On Meditation

It has been months.

I am so lucky that Blogger is linked through Google, or I wouldn't even have known where to find this.

I read through what I had been writing, and then clicked on a draft called "On Meditation" - it was an empty page. So that's where this picks up.

Day two of the minimalism challenge was to meditate for fifteen minutes and I couldn't do it! I could not sit and meditate for a mere quarter of an hour. I downloaded an app for guided meditation and I just could not stand to sit still, back straight, for more than, like, five minutes. And I felt nothing.

"Meditation reduces stress and anxiety and gives you a ton of extra energy and mental clarity. Use an app like Headspace to give it a try today."

I have often thought of meditation as a broader term for other calming things I like to do. When I got  upset as a teen, I would walk around my neighborhood with my film camera and snap photos. I'd explore the little patch of woods and people's yards, looking for things that seemed out of place or especially beautiful. It was so soothing. Photographing in that way is so important to me and so special. I think that counts as meditation.

Recently, I began to pray again. Religion will probably be a whole post of its own later on, but for now let me tell you that God(dess) and I have not spoken in quite some time. But a few weeks ago, and I couldn't tell you what compelled me to do it, I decided to say hello.

I had been spending my lunch breaks pacing back and forth in the parking lot at work, mindlessly gazing at my phone, for weeks. But then one day, I stuck my phone back in my pocket, took in the sunshine and sweet afternoon breeze, and started talking to...whoever. Out loud. (Though I'm far enough that no one can hear and think I've lost my marbles.) Basically I've just been chatting with Them (God should be gender neutral, right?) about how things are going, things I am thankful for, and things I am worrying about. And then I contemplate silently. And then I say, talk to you soon.

And really, I think that is meditation, too. I am counting my blessings and spending time reflecting. I am considering my feelings. Spending time alone with my thoughts.

I'm probably wrong but I'm going to say that these count as meditation.

Heck, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that writing this blog is meditation, too.