I couldn’t ever see the point of it to be honest. How was a few minutes each day chanting some jumbo jumbo going to help me in my life?
I put it down to something done in the Himalayans by Buddhists and drug-taking hippies.
Wind forward some years, and my wife, Kathy, decided to take it up. Again I couldn’t get this idea of repeating some mantra and finding it life-changing.
Then, one day, wandering through the App Store on my iPad I found Headspace. I thought, OK, I’ll give it a listen. It was a free introduction after all. I was surprised as there was this guy talking to me in plain English and not using some weird words or chant. He explained how it worked, and I gave it a try. After a couple of false starts I’ve now incorporated meditation, or mindfulness, into my daily routine. Guess what? It works.
I’ve found a sense of calm, and relaxation. Unwinding a little, if you will. The idea is simple when explained. It’s a way to rest the mind, to cleaner the mind of all the mental distractions that go on all day, and actually focus on the ‘here and now’; the present.
It’s early days for me yet, but I’m certainly going to continue with this. Like most things it takes time to get ‘up to speed’; to train the mind to learn how to focus better, and how it can be used at almost anytime during the day. It can be done while at work, or with others. One doesn’t have to sit cross-legged on the floor with head bowed mumbling to oneself! Those around you need not even notice.
It’s all about giving your head space.