#26 Meditate

Well it has been quite a year hasn't it, these last twelve months? They feel like more than the sum of their parts - longer than 52 weeks, longer than 365 days. We have had to learn new ways of working, maintaining relationships and even shopping and exercising. There have been stresses, sadnesses, bereavements and difficulties but also times of hope, progress, community. In many ways 2020 was the best and worst year of my life and 2021 may well beat it on both counts. So if ever there was an apt time to develop a positive habit, one that could help regulate my feelings and give me more control over my thoughts, it is now.

Many people say that meditation is one of the most intellectually beneficial things that you can introduce into your life. It can give you the ability control how you feel at any given moment and make you the captain of your own ship. I believe those people are probably right, and even if they are not I can't see what harm sitting quietly for ten minutes each day can possibly do. Despite thinking this however, and trying to start a good habit of daily meditation a few times over the years, it has never quite stuck. Guided meditations are everywhere now: on YouTube, on Facebook even on my fitness app. I have tried a few of them but they were either cheesy, annoying or both - self-declared yogis in batik harem pants or twangy, nasal American voices telling me to "focus on the feelings in your bardddddy" - I usually abandoned my efforts after a day or two.

So when I tried again 24 days ago I was not hugely hopeful. However this time I began using an app which was highly recommended as being neither cheesy nor annoying. It is called Waking Up by Sam Harris and first of all I should warn you that, after the initial free trial, you have to subscribe to it. However in this case you do get what you pay for. I do my ten minute guided meditation every morning at the dining room table and I haven't skipped even one day. It is a calming, purposeful start to my morning and I do feel that I have been less impatient, less prone to losing my temper and more able to notice and stop myself when I have over-reacted to something - all good skills to have as a teacher!




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

#39 Run!

Image
It was our school sports day last Friday, and as I went through the day's itinerary with my tutor group, I mentioned the staff races. One of my lovely students piped up “Miss, are you going to race?” and I answered flippantly, as I often do, “Do I look like I run? If you ever see me running, you should run too, there’s probably something scary chasing me!” Humour is such a commonly used defence mechanism, and those of us  who are fat, physically unfit or disabled (and I fit into all three of those categories) often make light of things by telling a joke rather than make anyone feel uncomfortable. I don't think there's anything wrong with that, in fact many comedians have made a career out of it, but perhaps there are alternative responses. I am fabulously fat - and  before anyone tells me not to put myself down that's really not what I am doing. I am fat. I have always been fat despite decades of diets and exercise plans and at almost fifty years old I have finally le...
Read more

#21 Fill the house with plants

Image
  There are times when, even at 50 years old, I still don't feel like a real adult. Often this is when I see photos on social media of other adults I know who have matching tableware in the shot, art that they actually got around to putting in a frame, coordinated bedding or, in particular, an arrangement of  houseplants. Owning multiple thriving houseplants is just showing off in my opinion. I have proved that I can succeed in keeping humans and pets alive but I wonder if that's largely because they would protest if I forgot to feed them or if they became too hot or cold. Neglect a plant and it wilts and dies, I have no patience with this kind of martyrdom. Nonetheless I decided to give it another shot. I bought a cheap selection of low maintenance potted plants from a well known Swedish furniture and meatball emporium. I also received a couple of plants from friends: the first a cactus (this person knows my limitations) and the second an orchid (these friends have grossly ov...
Read more

#23 Go on holiday

Image
In the spirit of post-Covid abandon I went on two holidays! Both were to Northumberland, an area of the country that I feel so drawn to, that I am considering retiring there. Perhaps that goal will make it onto the 60 list. My first trip was at Christmas, to a static caravan with stunning sea views at Newbiggin-By-The-Sea. The caravan was cosy and comfortable, just big enough for me, the dog and the excessive amount of festive food and drink that I had transported up with us. I had found the accommodation on Airbnb and our host had thought of everything: a Christmas tree all lit up for our arrival, extra blankets, dog treats, a hamper of Prosecco and sweet and savoury treats, everything needed for breakfast and even binoculars for a closer look at the sea life right outside our window. As it turned out these luxuries were needed as the weather did not cooperate. It was wet and stormy for most of the week and besides the daily, blustery dog walk on the beach I spent the majori...
Read more