Ohm? An update?

Although I haven't been keeping a log, which maybe I should for the next 30 day challenge, I'm about half way through my meditation a day thinga-ma-whootsy.  It has been a challenge.  I have yet to make time in the AM for myself or a mid day re-charge, the schedule doesn't quite allow.  I wonder if I could find somewhere to hide during my lunch on those 12 hour days...

Anywho I thought I'd share with you some challenges I've run into as well as so benefits...

Challenge numero uno:  Anxiety.  Sometimes, if I'm not able to initially focus on my goal of meditation or truly exhale it all away and just listen, I get worked up.  This could be a number of factors including MYSELF and my ENVIRONMENT.  Lesson to  be learned, don't force it if your heart isn't into it or if you are not physically in the right place.  It has proven to be more harmful than good.  I'm sure we all could apply this lesson in more situations than meditating.

Benefit numero uno: Rest.  Since I typically do this before bed, I fall asleep easily and even though I still whimper when I hear the alarm in the morning, as soon as I am up I do feel more together.  I've been abstaining from my afternoon coffee on most days also. 

Challenge numero dos:  Voices. I mentioned I prefer guided imagery meditations, and I guess even just tranquil musical journeys, rather than pure silence.  With that said, if the voice guiding you is Sylvia Browne, how relaxing can that truly be?  I once did a "Find your Spirit Guide" meditation from her archives and in her rough and husky, even hasty, voice she said, "Now ask the person in the gazebo what their name is."  You know what I saw and heard?  A blonde lady who told me her name was Bob.  Maybe my subconcious thinks "Sylvia" should really be a "Bob."  For Christmas, my love gave me a CD/DVD/book reiki kit that included reiki music and a guided imagery CD from William Lee Rand.  I've been mostly practicing my meditation this time around with his guided CD.  His voice is adorable.  He just seems like such a gentle and loving man.  I also love, love, love Richard Lanza's hypnotherapy CD. He is an amazing person.  I've had the pleasure of being his student in both classes he offers through his yoga studios and his learning center.

Benefit numero dos:  Excitement.  I look forward to meditating.  I never know where I'm going to go, what I may encounter within myself, but I almost always truly enjoy the journey.  Especially after a yoga class.

I'm sure there are more, but I'll leave it at that.

Last night, my love and I decided to watch Eat, Pray, Love on demand over the well produced Lifetime movie The Craigslist Killer.  Maybe we made the wrong choice.  I read the book many many  moons ago and I was swept away in Elizabeth Gilbert's journey.  Maybe because I myself was on the road of "Who the f- am I? And what am I f-ing doing here?"  The movie cannot convey the journey as well as the book.  Maybe because the book is Liz's internal process and a movie would be visually boring if it was just her thoughts.  I think Julia did get some of Liz's struggles across, but not quite her growth and acceptance.  It was a hard role I'm sure.  Why do we always love the books more?  Is it because we invest more time in them?  We spend days with them rather than 2 hours?  One thing I can't complain about in the movie is the scenery.  I just want my own meditation hut in Bali.  And I want to smile with my liver.  Maybe that is my next meditation move... the smiling meditation... smiling from my liver.  My gallbladder might get jealous. 

A little gross...

The snow that is.  Thankfully, I was not scheduled for work today.  So I actually get to be snowed in!  I don't think I've ever worked for a company that closed on a day that snowed.  The future is looking the same.  I guess I'll have to invest in 4-wheel drive and some tire chains.  Ha, I can't imagine myself putting chains on my tires.

Today I plan on cooking and storing leftovers.  I'm sick of work's cafeteria food.  The food isn't bad, but I'm over it.  I'm done.  I'll be sure to post some recipes and goodies!

But right now I want to talk about my first 30-day challenge.  I won't talk about how last night I failed and fell asleep while watching Veronica Mars.  That's why it's challenging, right?  You have to deal with yourself.  Either way, it's one week into the challenge.  What is my first 30 day challenge of 2011?  No picking wedgies in public. Meditating daily.  Instead of digging in my bum Instead of cruising the net and reading a page turner before bed (I guess I'll have to add instead of watching Veronica Mars), I've been listening to a reiki guided meditation CD.  This next week I'm going to work on a more conscious meditation rather than falling asleep during it.  I guess the relaxation part is working.  Whateves, I work on my chakras and my reiki.  No dreams I can speak of, but I had a nightmare last night when I didn't perform reiki on myself!

I find guided meditation initially works the best for me.  It's easy to get anxious and void out any therapeutic response to meditation while wondering if you are doing things right.  When concentrating on commands and the guided imagery with a tranquil ambient soundtrack, it can be easier to get in sync and cast out other thoughts.  Your intentions get the most focus.

There are multiple free podcast meditations to get you started.  Even some on youtube.  I think on demand tv even has a meditation channel.  Challenge yourself with me!

Talk amongst yourselves...

What are you doing on the snow day?

Ever watch Veronica Mars?  I'm hooked!  So is my baby sis, Chrissy.  I won't tell you how many episodes she watched yesterday. 

Do you meditate?  What's your meditation set-up? I typically just like music.  I like laying down too a la shavasana style.  Incense and oils are nice, but I don't typically use them.  Crystals are also nice too.  Once I used a crystal on my third eye and that helped me focus on "opening" up that area.  During my challenge here I plan on doing a little research.  There are many types of meditation.  I especially like the Hemi-sync's metamusic.  You can almost feel the music dancing through your brain.  My love and I once went to a party with all these ivy-league intellectual professor types (he has networked a lot through his writing) and we met this one dude in a velour suit who proclaimed the meditation he teaches is the only correct meditation!  There is more to that story, for another day.  Funny story.

Do you listen to podcasts? I think podcasts are fabulous!  Free and fabulous.  I've learned much about vegetarian health through podcasts.  I've attempted to brush up on my espanol.  As for meditation podcasts, I've only listened to a few.  Meditation Oasis has been around for a while and has many meditations for specific purposes for all lifestyles. 

I can here my sister starting to stir upstairs.  Time to make some pancakes!