June 12: #22 Meditate 10 minutes or more

Phil: I just recently took up meditating, so this one felt like it would be easy, and it pretty much was. But I wanted to make sure I didn’t just do my normal routine for this one. So I broke out of my usual meditating first thing in the morning routine into something a little different. I’ve been using this app called Headspace to help me meditate and it has this one-off “package” for meditating while commuting. I did 15 minutes of guided meditation using this package on my train ride home tonight, which happened to also be so delayed it took an hour instead of 30 minutes. I would be lying if I said this delay didn’t phase me at all. But the meditation felt good. I’m still new to it, so I am still sort of feeling around in the dark when I’m working at it, trying to find out the limits of my mind and my ability to relax when I do it. I still got overly angry when someone would touch into me on the train, and then proceed not to move out of my personal space or something. It was a challenge. I guess that’s the point. But I am taking the process seriously and was glad I got to explore it outside of the confines of my bedroom.

Bruce: I suggested this challenge because it was something that I knew I wanted to get back into. For a while I got a lot out of meditating daily using the app "calm" and then the app “headspace”. But I had a job change and my life got a little busier and my morning routine didn't have time for meditating without fear of falling asleep. I interpreted this task a few ways, and so I went to the barbershop because I found that always to be meditative and relaxing. I didn't have one of those thought-free heads, I just had a peaceful time and got a nice haircut so there was definitely something gained in that and a solace there that I experienced. When I went to the gym in the morning I did what I do about half the time and went in the sauna first, sometimes I try to do a little meditating and stretching but this time I deliberately put on a guided meditation for 10 minutes from YouTube and just sat and sweated and concentrated and probably overheated but really relished in the calm blazing sanctuary while nobody entered the sauna my entire sitting and time sort of disappeared and I think I had a moment or two of real clarity and I felt as I used to feel, a little more clear headed and rested and maybe more in control or "at the wheel" the rest of the day. This was yet another challenge that introduced or reminded me about another habit and lifestyle that I should take up to be my best self. Thanks "challenging days"!

Tomorrow's challenge: #27 Spend time Creating something (anything)