LifeFlow Day Two

Day 2.

I am not affiliated with the LifeFlow meditation program whatsoever. I have done some internet research, and found a great number of positive reviews, and thought I'd give it a shot. I have always been interested in meditation, but just needed some direction. So far, this has been helpful.

It amazes me how things can change so greatly in such a short period of time. Yesterday morning was quite pleasant, for instance. It seems like so much time has passed since then. Today on the other hand was terrible; I woke up with a severe head-cold, finding it difficult to breathe and to talk, which contributed further to daily issues such as contributing in class, getting out of bed to make it to class on time… 

Today my experience with LifeFlow was also a good one. I felt a calm sense of clarity immediately afterwards. After going to my two classes this morning (you can guess how those went) I went back home to find out that my roommate was just headed out the door to go in to town. I was immediately thankful to have been given a small amount of time to meditate alone in the room we share. I propped up my head with pillows, and lied beneath one blanket on my bed. I started the 40 minute track, and found myself instinctually opening my eyes to check if my roommate was walking back in the door. I really need to work on this issue. Anyways, I tried a new tactic today. I concentrated on full body relaxation, instead of just a quiet mind. I first started with my feet. Focused on my breathing, I consciously relaxed all of my muscles one by one, all the way up to my face.

So far my two choices of location have had their ups and downs, but I don’t think that either of them will work permanently. The Roman Gardens is a good spot because of the fresh air, and—as long as I go early enough in the morning—the unlikeliness of being disturbed by people. Also, it’s easy to find something to concentrate on visually, if I am having trouble stopping my thought-flow. On the contrary, the Gardens can be quite distracting in the late morning. It’s also an inconvenient walk from where I live, and for the biggest issue, the weather. I refuse to meditate outside in the rain or snow or freezing cold no matter how long. My room is a good spot because of course its convenience, and its comfort. It's not a good place however, simply because I share with someone else. Meditation is a private thing, but also, I wouldn't consider it "zen" to meditate in a room that could quite possibly be cluttered with someone else's things.

Tomorrow I will be using my room because I have no classes and my roommate will be out by 9am. 

Peace&Love, 

Blessed.

LifeFlow Day One

Day 1. 

This morning I got cleaned up and dressed and walked down to the Roman Gardens to meditate using the LifeFlow program. The overall experience was good, and I definitely want to start using the program daily. The first 5 minutes or so (it’s hard to tell time when meditating so I’m not sure…) I was quite distracted. I picked a spot facing away from the open space so that I wouldn’t have to look at people if they were walking in front of me—so I was facing the Roman Wall; however, I found myself opening my eyes every so often out of anxiety of people watching me. I got over that pretty quickly as I kept telling myself that people really shouldn’t be judging the fact that I’m sitting in peaceful silence. After a while of being quietly focussed on the program without much distraction, I started to feel antsy. I even checked the time, which I told myself was a big no-no, and found out that I was only half way through! I really was expecting there to only be 5 or maybe 10 more minutes left but no, there was 20 minutes left. My butt was freezing from the stone bench, my back was aching from trying to hold it straight, and the sun was beating way too hot on my head. Nevertheless, I stuck it out until the end. 

The program itself was very engaging. I could hear about 3 different sounds throughout the entire 40 minutes—running water, birds chirping, and a constant “womp womp womp” flowing back and forth to each ear—and a couple others, including the “ding dong” of a clock, and others that I can’t place. I found it easy to concentrate on the program and to block out intruding thoughts, which usually is a major issue for me.

When the 40 minutes was up and the sounds faded out, I finished my tea, stood up, stretched my stiff muscles, and started walking down towards the river. I immediately began to analyze my experience; how did I feel before I started? How do I feel now? I honestly had felt pretty calm and serene before I even started, so I found myself thinking that I didn’t feel too much different. Something that I found interesting was that I felt a slight frustration. But according to the research I’ve done on meditation, this is normal at the beginner stage. Another observation made that I definitely was not imagining was the flow of positive thoughts on my walk home. I enjoyed walking along the river and through the trees, and found it mildly funny when I got lost in the town centre. I was observational and amused by everything going on around me, and even my own feelings. 

Something I will do differently tomorrow is start earlier. By the time I was finished my session this morning it was after 11. It was too hot, and there were a lot of people and distractions around. Another thing is that I will wear my shoes, not my boots, because they were not comfortable. Also, I should probably find a place indoors to meditate for rainy days. I still haven’t decided if I should tell my roommate. I know that I am not obligated to, but, what if I want to meditate in the room? On the other hand, it might be awkward to meditate in the room with her in it, even if she was sleeping.

First Post

Hello there, 

I plan on utilizing this blog to talk about my experiences with meditation and personal development. I will also drop a few personal details here and there but I would rather remain anonymous for the most-part, at least for now. I have never blogged before in my life so this is a new experience for me, and I'm hoping that it will help me along my way to a new life and perspective. 

Generally, this blog is intended for anyone who wants life advice, inspiration, motivation, entertainment, or anything else that may or may not be related to those things...

I am a university level English student, so I am completely open to criticism on my writing or on my blog in general. And while we're on the topic, I'm open to advice on personal experiences shared as well.

Thanks, 
Blessed.