Friday, January 1, 2010

Beginnings

My project for the year is to meditate once a day, every day. Realistically, I know I'll probably miss a few, but that is okay- part of accepting yourself is accepting your failings as well. Also, I wont necessarily post a blog for every day, but I'll do my best.

Notes on meditation:
Meditation (to me) is a state of quiet understanding of yourself, your mind, and your surroundings. It takes different forms for different people, but I like to sit with my legs folded, hands on my knees, and eyes closed. It begins with steady breathing, concentrating on the sound and feeling of the inhale and exhale. I often link words to the inhale and exhale- the most basic is just an "Om," but my favorite fallback is "Breathe - Release." I know I have reached a meditative state when my body feels heavy but my mind feels light, and everything else fades except my breath. I like to hold this state as long as I feel I need.

This year, I will be beginning my meditations with a poem by Rumi. If I feel so led, I will choose my meditative words from that day's poem.

The poems come from The Essential Rumi, translated by Coleman Barks, New York: HarperCollins, 1995.

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