BlogHer - meditation - Comments

Great idea

paulag01 — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 07:52:24 -0500

Thanks for sharing Mary. It is a great tool --- doing something new, different each day really forces you to be more mindful because you can't just slip into autopilot, unconscious, "same-old" behavior.

Great for you to take the risk and challenge yourself in this way!

Paula Gregorowicz
The Paula G Company

http://www.thepaulagcompany.com

Mindfulness

maryrichy — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 01:42:14 -0500

I love this idea, and I struggle with mindfulness all the time. I have one trick I've discovered though, and I want to share it with you. For the entire month of June, I've challenged myself to do something new every day. This works on different levels-- for one thing, I put myself in new situations so I am forced to experience new things rather than living on autopilot. It also forces me to examine how I might be naturally inclined to do some things or shy away from others. I'm 2 weeks in and already I feel more capable of focusing on simple moments in my life... I also feel an energy burst from living in the present.

http://www.maryandseansadventuresabroad.blogspot.com

15 minute meditation

alsjax — Fri, 22 May 2009 12:47:21 -0500

I have found that even a simple 15 minute meditation can be incredibly healing suprisingly even more so than a hike or a yoga class (or even a pill!) at times. I have to remind myself of this. The challenge is usually starting the process, sitting down in a peaceful place and taking that first deep breath, the rest comes more easily and the healing effects are almost immediate. Thank you for the reminder today.

Amy S

http://mountainjobs.com/blog

Prayer is calming

AmberS — Wed, 20 May 2009 23:49:54 -0500

I have also found the ritual of prayer calming when I'm feeling anxious or panicky. It helps to center me and bring me back into myself. And I'm not a religious person either. In fact, I'm not even a lapsed person, I grew up in a non-religious household. But still, there's something powerful about reaching out beyond yourself in those moments when your self is falling apart.

And I love the prayer you included. So lovely.

~ Amber

www.strocel.com

Hi Christina

Mata H — Sun, 17 May 2009 19:13:41 -0500

Yes, it is hard to squeeze it in some days -- but in the long run it feels harder to me when I do not. I am still seeking when is the best time -- I am not a morning person -- and I know I need to settle into one set time to really feel at my best.

~~ Contributing Editor, Mata H. also blogs right along at Time's Fool

Time for prayer and meditation

christinajeanne — Sat, 16 May 2009 18:32:58 -0500

Is not always easy. I actually like praying and meditating. I never like to feel like I'm forcing it into my schedule. I used to wake up early for prayer and meditation which was great but also exhausting from waking up too early. Now if I wake up early I will do it in the morning anyway like today if not then I try to set aside sometime for it. Somedays I get it in and somedays I just don't have the time. But, when I do pray and meditate I feel a lot better and my days seem to go a lot smoother.

hi Wilma

Mata H — Fri, 15 May 2009 21:31:51 -0500

Living in gratitude is devotional. I often have to nudge myself into gratitude, but once there, it always feels right.

~~ Contributing Editor, Mata H. also blogs right along at Time's Fool

Gratitude is prayer for me

Wilma Ham — Thu, 14 May 2009 19:38:58 -0500

I feel when I am drinking that divine morning coffee with gratitude I am praying. When I walk to the bathroom for my shower and stop to see the sun shine on the trees, I am praying.
When I am grateful for the WARM water in the shower I am praying.
When I am acting as a real friend I am praying.

When I take time out to access my heart I am praying.
When I am enjoying music with all my heart I am praying.

God is in everything and when I acknowledge those things I acknowledge God.

That is my meditation and prayer, living in gratitude and accessing my heart.

Wilma Ham

www.wilmasblog.com

windysblog, hiya!

Mata H — Thu, 14 May 2009 18:35:28 -0500

Thanks for your comment. The meditation space is coming along. At least the plans are. I have chosen the stone, selected design, found a stone mason...and now I get the funds organized. This may take a few months to start, but I am on the way. This will definitely be for me and others. I am making the prayer wall into a 2 foot tall box shape with earth and plants inside --- I like the image of watering the plants with our prayers....letting the earth convert our sorrows....and I will hold your concerns in my prayers, too.

~~ Contributing Editor, Mata H. also blogs right along at Time's Fool

emmuk74, hi!

Mata H — Thu, 14 May 2009 18:31:26 -0500

It is interesting, isn't it that all world religions call upon us to pray/meditate -- to center, to empty, to listen...and to ground ourselves in "the now".Thanks for your comment!

Devotional practice does take work...and is worth it!

~~ Contributing Editor, Mata H. also blogs right along at Time's Fool

A Special Place

windysblog — Thu, 14 May 2009 15:09:35 -0500

Mata,

Thanks for the reminder about prayer. My life is in transition once again, and I am frequently tossing one liners up to God like "what do I do NOW?" or "I need help with this."

And although I believe that God does answer those quick prayers, for me, it's the prayerful meditation that brings about the most change. It's the time we take to quiet our minds and empty out all of the random thoughts so that we can have that great communication with God.

I am so happy that you are going to dedicate a special place for yourself to go to for your prayer time. I hope it will be blessed with calmness and that it will bring to you everything that you need for communion with God. I know it will be a special place for you, and possibly for others to enjoy also!

Without prayer I'm bumbling in the dark

emmuk74 — Thu, 14 May 2009 14:28:38 -0500

Literally!! Without prayer I'm bumbling in the dark, I'm trying to run the shop myself and that quickly leads to bad decisions, muddled thinking, quick judgements, confusion and spiralling into my dark places.

I have had my christian faith for all my adult life but it's only in the last 2 years that I have finally handed my will and my life over to God. It sounds simple, it's no longer my decisions on my judgements; now it's God's will for me acted out by me. Of course hearing that will for me is the tricky part and that's where prayer and meditation comes in.

Every morning I spend at least 15 minutes (if I can I get 30minutes) in quiet reflective meditation and prayer. the location changes depending on the awakeness of the rest of the family and the pattern of the day ahead but what really matters never changes, I hand my day over to God. I start by thanking Him again for the blessings of yesterday and the good nights sleep. I then hand myself over with the serenity prayer "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference. Amen" After this I try to empty my mind of worries, concerns, resentments, fears and anticipations and let myself be open to hear what I need to hear. This period is often noisy as my mind has trouble letting go of fear especially but sometimes that blessed silence comes down and a deep feeling of being open is achieved. Once I have really reflected on the importance of me not being in the driving seat I start to think about the day ahead; the activities, the challenges and the excitements to come. I hand myself over with "God, I hand myself over to you, to do as you will and to relieve me of self. May I always do your will." I remember that yesterday is past and unchangeable and that tomorrow is still to come and uncontrollable; all that I have to worry about is what has to be done today and it's purpose.

And so I start my day, I am focussed, I am listening and I head out into the world. Several times a day I try and stop and listen again and I end the day in a similar vane, handing over my day with thanks, handing over my resentments and fears so they no longer haunt me and asking for the night to fill my spiritual vessel with energy for tomorrow.

Emma

Mum, Wife, student counsellor and Licensed Lay Minister

http://llmcalling.blogspot.com

Early morning prayer

Mata H — Tue, 05 May 2009 09:01:05 -0500

Different strokes for different folks. If I tried to pray for an hour as the first thing in the morning, I am not sure I could get past the word --"coffffffffee".

~~ Contributing Editor, Mata H. also blogs right along at Time's Fool

God Comes First

fosjoh — Mon, 04 May 2009 00:28:35 -0500

John Foster http://www.his-love.us

God Comes first in my Life. I expect that God will look after me and provide for me. In return God expects some of my time to be spent in prayer. I dedicate the first part of my day to prayer and spending time in God's company. There is something magical about being in prayer for one hour or longer. It seems that as you approach the hour mark, the doors to the inner sanctuary of God open, and you stand right in his prescence. It is one hour, not just talking and praying, but sitting quietly and listening as well. Therefore, I get up one hour earlier, and decicate that time to Him. If I do not make the sacrifice of getting up early, I would never be able to find the time in a busy day, to enjoy His company and spend quality time with Him.

thanks Deena

Mata H — Sat, 02 May 2009 18:30:20 -0500

One of the fine things about meditation, an added side benefit, is that it unites us all regardless of tradition. We are all floating in the same river. Just wearing different swimming gear.

~~ Contributing Editor, Mata H. also blogs right along at Time's Fool