Reflecting On My 6-Month Meditation Journey: Why I Got Started + What Happened

​I’ve been practicing and teaching yoga for a decade, but it wasn’t until about six months ago that I established a consistent meditation practice for myself. Though I've practiced sitting many times in class and on trainings, I never made it a point to sit down every day. Until now.

​I started journaling about my six-month meditation journey, and I decided to turn it into a blog post. Here’s what happened: 
 
Six months ago, I had been working remotely for almost a year. I resisted work-from-home, eager to end COVID-19 quarantine and get back to my daily routine, my friends and family, my yoga community. As a result of this resistance, I became lethargic, uninspired, “languishing,” is the word they used, and I started lying in bed later and later in the morning, sometimes for almost an hour or more. I stayed in my PJs all day, because what was the point? I indulged in comfort foods, and I binged a lot of TV. Though I was able to get some movement in and reset a bit on the weekends, I wasn’t my normal self. 
 
At the time, I was also having trouble with a disruptive neighbor who kept me awake at night. When I moved to a quieter space in which to call home, though, I finally surrendered. I was getting better sleep (something I won’t take for granted ever again), and I finally surrendered to the knowledge that I needed to do better. I accepted that we might be working from home for a while, and I promised myself I’d come up with a better routine.
 
I’d heard Deepak Chopra say in an interview that the best time to meditate is first thing in the morning, so that’s what I decided to do. I started meditating each morning for 10-20 minutes, sometimes in silence, sometimes with guided audio. I’ve been meditating every day for more than six months, and what a gift it’s been. When I say every day, I mean that I meditate every weekday morning, and I give myself a little bit of grace on weekend, knowing I usually get my meditation in during yoga practice or on a hike. 

There are plenty of documented benefits to practicing meditation. Thousands of research studies have suggested measurable effects: Meditation can literally change the areas of the brain that govern learning, memory, and emotion regulation, meditation reduces anxiety and symptoms of depression, it may improve sleep, increase compassion for oneself and others, and it can help people recover from addiction. 
 
I don’t need access to a brain scan to recognize how a consistent meditation practice has affected me. Ever since I added meditation to my morning routine, I’ve noticed shifts in my mind, my body, and my spirit. I will share my experience below. There is lots of research on the efficacy of meditation, though I imagine everyone’s experience will be different.  
 
Here’s what’s happened for me: 

• My biological clock wakes me up just minutes before my 6AM alarm almost every morning. A consistent meditation practice in the morning coupled with some movement later in the day has worked wonders for my sleep schedule. I’m getting a solid 7-8 hours. 

 

• Good habits beget good habits. After I sit for a while, I make coffee, I make my bed, and I make intentions for the day. When I begin the day with mindfulness, I’m more likely to eat well, exercise, and take greater care with myself and others. 

 

• My morning meditation sets the pace and tone for the day. No longer do I feel the need to get up and get going, rushing around from one place to another, checking boxes, and measuring my worth in productivity. It’s a different kind of resistance that I now feel: instead of going and doing and getting done, the very first thing I do in the morning is, well, nothing. I just sit in awareness. Over the years, I’ve come to realize that slowing down and allowing myself to rest has, in turn, resulted in greater outputs for me, and beginning the day in quiet meditation has certainly reinforced this.

 

• I carry the morning’s mantra with me throughout the day. Sometimes it’s something that pops into my head organically while I’m sitting there. Sometimes it’s something I hear in a guided meditation that resonates. Whatever the word or phrase, I carry it with me and remember it throughout the day, particularly during challenging moments. My favorite is peace, peace, peace. 

 

• I am better prepared to deal with stressful situations. At this point, I’m practicing more meditation than asana. My yoga toolbox has a little more calm and little less arm balancing strength these days, and I’m okay with that. 

 
Though I feel like a beginner almost every time I sit down to meditate, I really savor this part of my day. Do you have a consistent meditation practice? What has been your experience? If you don’t currently meditate, would you be interested in a post on how to get started?