personal, Wellbeing
Published on December 31, 2021
Comments 20

Who wants to join me in a meditative new resolution?

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So grateful to be locking down here in the rainforest for COVID-19

Like all of us, I’m glad to have made it unscathed to the end of this year. Surrounding me have been lockdowns, high tensions about vaccination rates (we called it the ‘strollout’ at first here in Australia), and now the surging stress of Omicron.

*sigh

I am utterly blessed and grateful to live where I do, with my trees, birds, and nearby creek. My latest New Year’s Eve plans have all been shelved, with Covid cases soaring both locally and nationally, and a party in my pyjamas and living room is more appealing by the day.

Still can't believe this is my sunset view over 50 in my tree change

(Or an early night. I could handle an early night.)

But today, I came across a blogging recommendation for the Insight Timer app. Have you heard of it? At least three of my friends swear by it, and I’ve been meaning to check it out…

So I downloaded it, and listened to my first 20-min talk sitting on the [pictured] verandah in the early sunshine, after several days of rain.

It felt great.

Then I started thinking about all my blogging friends/regular readers, who live around the world, but have had a similarly stressful year… and I bloomed the idea to invite us all to a daily meditation practise.

Five minutes minimum, but averaging about 20 minutes.

Morning, noon, or night: find the time that works for you of course.

The Insight Timer app was free; if you listen to a teacher regularly, you are invited to donate to them (which seems fair), and $2 was the suggested lowest amount.

Who’s in? We could do a weekly round up of how well we’ve done, as the app keeps track of your useage; if you’re NOT in, you’ll know which posts to avoid, as I’ll use the image of my own Meditation bowl [below] from Nepal at the top of the posts.

I just love the idea of looking back in a year’s time, and seeing what we’ve done together.

Because meditation is intangible, yet so profound: this morning, I tuned in to this specific talk on Equanimity, and was challenged to picture someone I don’t like- I chose a local fellow who doesn’t like me either, and who kept flirting with my ex in front of me (he just popped into my mind, so I went with the impulse).

As I pictured him, I felt myself sneering a little in distaste, which is my usual reaction. Then, as I followed the teacher’s suggestions, and practised recognising that he was on his own unique spiritual path, just as I am, with his own personal set of causes/conditions/challenges/struggles, just as I am, and that he too simply wants to flourish and be happy, I understood more easily that it’s not my job to control him, or even react to him, but just to let him Be.

I felt relieved, and relaxed.

The teacher also invited listeners to picture a stranger, and a loved one, to do the same process with; it was enlightening.

So what do you think? Will you join me in a new resolution??

We don’t have to be strict about it… but I would love to try my best, and extend the invitation, if it appeals…

Let me know if you’re coming along for the Mindfulness Ride of 2022.

And if not, that’s fine of course- I send everyone who’s read this far my best wishes for health and wellbeing for you, your family, & loved ones for the coming year.

In gratitude for teachers and cushions, G xO

20 Comments

  1. gigglingfattie says

    Happy New Year, G! Your plans sound amazing and I will be doing the exact same (with the addition of pizza haha). I always start each day with about 15 mins of quiet. It really helps to wake my mind and balance out my day. I read my bible and have my breakfast in silence and tech free. Its not meditation but its my own quiet disconnected time and I love it!

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  2. jodie jordan says

    Hello Gab, I would love to join you in meditation. Thank you so much for the offering, the invitation to stillness. Love ya Jodie

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  4. LA says

    I have my mini mindful morning. I sit on my meditation cushion (it sets me in a place) I turn on a song on headphones, I read a page out of my mini mindful book and then I just sit. It totally chills me before I start my day.

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