DatNilla Meditates

One of my goals for this year is to begin meditating on a regular basis. I have meditated a little bit in the past, including taking a class called Relaxation Training in college (if it or something similar is offered at your university, I would definitely recommend it) but I was never able to get into a regular routine. This past Wednesday I attended a thirty minute sit and lecture at the Zen Center of Asheville. I figure I will better my chances of developing a regular meditation schedule if I actually get out of the house and go do it with other people. (at least at the beginning)

Upon arrival I told the instructor that it was my first time at the center. He gave me the quick overview and basically said, "sit down and shut up". Much easier said than done. After just a few minutes I was already anticipating the ringing of the bell signaling that the thirty minutes were up. My mind was constantly racing between this and that. Am I slouching? What's that noise outside? My knee hurts! etc. etc.

This is quite normal for beginners, so I'm told. The important thing is realizing that these are just thoughts. They will come and go, and to get your mind back to what you were doing.

After zazen and the lecture afterwards, I walked outside feeling like a new person. I was much calmer, and felt much better mentally than I had before. It's amazing what a quick thirty minutes can do. I plan to continue attending these sessions regularly and more posts on the topic may appear in the future.

Do you meditate? What has it done for you? Are there any tips or tools that you would like to share?