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Breath In, Breath Out, Repeat

I do a mindful meditation.  Focus on the breath.  When thoughts come, notice and then return to the breath.  Notice what is going on in the body and send breath to any place of tension or pain.

I am looking for a place of clarity and total letting go.

Although lately not so much, sometimes I get there.  I tell myself I will hang on to that.

Sometimes I wake up in the morning and I think what a beautiful day.  I am just going to enjoy it.
I have a cup of coffee while watching the sun rise and listening to a flock of tiny little sparrows chirping as they flit around the bushes in the yard.

 But I always end up turning on my computer to check emails and read blogs with my second cup of coffee.

The NYT headline flashes in the upper right hand corner of the screen.  My stomach knots and my breath catches in my chest.  My inner Dorothy Parker screams out Oh what fresh hell is this?

 For my own health and well being I need to resist.

But I also need to resist the lure of watching the crash and burn, to convince myself that this too shall pass.

Comments

  1. Margaret (Peggy or Peg too)January 25, 2017 at 8:59 AM

    Olga what is your secret for mindful meditation. Been trying and failing which then makes me feel worse. I can seem to quiet my mind sompletely.
    For self preservation I have disabled facebook off phone and computer, only read work email except 1 day a week I will read personal emails and have limited myself from the news. It has been very helpful but I have a ways to go yet. But struggle with this meditation and it has begun to feel like another burden or something else which I can't control.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. OlgaJanuary 25, 2017 at 7:29 PM

      Mindful meditation is a practice, don't try for perfection. We are supposed to have thoughts; we are human. The goal is to notice the thoughts, acknowledge them, and then return to the breath. It may not seem intuitive, but joining a group for guided meditation helps me.

      Delete
    2. Margaret (Peggy or Peg too)January 26, 2017 at 10:25 AM

      Thanks Olga. I have never seen a group before. Perhaps away from home I would have less distractions. Hmmm....thanks I have to look for this now. :-)

      Delete
  2. RianJanuary 25, 2017 at 9:51 AM

    Olga, I agree that meditation is good. I never completely get to the quiet place, but do try. Occasionally one feels totally in the moment, but it is rare. I too avoid anything on Facebook or the news that has to do with the election... as it is all a bit frightening. I too try to dissociate myself from it for my own peace of mind.

    ReplyDelete
  3. SextantJanuary 25, 2017 at 10:19 AM

    I have never been able to silence the idiot in my mind. I have come to accept that meditation requires more discipline than I possess. As such I am something of a spiritual theorist, rather than a practitioner.

    What to do about the train wreck that our political life has become is beyond me. The pendulum will swing back, but I fear the destruction will be vast. But as you noted, this too shall pass.

    ReplyDelete
  4. TaborJanuary 25, 2017 at 10:58 AM

    Hold my hand. We all are feeling this to some degree with some days worse than others. WE must fight this new hell. We must remain strong and strategic! I am taking a course on health and meditation that I got as a Christmas gift. I must do lesson 2 today and quit putting this off.

    ReplyDelete
  5. SakuJanuary 25, 2017 at 9:24 PM

    I don't know what to say except I hope for the best. It's horrible to think that one man can have such a negative influence on so many.

    Good luck in finding some peace in the mindful meditation.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Linda ReederJanuary 25, 2017 at 11:27 PM

    I cannot stop watching and listening and reacting. I am better off knowing. At least Tom and I can talk about it all together.
    I can still escape by exercising and reading a novel and watching a good TV show or a movie.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Arkansas PattiJanuary 26, 2017 at 2:16 PM

    I too have been trying to abstain from the noise and regain my calm but the usual methods aren't working so well. It is that incredible train wreck that is almost impossible to ignore that keeps me riled. Sigh.

    ReplyDelete
  8. joaredJanuary 28, 2017 at 1:14 AM

    I've never really gotten into meditation but a friend says she finds it beneficial but often cant quiet her mind. I find the process of body relaxation quieting. I'm not really becoming.emotionally distraught about the serious situation we're living through, but I am focused on what I can and cannot do now and later to combat what's happening. There is a certain calming effect believing that I'm doing what I can -- not a helpless victim, because I'm convinced there are many others doing what I'm doing and more. We will make a difference.

    ReplyDelete
  9. angelaJanuary 30, 2017 at 8:31 PM

    Hello. Just found your blog. I'll be back to visit
    Yes it is getting harder and harder to find that peaceful centre these days.
    It's a mad house out there.
    Pop over and visit if you like xxx

    ReplyDelete
  10. BarbaraFebruary 10, 2017 at 2:55 AM

    Darn it all I just typed a reply and my profile didn't pop up and I lost it. You'll see in my latest post I deleted the cookies and now I have to re-sign in all my favorite blogs. So forgive me for the do comment.

    ReplyDelete

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