It's the second week at attempting this challenge and I can honestly say that I'm now eating slower.
Yep, you read that right: eating slower.
I know it sounds odd, but I found a meditation practice that is performed while eating. And I like it!
Even as I write that, I'm giggling at the bizarre nature of that statement, but it turns out that meditation is the practice of focused breathing. There is no reason why it should be performed sitting in the lotus position with your eyes closed and doing absolutely nothing for hours on end. Meditation actually comes in all shapes and sizes. It's just a matter of working out what forms of meditation work best for the individual.
The journal entry
So, I had fun with the coloring page as I started this challenge two weeks ago. But as this week comes to a close, I'm happy to fill in the journal entry.
I was supposed to do this the week of Aug 23rd, but never happened. So, we're attempting this one again!!!
Week 2 & I discovered meditation while eating breakfast. I really like it. The practice forces me to focus on my food. And I have readopted practices from my youth.
I have more meditation methods to trial, but I will certainly be adding this to my daily routines.
Meditating while eating
I started the week hunting for different ideas of meditation practices that I might be able to incorporate into my daily routines. For whatever reason, I decided to hunt down some guided medications. I used to do a few of them in my youth and I still have those written guided meditations somewhere, but a written guided meditation wasn't going to do me much good. I needed one in audio form.
I found multiple website filled with MP3 recordings, and I took a quick listen to some of them—only to be irritated by the talking voice. But then I turned to a source that I never would have thought of a year ago: Audible.
Yep, it turns out that there are a mountain of guide meditations on Amazon's Audible, and most of them were free with my subscription. So... I went sniffing. Let's face it, you can't go much wrong with free.
In my search, I encountered a title that intrigued me: Breakfast Meditation. And the description: "Feed your frame of mind while you enjoy your breakfast and contemplate your intention for the day while you enjoy the satisfaction of the day’s first meal."
Seriously? I can medicate while eating? Oh, I'm soooo there!
So, I made my morning meal of porridge with strawberry-and-rhubarb compote and a few dried strawberries on top, and I put in the earbuds and got to my guided meditation while eating. And I actually enjoyed the meal, eating it slower and taking note of every bite. And when I was done, I actually felt satisfied and ready to get to work.
It was only on that first morning that I used the guided meditation part, but every single morning since that first discovery, I have meditated while eating my breakfast. I really like the practice and will likely keep doing it.
Does it last for 30 minutes? You know what, I don't think it does, but I don't care. All I care about is that I'm not rushing through what is meant to be the most important meal of the day.
And because I enjoy the practice so much, I've started employing the meditate-while-eating idea while having my lunch or my little snacks throughout the day. I don't use it at dinnertime, but dinner is time with the family. I'm focused on the conversation and the company of the ones I'm with.
Other meditation
I've taken the time to do the old-fashioned sit-with-the-eyes-closed-focus-on-breathing meditation—and fell asleep.
There's the standing meditations—and my knees didn't like me.
But there was the basking in the sun and enjoying its warmth—and I was happy to inhale as deeply as possible and just enjoy the feeling that was spreading through me. And the reason why I probably just loved standing in the sun like that is because I have always been energized by the sun. I don't do so well at nighttime.
There are a few other meditation practices that I still want to explore, but there is a small portion of my psyche that is pleased that I remembered what it's like to just slow down and focus on breathing.
Next week's challenge
So, with Challenge #4 now complete, I can move on to #DigitalDetox Challenge #5: Draw a self portrait.
Hmm... I foresee a few stick figures in my future.
If you took part in the meditation challenge, I would love to hear about your experiences. What meditation techniques did you trial? And will you keep going with the meditations in the future?