(Graphic from Chopra Center Meditation)
Like other things in life, meditation takes practice. It is one of those things we (I) wish we had more time to do. But, meditation can actually take as little as five minutes a day. In the past two years, I have meditated on and off. In addition to helping me through a tough experience I went through two years ago, meditation also helped me relax throughout my pregnancy. I find it to be an excellent way to clear my mind. It also helps me relax at the end of the day. I will meditate at night when I am trying to get to sleep and that endless list of things to do starts to run through my mind. I haven’t been very good about meditating regularly since I had Alessandra. I am exhausted at the end of each day and pretty much give a sigh of relief when I lay my head on the pillow at night. It is a good feeling of exhaustion, of a day well spent, not a bad feeling….but it is still exhaustion. And, even now, as long as my days can be, sometimes I have a hard time falling asleep because my mind starts to run through that list of things to do or things I wasn’t able to get done that day.
Like with other exercises and skills in life, sometimes we need a teacher or coach to help us get back on track or sharpen our skills. So, when I heard Oprah Winfrey & Deepak Chopra were presenting another FREE 21-Day Meditation Experience, I signed up immediately! It started yesterday, October 31. The title is Creating Peace From Inside Out: The Power of Connection. The meditation experience description states it is about creating peace within oneself. By doing this, we open up to our relationships and our world. This meditation experience will guide us through leaving self-judgment and conflict behind. We will embrace our inner peace! Sounds good to me!
(Graphic from Chopra Center Meditation)
I am always working on my inner peace! It is an on-going practice for me. I am trying to be less judgmental, to not hold grudges, to let things go, to not let others actions affect me emotionally, and to not be so hard on myself. Luckily, I don’t have conflict in my life. This has come from trying (my best) to let things go and accept others as they are. It has been incredibly helpful for me and brought me inner peace! The only actions and emotions I can control are my own. I still worry about things, which I realize doesn’t do me any good, so I am continuing to work on this. Self-judgment is something I also need to work on. I have high expectations of myself and have a need to always feel I am being productive. I am guilty of sometimes being hard on myself for not getting as much done in a day as I had planned or currently for not losing all the pregnancy weight yet. These are all things I am working on. As a mom, now I have less control over my day and less hours to get things done. My priorities and responsibilities have changed. I am the main caregiver for our daughter and this is my priority. I am learning that if I don’t complete that blog post I planned for the day or get in a workout, because Alessandra took a shorter nap, I had to take her to a doctor’s appointment, or it was more important to sit down and play with her, that is ok. I have to remind myself that taking care of our daughter is being productive and the most important job I have ever had!
(Graphic from Chopra Center Meditation)
I am looking forward to hearing from Oprah & Deepak during this Creating Peace From the Inside Out Meditation Experience! Hopefully, I will sleep better the next 21 days! Even though the Meditation Experience started yesterday, you can still sign up for FREE here. You can still begin with the first meditation and catch up. The audio guided meditations are available daily, with past days being left on-line for a few days, but don’t wait too long because they are closed after I believe five days. Don’t miss this opportunity to enjoy this guided meditation experience for the next 21 days! You can meditate from the comfort of your home or whenever (wherever) you have a few minutes in your day. Sessions are approximately twenty minutes and start with a few inspiring words from Oprah and Deepak. I usually meditate at home, but have also meditated at the gym, on flights, at hotels, on the beach, and at parks. Similar guided meditations can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars, so it’s extra nice that we can sign up for these for FREE!
Hope you enjoy Creating Peace From the Inside Out: The Power of Connection! I know I will!
Happy meditating!
Have you meditated in the past? Have you done any of the Oprah & Deepak Meditation Experiences?
Hugs,
Paola
PS: How I have been learning to meditate to clear my mind before going to sleep and past Oprah & Deepak meditation experiences I have written about.