Deepening my Practice

I have recently started a new course to become a qualified and certified Meditation Teacher and since starting the course I have felt that my existing practice may have not been deep enough for my overall wellbeing.

There has been aspects of my personality that have become more apparent and overwhelming in certain situations, and when experiencing these emotions and having practiced mindfulness for a long time, have not been pleasant to experience and live with . it can actually cause me to spiral further at times and almost double down on the mood. I know that it is ok to experience these emotions…we are after all human and cannot function without them; but at these times, I have noticed that it is affecting me more than it should.

I recently heard that our reaction to stimuli like this lasts for 90 seconds and after that, we are prolonging the emotion. For me I have noticed more and more that this is true, that I can return to a more neutral or even happy stance very quickly but that for some reason, choose to prolong the state I am in.

With this in mind, I have taken steps to deepen my practice and begin using Metta or Loving Kindness meditation more often. I am also trying to learn a little more about breath work and this morning completed an energising breath meditation on Apple Fitness + with Jessica Skye after I meditated for 30 minutes listening to Binaural beats on Headspace and focusing on a certain part of the track. This practice has really helped my mood as I was feeling a little scatter brained and demotivated to be creative or learn anything new. Now I have written this blog post and will work through a little more of my new course.

As for the loving kindness, I have noticed that I am not as reactive for as long and this has been reflected in one of my children’s reactions to my mood. She has been able to take her mood down a little quicker maybe because I haven’t gone overboard with mine.

What a wonderful thing to have experienced this morning.