Miserable Musings about Mondays that Motivate Mindfulness and Meditation

Ugh. Monday. I am guessing that all of us Monday to Friday’ers have some varying degree of disregard for Mondays—not exactly a rocket science statement by Salad Girl.

Today, rereading my posts, I am annoyed by my cheerful post entitled “I heart Saturdays”. The tone about Saturdays seems so hopeful, and foreign, as aggravation sits heavily on my head today. All because the weekend is over? What a sad statement on my moodiness...

Today’s post is about meditation. I am wondering a lot lately if people pay much attention to their thought patterns, because I sure do to mine. And I would like to bet that for many, it takes some sadness, a big flu, or a stressful event to spur some time to look inward. I am an expert on the workings of my mind. It could be my addiction to writing in my journal, but I trace it to Yoga and meditation. In Yoga practice, you choose to carve out some time to slow down ‘other life’ and quietly watch and observe the qualities of your thoughts while practicing asanas, or postures. I adore the flowing style of Yoga, called vinyasa, because linking the postures with inhalations and exhalations becomes like a dance and it amazes me what creativity, clarity, peace and joy comes to me while practicing, not to mention a good sweat and stretch. (note to self—practice more on Mondays!)

Yoga is just a physical form of meditation. I have to laugh when I say aloud “I meditate” because for ages I thought meditating was sitting cross legged with your eyes closed and emptying your brain. It can be, but I have learned that this is just one kind of meditation—the Mr Miyagi kind if you will. Meditating is thinking, and being mindful of your inner world. You can sit still if you like, you can go for a quiet walk or run without music, you can pick up your pet and cuddle with her, you can sneak a few minutes in your cubicle at work to breathe deeply, or you can soak in a bath tub and be with your thoughts. Focusing on your breath provides you with a means to streamline your thoughts. You can even try and just label the chatter in your mind “thinking”, and let it pass you by like a fluffy cloud. Mediation is allowing yourself to—well, be.

Interestingly, both Yoga and Meditation have the goal of bringing one in to the moment. Take a minute and think about it-- when are you truly in a moment? My random answers are: when you jump in a cold lake on a hot day, when tasting a delicious wine, when hugging someone you love for that first moment after you haven’t seen him or her in ages, the moment when a movie breaks your guards down and makes you cry, the first time you kiss a new love interest, when you know 100% the right answer on Jeopardy. Is there a way to harness the “in the moment”ness of these experiences?

Meditation makes you more focused and less stressed. It teaches you to watch your reactions when the going gets tough or someone pisses you off. It promotes energy, creativity and loving kindness. Try it and you will see what I am saying, as well as why the practice has been around for eons.

A word of warning, though: practice makes you know yourself. And it’s not always easy to be in close touch with your feelings—this is why denial and addiction are so attractive!

No last tips today.
But, today’s blog post is brought to you by:
1. Mediation—a great tool to deal with the fact that one must be in the moments that make up a Monday.
2. My middle finger, raised up high because I think you are number one, Monday!
3. And the letter M. (Oh, to relive the days when Mondays meant Sesame Street would be on again for five days.....)