Meditation: My Own Length: About a minute Where: Office/Guest Room, Los Angeles How It Felt: Helpful
The “Practice Patience” meditation I did two days ago got me thinking. It was mentioned that the session could be done any time you need to practice patience- in a long line, for example. I haven’t explored meditation too much outside of sitting on my cushion, setting aside time, stopping everything else I’m doing, and meditating.
I forget that meditation can happen any time you need it to happen.
There are all kinds of sessions available across my apps for just this thing. I’ve been dying to try a “walking” meditation, for instance. There is one on Headspace called “Mindful Cleaning for Sleep.” Balance has several meditations that involve keeping your eyes open and following a little animation.
Meditation doesn’t need a big ceremony. It just needs to be a regular part of your life and routine to work. (Actually, it just needs to happen ever to work! One minute of meditation once a month is better than none!)
So, yesterday, while I was working on a certain popular daytime show in the morning, I felt myself getting frustrated with a situation that often happens on this show. I was calling in from Zoom, so I was in the comfort of my own home, even if my face was on camera a lot of the time. I couldn’t just stop and fully meditate. I was also feeling fed up with my injured foot and just tired and frankly depressed, and I felt it all welling up inside me.
I decided to stop, close my eyes, and take several long, deep breaths. I muted my sound and forced myself to breathe in and out until I felt a little better. Later, I did this again with my eyes open. Mindful breathing, slowing my heart rate. It helped me stay calm and released some of my tension.
As I near the end of this project (just over two months left!) I want to take time to explore all kinds of meditation, so my tool belt is full going forward. It’s a lifelong practice, but this is like the boot camp. I’m learning so much so quickly!
I’ll admit, I struggled with whether this “counted” as meditation for the purposes of this blog. Steve pointed out that it’s actually cool that meditating has become so integrated into my life this way. I’m not keeping it separate and “other.” It’s something I just go to when I feel I need it.
That is cool!
Just resting my foot today. My sweet husband is waiting on me hand and…well, you know. Very nice to stay off it as fully as possible since I know that will speed up healing! So ready to be able to walk normally again.
I don’t know if I’m good at patience, yet, but I’m practicing it!
My Year of Meditation 