Reflection on Meditation & Relaxation

What was the most effective meditation tool for you this semester? How have your perceptions of meditation changed over the course of the semester? Is there anything you wish you had learned? Do you plan on continuing your exploration of meditation in the future?

I have to say that this was definitely my favorite class this semester. Because I stress out so much, the meditation and relaxation techniques that I learned will really help me to deal with this better. I think the best "tool" was just learning how to be in the here and now, and most of all, BREATHE! The breathing techniques are probably what relaxes me the most, although I already practice this in yoga. And of course, I always love yoga, not only for the deep breathing practiced but also for the way it just cleanses your entire body. I love it!

I really don't know of other meditation techniques, so I can't say that I wish I had learned other things, but I do wish we could have met twice a week and maybe have done each meditative technique twice instead of just once.

I really hope to put these techniques to use further down the road, especially at times of high stress. I will definitely keep up the breathing and the yoga, since those are my favorite and make me feel the best.

Body Map

The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.

- Aristotle

Did the body map experiment teach you anything about yourself?

I thought the body map experiment was a lot of fun. However, I don't think I would use it again as meditation. But I do like the idea of using art as a form of meditation. I really love to paint so I think that would be a good thing for me to use as a form of meditation. Honestly, I don't think I really learned anything about myself that I was not aware of before. It was fun though being able to represent myself and also seeing what everybody else had drawn. I find it really interesting to see everybody's different representations of the different chakras. I also think that even if we did a body map using a paint brush, it would be a lot easier for me to express myself.

Kriya Meditation

The word "kriya" means to purify, clean, or clarify. Kriya Meditation forces us to be with our experience in the present moment while visualizing the expression of our experiences into a symbolic construction within the energetic body. In an effort to heal, these energetic centers are visualized leaving the body for a time while the body is "left empty". Upon return of these experiences, we accept our experience back into our bodies as a healed constitution of our existential selves.

What experiences seemed vivid, strong, intense, dull, weak, troubled? Was there a resolution? Did you find it a difficult process to stay focused or did you find yourself in another state of consciousness? Where/when did your mind begin to drift and do you think this significant? Where/when did you feel completely present and what is the significance here?

Since I had to make up a class, I had to do Kriya Meditation twice, and I had different experiences with both of them. When I did it on Wednesday, I really liked it. I think I might have just been in a good mood because of yoga and I had actually gotten eight hours of sleep, but for the rest of the day, I just felt great. My mind didn't wander as much as it usually does and I was able to listen to Anita's voice and the visualizations she made for us.

Tai Chi

Look, and it can't be seen.

Listen, and it can't be heard.

Reach, and it can't be grasped.

Above, it isn't bright.

Below, it isn't dark.

Seamless, unnamable,

it returns to the realm of nothing.

Form that includes all forms,

image without an image,

subtle, beyond all conception.

Approach it and there is no beginning;

follow it and there is no end.

You can't know it, but you can be it,

at ease in your own life.

Just realize where you come from:

this is the essence of wisdom.

- Tao Te Ching, by Lao-tzu

In Lao-Tsu's Tao Te Ching, he is describing the tao, another name for chi. How do you think his description can relate to the practice of Tai Chi? What is the purpose of the chi? Is it a concept to which you are able to relate?

I will finish this later...

Walking Meditation

"An early morning walk is a blessing for the whole day."
- Henry David Thoreau

What part of walking meditation did you enjoy? What was challenging? Is this something you think you will be able to use in the future?

I really loved walking meditation. I absolutely love being outdoors, and I really enjoyed being able to do the class at the Botanical Gardens. I think that being outside is meditative enough just by being able to enjoy the fresh air, but I loved being able to walk around and enjoy all of the beautiful nature and just kind of escape from the hustle and bustle of a normal day in class. The only thing that was really challenging was turning in and only focusing on breathing and enjoying the scenery with all the loud, little kids running around. It really helped though by putting my fingers up to my ears to block sound, and then just listen to my breath. I also kind of did a rhythm with my breathing and walking: inhale for four steps, then exhale for four steps. This method really helped me to just focus and let go of my stress. I really hope to use this in the future just by maybe taking a short little walk in the evening or something when I'm getting stressed.

Yoga

"Man has no Body distinct from his Soul; for that called Body is a portion of Soul discerned by the five Senses, the chief inlets of Soul in this age."

- William Blake

Is yoga mind body consciousness or exercise? What part of the class seemed the most satisfying? Did you feel a state of meditation?

I absolutely love yoga! Yoga is a great form of exercise, which is one reason why I do it, but it's also much more than that. It really is a way to work on mind-body consciousness and a way to sort of "get away". It really makes me feel better and helps me get started with my day. Relaxation yoga is also really great to let go and do more meditating and relaxing. I really loved using the bolsters and laying on top of them holding them; it was really comforting and felt amazing, which is probably why I sleep like that at night. I could definitely feel myself relaxing and starting to go into a meditative state. I could stay like that for a very long time, and I definitely was not ready for class to end...

Progressive Relaxation

Do you think that flexion and release is an effective form of relaxation? Are you finding success in clearing your mind to meditate yet?

I think that this is a great way to relax sometimes. I find that when you flex your muscles for a few seconds and then release them, it helps you to really relax and feel heavy. It almost feels as if you're sinking into the ground. It's still hard for me to fully clear my mind though. Like I have said before, I think way too much and my mind is constantly wandering. But I love learning about the different meditation styles so that I can use all of them at different times, using whichever style I feel is most useful at the time.

Breathing

Did conscious breathing change your quality of relaxation? What did you find helpful? What was difficult?

Focusing on my breathing is one of the best ways for me to actually relax. Like I have said before, I stress out a lot, and very easily (even when I shouldn't), so I am constantly thinking about all the things I have to do later. Conscious breathing allows me to just listen to the ocean-like sound of each breath and just focus on each inhale and exhale. I am a chest breather and I know that I don't fill up my lungs nearly enough, so trying to fill my stomach first at each inhale can be difficult at first, but gets easier with each breath. Now I just need to learn how to do that on a daily basis and not just in my Meditation & Relaxation class or while I'm doing yoga. I believe the best way for me to do this is while laying down, like in savasana. This enables me to expand my rib cage more which allows my lungs to fill up better.
I actually did some conscious breathing just yesterday. I was not able to get much sleep on Sunday night, and Monday was a very long day, as well as very stressful. I also had a headache, which didn't help matters. But I decided to get in bed just to relax, not take a nap. I put on some soothing meditation music, turned off the lights, and focused on my breathing. I really focused on filling up my stomach first as much as I could, then filled up my chest and inhaled until I couldn't anymore. I then slowly exhaled from my chest and then my stomach. After doing this for about 10 or 15 minutes, I felt much better, and even though I was running on little sleep, I felt a bit more energized. I really hope to continue with this method, even if it is only for a few minutes each day, especially on the more stressful days.

Time

"I never think of the future. It comes soon enough." ~Einstein

What is the most important thing to do?

Who are the best people to work with?

When is the best time to do things?

How difficult is it to be in the present? What are your personal challenges? Reflect on your time. Have you found meditation in the small things yet? Have you found time to do the things on your bliss list? What does it mean to waste your time?

I find it very difficult to be in the present. My mind it constantly wandering, whether I am thinking about school stuff that I have to get done, what plans I have for the weekend, or what I might eat for dinner that night. I have ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) so that doesn't help matters. I take medication for it, and it helps as far as getting work done, but when it comes to thinking about NOTHING, then it doesn't help. Focusing on my breathing and on the pleasant music that we listen to really helps though.

I can't say that I am good at finding meditation in the small things. Doing dishes, for example...although I don't mind doing dishes, I can't say that it's fun or that I enjoy doing it. I enjoy having clean dishes and a clean kitchen, but I don't exactly like spending time doing them. I have been trying, however, to not dread it, or dread cleaning in general. Hopefully I will get better at this as time goes on.

My Bliss List includes:

1. Work out
2. Get to sleep earlier
3. Don't procrastinate
4. Stress less (Don't freak out!)
   
5. Have a more positive outlook (even in the smallest things)
   

I find it a bit hard to do these things on my bliss list, at least lately anyway. I haven't been working out lately because, for one thing, I've had a lot to do and haven't found the time. Also, I used to be in really good shape and could work out for a couple of hours no big deal. But because of various things going on with life, I haven't found the time to do it, so I have gotten out of shape. When I do randomly work out, it's really hard for me because I'm used to working out a lot without a problem, and it just makes me really mad when I can't workout like I used to. Getting to sleep earlier is hard for me too. Sometimes I just have a lot of work to do and can't go to sleep until it's all finished. Other times I might get IN the bed at 10 pm, but I'll watch tv until midnight. Procrastinating....ohhh how I procrastinate. I always think, "Oh, I'll do that later," and then I wind up doing things at the last minute trying to hurry and wind up losing sleep over it. This is how I waste the most time. Most of the time, it has to do with the computer. For some reason, I can be on the computer and think I'm just going to check one thing for about 10 minutes, and I'll wind up being on there for a couple of hours! This also, of course, contributes to my stressing out so much. I really don't mean to stress so much. A lot of the times it's just about school; I freak out even when my grades and everything are perfectly fine. As far as being positive goes, I am a pretty positive person (most of the time). But there are definitely those times when I might have a lot going on and be really stressed out when I just have those moments when I think "everything sucks". I just have to remember my favorite saying and stick with that: HAKUNA MATATA!

Meditation & Relaxation

Define "Meditation" and "Relaxation" in your own words. What do you hope to get out of this class?

Meditation can mean many different things to different people. But I believe it is about getting into a more peaceful state of mind. It's where you go (in your mind) to find your "happy place" and not think about things you might have to do later; just be in the present, the here and now. It really helps me to listen to soothing music, like the kind we listen to in class, and I just try to concentrate on the sounds and rhythms of it. Meditation time is also a good time to pray since it is truly one of the only "quiet times" I can ever get.

Relaxation is more about resting your body than your mind, or sometimes it can be both. It is releasing tension in your body, which is important in trying to meditate. Relaxation can kind of go hand-in-hand with meditation in that you sometimes need to let go of all your thoughts in order to fully relax. It's impossible to relax if you're constantly worried about things.

I am really hoping this class will help with my stress levels. For some reason, I freak out really easily, and I even have to take anti-anxiety medication to help with this, yet it still seems to happen. I don't handle stress well at all so I hope this class can help to teach me things to do to ease my worries. I want to have a more positive outlook on life and a calm, peaceful state of mind. :)