7 Things Thought While Attempting a 7-Day Meditation Challenge
In a world filled with constant noise, how in the heck are we supposed to sit still for 10 minutes?
Last week I encouraged you to use June as a fresh slate. I know, I'm so qualified to tell you what to do with your life. Anyway, I shared a little of how I wanted to spend my June, breaking down the walls of perfectionism and over the weekend I had the urge to meditate. My life is constantly filled with noise, from working in radio to always having the TV on in the background while working around the house.
It was time to silence it all.
Easier said than done, I might add. So I downloaded an app and signed on for the 7-Days of Calm Challenge. I thought, "What a great way to slow down physically and mentally before bed!" You hear of all the benefits of meditation, so I dove in.
Turns out there are a lot of weird things that enter your mind when it's quiet. Allow me to take you through my first 10-minute session...
At the beginning:
- Am I doing this right? Surely, no one is meant to sit like this intentionally. It's so uncomfortable pretending like there is a string attached to my skull pulling my back into a straight, upright, and locked position. And placing my hands on my knees just seems cliche. What if someone happens to see me and thinks that I believe I'm better than them because I'm getting in touch with my soul?
- This woman's voice is so soothing. She's so conversational, yet authoritative. I feel like she knows what she's doing, but she's also exploring with me. I wonder what other jobs she has besides this? I mean, voicing a meditation app can't be the only thing putting bread on the table. Maybe she has a rich husband who built her a home studio and she only has to work when she wants to.
- Has it been 10 minutes yet? Surely, I've been sitting here for an hour. I wonder if my phone died. Nope, another four and a half minutes left.
Midway through:
- What if I fall asleep? Is it possible to fall asleep sitting up without any support? I can't even sleep on a plane. But maybe this is how I fix that problem. I get in tune with my inner sleep patterns and moving forward will be able to tap into them when I please. Beat that!
- I wonder what my dog is doing while I'm locked in this bedroom. Oh I hope he isn't wetting on the couch. He's probably sitting at the door wondering why I'm breathing so weird.
- It's so hot in here. Was it this hot before I started? Did the air conditioning go out? Maybe meditation is a lot more taxing on your body than I thought and I'm actually burning calories. Like that donut I ate on the way home didn't even really count. Ha! Why even go to the gym? I could sit here are be bikini-body ready in a week! Ok, it's really getting hot in here. What if I get stuck in this cross-legged position and overheat or die of dehydration. No one would find me for hours. They would just think I was meditating really hard. When they finally opened the door they would find me, rock solid in this position. How will they bury me? The don't make coffins for people sitting cross-legged. It's so hot. I'm paralyzed here. I can't move. I'm dying. I can't take it any-
Time is up:
- Oh. That's it? That was nothing. Psh, this seven days is gonna be nothin'!