Author Topic: Morning meditation!  (Read 9120 times)

MgoSam

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3684
  • Location: Minnesota
Morning meditation!
« on: December 18, 2013, 09:16:51 AM »
On Monday I decided to start a daily practice of meditating first thing in the morning. This means getting up earlier than usual, but I am two days in and thus far happy with it. I believe it will take a few weeks to make this a true habit, but hopefully by then the results will be make me more eager to continue.

Does anyone here meditate daily or on a regular basis?

ASquared

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 301
Re: Morning meditation!
« Reply #1 on: December 18, 2013, 09:27:31 AM »
Yes.  Though admittedly go through phases where I do this consistently and then not for quite awhile. 

I think the benefits are amazing!

mrsggrowsveg

  • Guest
Re: Morning meditation!
« Reply #2 on: December 18, 2013, 10:08:15 AM »
Yes!  Every morning I wake up around 5:20 before everyone else in my house.  I sit in front of our wood stove, look at the sunrise and set a timer for 15 minutes.  I start by listing all of the things I am grateful for and then do some kind of mantra repetition.  At work, I take a morning break where I do about 15 minutes of meditation at my desk.  I also am incorporating a bit of yoga or meditation in my life right before bed.  I also am trying to practice more mindfulness and presence awareness into my life in general.  I have noticed I am much calmer and my anxiety is more controlled.

kt

  • Guest
Re: Morning meditation!
« Reply #3 on: December 18, 2013, 10:49:57 AM »
i have tried it off and on but never made it stick. however, when i do meditate i definitely feel the benefits. so i'll join you and commit to two weeks. that doesn't seem too hard and hopefully it'll become more ingrained by then.

arebelspy

  • Administrator
  • Senior Mustachian
  • *****
  • Posts: 28444
  • Age: -997
  • Location: Seattle, WA
Re: Morning meditation!
« Reply #4 on: December 18, 2013, 11:13:28 AM »
Headspace is a decent app for getting started with the habit.
I am a former teacher who accumulated a bunch of real estate, retired at 29, spent some time traveling the world full time and am now settled with three kids.
If you want to know more about me, this Business Insider profile tells the story pretty well.
I (rarely) blog at AdventuringAlong.com. Check out the Now page to see what I'm up to currently.

golfer44

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 192
Re: Morning meditation!
« Reply #5 on: December 18, 2013, 11:42:41 AM »
Yes!  Every morning I wake up around 5:20 before everyone else in my house.  I sit in front of our wood stove, look at the sunrise and set a timer for 15 minutes.  I start by listing all of the things I am grateful for and then do some kind of mantra repetition.  At work, I take a morning break where I do about 15 minutes of meditation at my desk.  I also am incorporating a bit of yoga or meditation in my life right before bed.  I also am trying to practice more mindfulness and presence awareness into my life in general.  I have noticed I am much calmer and my anxiety is more controlled.

Awesome routine!


Beardog

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 259
  • Location: central Mass area
Re: Morning meditation!
« Reply #6 on: December 18, 2013, 06:47:26 PM »
I also meditate daily for 20 minutes.  I just try to focus on my breath.  It helps to keep anxiety at bay, maintain perspective, and gain insight. 

MgoSam

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3684
  • Location: Minnesota
Re: Morning meditation!
« Reply #7 on: December 18, 2013, 08:31:12 PM »
I also meditate daily for 20 minutes.  I just try to focus on my breath.  It helps to keep anxiety at bay, maintain perspective, and gain insight.

Hey, I"m glad to hear that you do this. How long have you been doing this? How long did it take before this became part of your day..akin to brushing teeth (assuming you brush your teeth).

sbryant31

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 23
Re: Morning meditation!
« Reply #8 on: December 19, 2013, 08:39:08 PM »
Happy to see other meditators on the forums. Personally, I find myself too groggy in the morning before my daily caffeine, but I like to meditate when I get home from work to rejuvinate myself. I find that it's nice to meditate while brushing the teeth in the morning, for a very small mindfulness. Also try to "take 5" a couple of times throughout the day.

I think it's important to give yourself breaks throughout the day. Let the meditation flow into the not-meditation.

Of course having a regular morning practice is a very solid foundation, one I wish I had.

Beardog

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 259
  • Location: central Mass area
Re: Morning meditation!
« Reply #9 on: December 20, 2013, 06:31:23 PM »
Quote
Quote
    I also meditate daily for 20 minutes.  I just try to focus on my breath.  It helps to keep anxiety at bay, maintain perspective, and gain insight.

Hey, I"m glad to hear that you do this. How long have you been doing this? How long did it take before this became part of your day..akin to brushing teeth (assuming you brush your teeth).

I was meditating almost daily for a couple years, then stopped for about a year, then picked it back up and have been doing it now for about another couple years.  During the initial time I started, I think it probably took quite a few months for it to become something I really didn't want to miss out on and become a habit.

Thegoblinchief

  • Guest
Re: Morning meditation!
« Reply #10 on: December 25, 2013, 07:16:30 PM »
I am going to try starting this habit after my morning stretches. Practiced some meditation while attending church with family for Christmas. No longer a believer myself but clearly felt the benefits of meditation and need to find a way to integrate it into my day :)

lackofstache

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 312
Re: Morning meditation!
« Reply #11 on: December 30, 2013, 07:29:49 AM »
I started doing ~30 minutes of yoga every morning for the same reasons & have had great results. Starting the day with a clear mind allows me to enjoy my ride to work that much more and always helps to change my perspective on the day's events compared to when I'm rushed in the morning.

pac_NW

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 152
  • Have the stamina to work on it until it's right
    • Take Next Steps
Re: Morning meditation!
« Reply #12 on: December 31, 2013, 10:11:30 AM »
Also working on a meditation practice.  I wrote a blog piece recently to share some recent learning and discuss a couple of tools that may help.  http://takenextsteps.com/2013/12/restarting-a-meditation-practice-just-breathe-through-it/

teagnome

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 62
  • Location: Colorado
Re: Morning meditation!
« Reply #13 on: December 31, 2013, 06:58:41 PM »
Great thread. I just wrote about this in my journal I've returned to. I love using Sam Harris' guided mindfulness meditation. There's an 8 and 20 min one. Some days I do without the recording and other days it's nice to have as a guide. I too like to take a cuppa tea and sit by my gas stove. :)
http://www.samharris.org/blog/item/mindfulness-meditation

Sebastian

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 208
  • Age: 37
Re: Morning meditation!
« Reply #14 on: January 02, 2014, 07:26:07 AM »
I got into meditation last year for several months, and I was really starting to see a huge impact on the way I handled problems. I was way more calm, and way more stable with my emotions. It was amazing!

Then I fell off the wagon :(

I'm actually doing something similar to OP except reverse. I find yoga to be more beneficial in the morning, to wake my body up and stretch. Then do my meditation and night to calm down and fall asleep super fast.

Either way, keep it up and don't stop! You won't regret it :D

MgoSam

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3684
  • Location: Minnesota
Re: Morning meditation!
« Reply #15 on: January 02, 2014, 10:05:20 AM »
Today I was up very early so after meditating I went to the gym. I knew I wouldn't be going from the office and so it was great to get my workout out of the way. I want to start doing this a few days a week to give me the opportunity to work out. Then if my carpool goes to the gym afterwards I can either read or swim or do a double.

jrs

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 59
  • Location: Henderson, NV
Re: Morning meditation!
« Reply #16 on: January 07, 2014, 03:39:06 PM »
I also started a daily meditation practice during the holidays.  I have a history of starting the practice, making some initial progress, then stopping for some reason... This time, I have a single page calendar for all of 2014 hung on the wall and I'll be marking each day this year either "yes I did" or "no I did not" meditate.  (I wrote my resolution shooting for meditation on 70% of the days, so I won't feel so bad about a missed day here or there...)

Really hoping to break through and make this practice a permanent part of my life this year.

I know "meditiaton" means a lot of different things to a lot of different people.  I practice in the style suggested in Matthieu Ricard's book "why meditate".

Tyler Newleaf

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 20
  • Location: D.C.
Re: Morning meditation!
« Reply #17 on: January 09, 2014, 06:15:00 AM »
I just started working from home and was thinking about how to start my mornings.  I am a fan of Tim Ferris, who talked about the start to his day and how he incorporated meditation.   He discussed having a regimented morning schedule and then a 3-5 meditation before starting your "work day."  Nothing too sophisticated, but pick a song, play it and just clear your head and prepare for the day.  Using the same song every morning will serve as that trigger to work mode.

So far I've been waking up every morning to make breakfast for my fiancée and I. We get up early enough so we can sit down and enjoy coffee while watching the sun rise for a little bit.  Then I have an hour or so to work on guitar or learning Italian...then I start the work day with that short meditation session.

ace1224

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 468
Re: Morning meditation!
« Reply #18 on: January 09, 2014, 06:38:11 AM »
very cool.  this is something i really want to try and do.  i just read a study where people who meditate have 20% lower anxiety levels.  since i'm an anxious person i really think this could help me. 
i'll be getting that app today

windawake

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 435
  • Age: 35
  • Location: Minneapolis, MN
Re: Morning meditation!
« Reply #19 on: January 11, 2014, 10:02:49 AM »
I used to meditate every morning but sitting meditation just isn't for me, sometimes it made me more anxious. Now I go for a walk every morning (with my dog) and maybe do a little yoga after I get home. I'm trying to ramp up the yoga piece.

prestojx

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 67
  • Location: Boulder, CO
Re: Morning meditation!
« Reply #20 on: January 11, 2014, 02:58:38 PM »
Great thread. I just wrote about this in my journal I've returned to. I love using Sam Harris' guided mindfulness meditation. There's an 8 and 20 min one. Some days I do without the recording and other days it's nice to have as a guide. I too like to take a cuppa tea and sit by my gas stove. :)
http://www.samharris.org/blog/item/mindfulness-meditation

I have been meditating for years and I have found that like compound interest, the benefits have really increased over time by committing to a consistent practice. Meditation is subtle but profound.

I really like Sam's guided meditations also. BTW, Sam is a friend and an incredible human being (as well as one of the brightest people I personally know).

payitoff

  • Guest
Re: Morning meditation!
« Reply #21 on: January 16, 2014, 03:24:46 PM »
I am a busy mom of 4 year old twins, yoga and meditation helps a lot in calming my nerves, i dont have much time to put in for meditation especially in the mornings but i try to make meditation as part of my day and not a break out of my day. when i am at the present moment, i know i am meditating, even as simple as sitting in the car with no music in traffic, as long as i am at the present, i try to take this time to appreciate the trees around, the sky, the sun, the quietness. and i do this pretty much all throughout the day.

pac_NW

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 152
  • Have the stamina to work on it until it's right
    • Take Next Steps
Re: Morning meditation!
« Reply #22 on: January 26, 2014, 09:22:28 AM »
I am a busy mom of 4 year old twins, yoga and meditation helps a lot in calming my nerves, i dont have much time to put in for meditation especially in the mornings but i try to make meditation as part of my day and not a break out of my day. when i am at the present moment, i know i am meditating, even as simple as sitting in the car with no music in traffic, as long as i am at the present, i try to take this time to appreciate the trees around, the sky, the sun, the quietness. and i do this pretty much all throughout the day.
I find making meditation a part of my day the toughest thing.  I love the idea of taking advantage of simple things like no music in the car.  Thank you!  I wrote about the last part of my 14-day meditation practice at http://takenextsteps.com/2014/01/restarting-a-meditation-or-mediation-practice-part-2/.  Still working on the practice.

MrFrugalChicago

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 340
Re: Morning meditation!
« Reply #23 on: January 26, 2014, 12:30:25 PM »
I don't mediate, but I run and bike 6 days a week for several hours (with no music). I use this time to crawl into my head and think over my day, or sometimes just to space and relax.

Benefits of meditation + exercise at the same time, win win.

Honest Abe

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 379
  • Emancipate Yourself from Mental Slavery
Re: Morning meditation!
« Reply #24 on: January 26, 2014, 01:11:46 PM »
I say a rosary every morning.. Makes a significant difference in my mental attitude going into the day... Helps me keep things positive!

Nyarlathotep

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 48
  • Age: 34
  • Location: Kailua, Hawaii
Re: Morning meditation!
« Reply #25 on: January 26, 2014, 03:12:48 PM »
I think I am going to have to jump into this again. I use to be pretty good about mediating but unfortunately it has fallen off my radar and has become a broken habit. I am thinking I will have to start this back up again stress and daily fatigue can be a real SOB. The idea of getting up a little bit earlier in the morning to meditate sounds like a great idea and I too will try to make it a habit again.

lizzzi

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2150
Re: Morning meditation!
« Reply #26 on: January 26, 2014, 03:30:58 PM »
Yeah, +1 on the rosary. At first I kept yawning all the time, which seems disrespectful, but I kept trying and now I'm more awake--and it just seems like such a nice start to the day. Puts a good taste in my mouth, so to speak.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!