Posted on December 24, 2009 - by Jennifer

30 Day Meditation Challenge: Day 18

Wednesday December 23, 2009: ¬†I think I’m now in the thick of the “challenge” part of the meditation challenge. ¬†When I decided to meditate for 30 straight days including Christmas and New Year’s, I knew it was going to be difficult. ¬†I knew that as we started cooking for 16 guests on December 23 and prepared to host those guests on December 24th, it was going to get harder to say, “Hey, I know there are 8 leeks and 6 onions and 4 heads of cauliflower and 2 butternut squashes to be chopped and some sushi-grade tuna to be located BUT I’ve got to go meditate.” ¬†It’s one thing to know that something is going to be hard and another to experience it! ¬†Yesterday was the first day that it really, truly crossed my mind to just skip the meditation. ¬†What difference would one day make? ¬†It was really late and I was tired and anxious about all that had to be done the next day. And I knew I wouldn’t be able to focus completely. ¬†But, I convinced myself to sit down, and wrap myself in my meditation shawl, and at least try. ¬†I could feel myself sort of calm down, at least physically. ¬†My ¬†mind became steadier but by that I mean it went from arranging and re-arranging 50 things in my head down to about 10 things. ¬†I half-heartedly tried to use a mantra but it was not really helping me to focus. ¬†So, I decided to try something more simple. ¬†I just concentrated, very deliberately, on the rise and fall of my belly. ¬†And then I started to exaggerate each inhale, really pushing my belly out, and exhale, sharply drawing my belly button back towards my spine. ¬†As I did this, I was either creating or sensing waves of energy at my belly and for some reason my mind was able to let go of all its “projects” for a few minutes and just follow this sensation. ¬†After I finished, I got ready for bed. ¬†Before the meditation, I was concerned that sleep might not come easy. ¬†But, I think the meditation did have a tranquilizing effect as I was able to fall asleep.