My meditation practise is mostly based on silence. In that ten-day silent retreat I took so many years ago, the emphasis was on stilling the mind by focusing strictly on breathing. No mantras. No icons. No props. It was pretty darned basic and therefore very portable and available to anyone in any circumstance.
I don’t know about you, but sometimes it’s hard to find some silence. When the hockey game is on downstairs or there are just bodies roaming around the house, it’s pretty hard to keep focused on inhalations and exhalations. Enter the meditation CD.
Putumayo makes great CDs already and this is one of their lablog that they sent me to review. The cover reads YOGA. But since I don’t do that much yoga at home, preferring to go to my class instead, I decided to try it with my meditation practise. Meditation is definitely in my at-home routine.
I found it to be just soothing enough to create relaxation without being like that bland stuff that some less-than-stellar spas still think is pretty cool. Instead, it’s got enough international edge to it to keep the mind engaged but mellow.
In fact, it’s playing right now while I type. The words are foreign enough that I don’t get caught up in some distracting lyrics – always a bonus when writing – and the music not so smooth as to make my brain fall asleep.
And anything that hints at a little bit of India is always good for a smile.
I’m not great at meditating–can’t turn my busy brain off. But I learned about walking meditation a while ago. At first I found that difficult but then I tried out a labrynth /labrinth?
while I was in Arizona. I went every day to a home made one and worked on blurring my vision, gazing downward, while following the route. It was immensely helpful for relaxation. Yesterday I went to the one at St. Hilda’s and walked once around, shutting everyone else out. I was truly refreshed. I’d love to make one in the yard!
I’ve never walked the one at St. Hilda’s…just might have to give that a go. I know there’s one in Vancouver that is candlelit and accompanied with music on Friday nights? I think it’s the one in the West End…the name escapes me right now. That would be cool too. I think we need to go with whatever works. And I just looked up the spelling…it is an odd word for sure…labyrinth. Let me know when you finish the one in your yard…I’ll be there.