So many people were shocked when I decided to try “mindful” meditation a few years ago. As a neurodivergent minus the hyperactivity, I soon realized how much I not only enjoyed it, but that I was feeling the almost impossibly difficult feeling to describe for inner awareness. Over time I started to feel more and more at ease with myself and everything around me. I find that the benefits that continue to grow from mediating are in my mental state of consciousness sharpening my ability to think with more clarity than before. I worry less. (Me: Little Miss Overthinking, Overworrier !) The changes we begin to feel are invisible. Though my husband has definitely noticed the changes in me especially this past year.
I learned quickly on that there are no rules as to how, when or where to mediate, or how long or how often. There is no right or wrong way! That’s what attracted me to it. Hallelujah!
I downloaded my first and only health app “TEN% HAPPIER WITH DAN HARRIS” www.danharris.com here on Substack.
My favorite mindful meditation teacher was and still is Jeff Warren. (Dan and Jeff are have been good friends for many years.)
Jeff is also here on Substack offering a lot of free meditations via his Substack presence as well as from website (Jeff.warren.org).
The meditations are “guided” which makes the world of difference for me. The typical visuals most people have of meditating involve a person sitting on the floor with a meditation cushion underneath with legs crossed, palms facing up, in a darkish lit space, soft music in the background and 50 lit candles all around the room are NOT at all what meditation looks like for 95% of us!! I am often laying down in my bed or sitting on my sofa while I meditate.
Both Dan Harris and Jeff Warren are also on YouTube.
I am not sure where my mind is this morning, Janice, but I loved this: "...my body keeps aging despite my best efforts..." As the Italians would say, "Non ce rimedio." (There is no remedy.)
When I was an English teacher, my students participated in a lot of mind-mapping to generate vocabulary and ideas for writing. However, this morning when you mentioned mind-mapping, I read mind-NAPPING and it sounded good to me. ha ha ha! Oh, Janice aging just gets curiouser and curiouser...
Great reminder Janice! Thank you. I'm posting about being mindful on Monday. My art helps me greatly as does walking & noticing nature! I'm interested in learning more about mind mapping! Denyse x
Hi Denyse, Art is such an important strategy in all of this - at least in my opinion. Our mind has a way of making excuses, blaming, and rationalizing - art tends to skirt all of that and gets to the real truth of things.
It does. Art, drawing, making patterns and more has helped me through my cancer years, and now my trauma …being more mindful helps reduce then body’s stress and the actual act of drawing the paint brush across the page or maker soothes! My art has helped me since 2013 & the process is more important than the outcome. I wish more people would get that too!
Timely post! Mindfulness means a few different things to me, but the most impactful way I try to implement in my life is by being intentional with my time. If it is time to pray or meditate, then it is time to pray or meditate, nothing else. It sounds easy, but some days this can be a challenge!
Hi Janice ~ I'm pretty content right now, but I love your creative mindfulness techniques in this article. I'm going to try them for a couple weeks. I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks!!
I’ve been more enthusiastic about practicing mindfulness lately since discovering an unexpected benefit. Is this a technique you use?
Hi Janice,
So many people were shocked when I decided to try “mindful” meditation a few years ago. As a neurodivergent minus the hyperactivity, I soon realized how much I not only enjoyed it, but that I was feeling the almost impossibly difficult feeling to describe for inner awareness. Over time I started to feel more and more at ease with myself and everything around me. I find that the benefits that continue to grow from mediating are in my mental state of consciousness sharpening my ability to think with more clarity than before. I worry less. (Me: Little Miss Overthinking, Overworrier !) The changes we begin to feel are invisible. Though my husband has definitely noticed the changes in me especially this past year.
I learned quickly on that there are no rules as to how, when or where to mediate, or how long or how often. There is no right or wrong way! That’s what attracted me to it. Hallelujah!
I downloaded my first and only health app “TEN% HAPPIER WITH DAN HARRIS” www.danharris.com here on Substack.
My favorite mindful meditation teacher was and still is Jeff Warren. (Dan and Jeff are have been good friends for many years.)
Jeff is also here on Substack offering a lot of free meditations via his Substack presence as well as from website (Jeff.warren.org).
The meditations are “guided” which makes the world of difference for me. The typical visuals most people have of meditating involve a person sitting on the floor with a meditation cushion underneath with legs crossed, palms facing up, in a darkish lit space, soft music in the background and 50 lit candles all around the room are NOT at all what meditation looks like for 95% of us!! I am often laying down in my bed or sitting on my sofa while I meditate.
Both Dan Harris and Jeff Warren are also on YouTube.
I hope you’ll check them out.
🥰
I am not sure where my mind is this morning, Janice, but I loved this: "...my body keeps aging despite my best efforts..." As the Italians would say, "Non ce rimedio." (There is no remedy.)
When I was an English teacher, my students participated in a lot of mind-mapping to generate vocabulary and ideas for writing. However, this morning when you mentioned mind-mapping, I read mind-NAPPING and it sounded good to me. ha ha ha! Oh, Janice aging just gets curiouser and curiouser...
LOL - That it does, Sharron, that it does!
🤭🩷
Great reminder Janice! Thank you. I'm posting about being mindful on Monday. My art helps me greatly as does walking & noticing nature! I'm interested in learning more about mind mapping! Denyse x
Hi Denyse, Art is such an important strategy in all of this - at least in my opinion. Our mind has a way of making excuses, blaming, and rationalizing - art tends to skirt all of that and gets to the real truth of things.
It does. Art, drawing, making patterns and more has helped me through my cancer years, and now my trauma …being more mindful helps reduce then body’s stress and the actual act of drawing the paint brush across the page or maker soothes! My art has helped me since 2013 & the process is more important than the outcome. I wish more people would get that too!
If I had it to do over, I would be an art therapist. I have seen so many successes with this approach, both for myself and for clients.
Timely post! Mindfulness means a few different things to me, but the most impactful way I try to implement in my life is by being intentional with my time. If it is time to pray or meditate, then it is time to pray or meditate, nothing else. It sounds easy, but some days this can be a challenge!
Anne Marie, what an important point you make about time and when it's time - it's time, period.
Hi Janice ~ I'm pretty content right now, but I love your creative mindfulness techniques in this article. I'm going to try them for a couple weeks. I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks!!
Hi Jan, you can save them just in case. Yes, I'd love to hear how it's going.
Hi Jan, I added a mindful techniques to also consider in my comment today. Better late than never. 🥰
I’m trying to incorporate art and jigsaw puzzles into my day. Maybe those would be a good time to try mindfulness?
Hi, I totally agree with you. What a great idea - jigsaw puzzles.
One more...
https://open.substack.com/pub/jaymack413/p/can-a-christian-use-a-mantra-in-prayer?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
Hi Janice! I enjoyed reading your post and am sending a post I shared about contemplative prayer that might enhance your prayer. Godspeed.
https://open.substack.com/pub/jaymack413/p/can-i-be-a-contemplative?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
Thank you, Mac, for reading my posts and for your responses.
I keep forgetting the WITHOUT JUDGEMENT part.
HI Barton, so do I - all the time.