Vidyamala’s course, “Mindfulness for Women,” starts March 1, 2017
The Mindfulness for Women online course begins March 1 on Wildmind, inspired by the book I co-wrote with Claire Irvin. Claire, who was new to meditation when we started, kept a diary of her journey, which is accessible, often hilarious, and touching. Here’s a glimpse into her first attempt at meditating:
Claire’s Diary Week One: Body Scan
It’s 9:30 on a dark early-spring evening. My husband Stuart is away, and I’ve finally managed to get six-year-old Amelie to bed (she’ll use any excuse to stretch bedtime, and an absent parent is a perfect one). Normally, I’d be thinking about heading to bed myself (early bedtimes are how I manage my busy life), but tonight, I’m a bit restless and secretly enjoying the quiet house. I remember my promise to Vidyamala to start my mindfulness journey. So, I sit down in front of the TV, but quickly realize there’s nothing worth watching and the idea of lying down sounds very appealing. I head upstairs to my bed, press play on my meditation recording, and let Vidyamala’s soothing voice fill the room.
I start to relax immediately. This isn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I listen intently for a few moments, until a noise in the garden distracts me. It’s a cat, likely climbing up the side of the shed. I resist the urge to check it out but then start wondering if I’ve locked up properly outside. It takes a couple of moments to refocus on the meditation.
I cringe slightly when Vidyamala mentions my belly. I hate that word and, like many women, I’m not fond of focusing on my tummy. But as I feel my breath in my pelvic floor and lower back, I start to feel like a star pupil. I can do this! Feeling pleased with myself is an understatement. Another noise outside catches my attention, and I tense up again.
Vidyamala now guides me to relax my face. Oops! My face is really tense—my jaw, teeth, and mouth. I start to relax one part, but another tenses up in response. The irony of working harder to relax makes me laugh, and I realize I’ve missed the last few moments of the meditation. Must do better next time.
Afterwards, I decide to go to bed. I notice how much more relaxed I am. Even though Stuart is away, which usually makes me anxious, I sleep like a baby.
Those body scans really work, especially with guided meditation in the background. It has helped me through my anxiety-filled days.