Being mindful has been simple for me however, the need to meditate, not so much. I resisted for many years. Yet when people mentioned how wonderful it is for them, I told them that yoga and hikes in the woods were my meditation.
However, Transcendental Meditation ( TM) always intrigued me. I have heard about this organization on and off for 20 years and admired their method of teaching. A few years ago the need to mediate felt necessary. I finally enrolled my daughter Pearl and myself in their course. The timing was ideal because:
a) I am in busy, crazy LA, and it’s accessible with numerous centers.
b) My daughter is an actor, and learning meditation would be incredibly beneficial for her.
I loved everything I learned in TM. It’s science-based with a ton of research to back it up. And wow, Pearl took to understanding the why the need to meditate is essential to being mindful. If you have a TM center close to you, go to it. It was a fabulous weekend.
I’m busy: physically and mentally. I enjoy getting outdoors and moving my body, yet sitting seemed challenging. Although, I began feeling a strong pull to slow down for a few minutes each day to be quiet and focus. Within a few weeks of daily TM, I felt much more relaxed, empathetic, and compassionate.
A few other benefits from mediating
Mental Clarity
- I do not depend as much on my botanical medicine and supplements.
- ( and Pearl, my daughter, is doing better on tests)
More Inspired
More Aware
- Although I haven’t taken my blood pressure, my heart feels healthy and balanced, and I bet any inflammation I may have in my body has decreased.
With TM, they suggest committing to 2- 20 minutes sessions a day. I found this was difficult. I do feel better when I am consistent, however, when I didn’t guilty and overwhelmed. Unfortunately, it is not a feeling I wanted, but then I discovered Insight Timer and Headspace. Both are brilliant. You can set your specific time durations from 5 minutes to 20 ( or more). And you can choose from a variety of session ( series) topics.
I LOVE them both and recommended it to many patients. It’s a big part of preventative medicine.
xx
Thanks to Simon Rae for sharing their work on Unsplash.
