I really am trying to commit to meditation and mindfulness. It will take time to calm my racing mind. So everyday I’m committing time to my new mindset. I’ve downloaded some apps. If only it was that easy.

  • My Doctor recommended a mediation app. I most admit it looked good until I came across the price. £300 per year. That’s stress inducing numbers….
  • I looked at alternatives apps. Many offered free elements. The first one was really good. Soothing music, dreamlike words. All was great as I enjoyed my first meditation session. That was until the app suddenly stopped with the message – to continue please purchase the full licence. Stress rising…..
  • Then the next app was tried. Yes it kinda worked. My mind was filled with just one thought. What an annoying and patronising voice. I had a sudden urge to throw a large object at the so called calming voice.
  • Then the next app had a more acceptable voice. Lie down and concentrate on your body. Fully sense how it feels. Focus on those sensations. Let everything else drift away…. Well that’s fine but all I could sense was my tight hamstring, my sore hip and my hurting finger from the earlier incident with a kettlebell. My mind was filled with three words- oh that hurts. Stress rising.
  • Then another attempt disrupted by a never ending telephone ringing…. stress rising as I start shouting. Will you stop ringing Im trying to meditate…..

I will get there. I will crack this meditation thing. The benefits are too much to ignore. But maybe there is a simpler thing to remember. Just walking outside. Sitting comfortably and just watching nature at work. The natural worlds stress busting app is still the best option out there and it’s free.

106 thoughts on “Meditation”

  2. I would recommend Youtube videos. When I am trying to relax my mind, I go on there and find videos like this one, Enchanted Forest Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09r8XdHRWe8&list=FLxTpFoHrYejltTg0MDXZ5nw&index=54&t=468s or if you’re into the more natural sounds, then there are some great “1 hour of nature sounds” or “1 hour of rain” or “1 hour of waves crashing against the shore” compilations too – there is no speaking voice in any of these, I find that more distracting than helpful.

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      1. I know that feeling. My Mum went into a Mental health hospital, and tried to commit suicide. Instead she blinded herself in one eye. I have to talk myself into being positive all the time.

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  4. You are so funny – I especially could relate to the patronizing voice
    —
    And cheers to the basic walking – my hubs is a regular morning walker and he has modeled much for me – I kind of hate making time to walk but I ALWAYS am happy once I do it. Not sure why I feel the way to avoid walks – hmmm
    —
    Anyhow – after teaching yoga for a coo hike years and after exploring meditation (which inky ever worked for me at the end of a good yoga class) well I tell people to first work on breathing first.
    Deep and advanced mediation is sometimes connected to relaxin the body so much that it can experience certain brain waves in Lower consciousness
    —
    And how does that all happen?
    It is all in the breathe
    We use breathing to meditate
    And life is in the breath!
    And so you have it right when you say to go outside and sit in the sunshine
    –
    Look up square breathing (box breathing) and try the skin diver breathing – inhale three times – as much as you can take in and then exhale slowly
    —
    😉

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  5. If you ever want an alternative to sitting and meditating, there’s such a thing as walking meditation. That said, I love your idea of sitting or being in nature. My number one meditation for years has been mowing our lawn – sitting and driving in circles for a little over an hour.

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      1. Sorry to hear that. Our lawn is stress inducing for my husband because he’s got ADD (diagnosed by a doctor) which he refuses to treat. He gets overwhelmed and it takes him 2 days to get through what could be a little over an hour, once a week.

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  8. I have been meditating for about 6 years… I can tell you some things common to all of the various teachers I have learned from:
    Focus on your breath
    Your mind will wander
    As thoughts enter, allow them to float on by as if on a cloud
    Return to the breath
    Start with one or two minutes
    Sit comfortably in the same place each day
    Try to meditate at the same time each day
    But after some practice, allowing the thoughts to float by and finding the space growing in between the thoughts is what is most important
    And unattaching to any external noise or experience

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      3. Honestly I would not have mentioned it if he wasn’t getting something out of it cos he is really, truly not that type. Some of it is about analyzing your behaviour but in a helpful way, like just taking that wee bit time later in every day to think of the things you maybe could have done better and why, and the things you did do well etc.. But there’s all kinds of diff bits to it and he just does the actual online bit for ten mins a day. I always think the biggest bit of anything like this, is knowing that there is a problem in your life, be that stress, whatever, cos then you can start to try to change it, change yourself that way.

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      11. Yeah, one must live aliftime in that one day actually. When we get to October and we ‘ve given up tapping the feet and fingers, we aye say, ‘Do you mind that Wednesday at the start of May?’ (Or whenever… ) ‘That was summer.”

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  10. I also have a post or two about meditation, and there is a physical thing you can do by closing your eyes and rub fingers up bridge of both sides of your nose, over and above your eyes to make circles around yours eyes that really can ease the mind racing or mind chatter, especially when one begins learning meditation. ❤️🦋🌀

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  15. If you can, find a Buddhist group in your community. Take a class on the basics of meditating, create a space in your home to just sit. The Buddhist sangha I belong to follows Thich Nhat Hanh. I read Peace is Every Step first. Simple advice.

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  18. I let my mind wander… it fun to see where it wanders to😉
    The sunset every night is my “meditation” it calms me, sometimes I get excited, but in a good way. Nature is so healing! And you have so much, in every direction.

    Another trick I used when negative thoughts would get on the hamster wheel and spin in my head was singing “Yellow Submarine” it worked🤷🏼‍♀️😂💌

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  20. I went on a banking course many years ago and the instructor believed in meditation after lunch, so we all had to lie on the floor, cushions were provided for our heads, close our eyes and let our minds drift. Her voice was very soothing, and I fell asleep.

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  22. Ive been using ‘insight timer’ for the last 3 years and find it great. you can save your favourites and re visit them as often as you like that way you dont save the ones that annoy you. It is a difficult process at first but as someone else said earlier when you feel like you just cant still your mind and you wander off just focus back on your breath. It gradually gets easier and I found that my breathing throughout the day was much steadier and i was more aware of when I felt stressed. Keep going, just taking that time for yourself will be beneficial.

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  23. I find doing things that foster mindfulness such as sitting outside on a chair looking at my flowers or watching the birds has helped more than any attempt at meditation. It feels more natural to me as my stressed thoughts seem to go away without as much effort as intentionally trying to meditate. Good luck!

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  25. I am going to make a serious statement here: If it costs money, it is not about you, but aboout the money. Money and spiritualism do not go together. My best advice, Gary, is learn to meditate on your own. It will be much more satisfying, and HELPFUL. You don’t need music, though if you have something you already love that is quietly about sound, try that before anything else–but it is not necessary. Ancient Buddhist and Hindu monks either used silence, or their own voices. Does that tell you anything. Nor do you need a guiding voice. Practice makes perfect. Calm the body, think beyond the ego, and learn to touch your spirit. It will cost you nothing, and shouldn’t.

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  28. Laughing… this reminds me of one of the Peppa Pig episodes I watched. I don’t know anything about that whole meditation thing, but walking and talking works wonders. 😀

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  32. I am so sorry to hear about the joint pain. Please know that you are not alone in your stressors, and that things will get better. What matters is that you are trying your best, and I know that you will soon be on your way with meditation. We all start somewhere. As for your meditation apps, a great way to avoid the cost is to look up guided meditations on YouTube where you might find some more diverse options. Best of luck!

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