The iPhone might be the best thing that
has happened to my meditation practice over the last month.
For the most part, we live in a low-tech
house. The TV gets plugged in when we want to watch a movie. We don’t have cable and don’t get any channels. We don’t keep the radio on or listen to music. Why? Because the world
outside the house is loud and I love quiet.
What we do have is an absurd number of
computers. My lovely man has one laptop. I have three laptops (for
different kinds of work), one desktop, and the iPhone. This is as
ridiculous as it sounds, and I feel conflicted about it most days.
Not now.
I’ve just discovered guided
meditation apps on the iPhone.
For years, on and off, I’ve been a
Luddite meditator: sitting completely unplugged for varying lengths
of time, focusing on my breath. It’s been good.
About a month ago I felt the desire for
a meditation camp. I do these periodically. A retreat plunks the
meditation in your lap, gently or not so gently removing your
distractions for a few days.
This time there is no room on the
calendar for camp. I’m acting and directing for the next month,
meaning that both days and nights are booked.
Instead, I plug in to my phone every
morning for guided meditations that take me to camp for an hour or
so. Oh, happiness! Soft voices lead me by the hand and remind me over
and over to let go, with softer music in the background, or nature
sounds or silence if I prefer. Focused attention just got a lot
easier.
Will I go back to tech-less meditating?
Absolutely. Do I love it being easy right now? Absolutely.
Whatever tames the squirrelly mind and
brings me closer to capital-L-love has my gratitude today.
Have you tried guided meditations? Do
you love them or do they defeat the purpose for you?
Thanks to yoga for all its branches,
including meditation. Thanks for technology at the moment. And
thanks to you for the conversation,
kristin
Dr.
Kristin Shepherd is a chiropractor, actor, and speaker (About All
Things Wonderful) in North Bay, Ontario. Join her on the web,
on Facebook,
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and on iTunes.