March Meditation Madness

In February, I wrote about my goals to meditate every night for the remainder of that month.Overall, I exclaim-- success! I so feared the placement of the unhappy face on the calendar, that only one night did I sort of fudge it. I didn't put an unhappy face after meditating for maybe a total of 3-5 minutes... I put a straight line for the mouth. Sort of like Kermit the Frog.

I made a routine out of it: before I went to bed every night, I lit a candle, plopped on my meditation cushion, and sat. I tried different techniques I had heard about over the years and will continue to experiment. There are some lessons already. For one, sitting too close to bedtime doesn't really work. I find my thoughts, when they creep in, tending towards the wacky dream-state variety. Incoherent. Sleepy. Another is that my bedroom sits underneath my neighbors living room, and her television comes through the floor. Hard to meditate when she tends towards an enjoyment of comedy shows, and enjoys them vocally (no hard knocks on her, I love me some 30 Rock). This had led to me to think that while routine is very, very important for someone like me and a discipline like this, maybe I should program it in at the beginning of the day (not sleepy, no tv). It wouldn't work for every single day of the week, but would for most.

But... I know what would help the most. Having a support network to do it with me! Yogis and yoginis who go to yoga studios are probably familiar with yoga "challenges" in which many sign up for a practice challenge together, in hopes that community support will help them stick to it. As with February, I didn't get my act together in time to send this out earlier, but I would love a lil' meditation love for the remainder of March. So, here, on the Joy of Yoga, I'm laying down a March Meditation Madness Challenge!

Always been meaning to deepen or start your meditation practice? Need a swift kick in the ass from the internet community that loves you? Leave me a note here! I'll keep updating about how my practice is going, and you, comment-section style, do the same. I'm going to stand by my meditation calendar (if it works, don't fix it) and step it up a notch. Who stands with me? Who will meditation at least 5 minutes, every day, for the rest of March?

It will change your life!

Good luck sitters!