself to 5 minutes a day for a week, adding on 5 minutes per week until you reach 20.
  • Be patient with yourself. No one is able to run a marathon without training, and your brain is the most difficult part of your body to train.
  • Start by sitting up straight.
  • Some people like to have an icon to focus upon, with eyes closed or slightly open. Choose what works for you.
  • Find a comfortable seat.
  • While practicing, own it and commit to it.
  • Fight the urge to get off your cushion or mat to check your phone or jot down ideas.
I'll add that I found journaling a great way for me to commit. It seemed more concrete when I jotted down a few struggles or successes at the end of each session. I also made myself a rose quartz rudraksha mala - it's so beautiful that I want to wear it, which in turn makes me want to meditate. I'm debating making a few to sell on etsy - what do you think?



Namaste,
Callah
article and personal photos copyright of Callah at callahyoga.blogspot.com