Transcendental Meditation
When thinking of taking time for yourself, what comes to mind? For me, it used to be going to get a manicure or taking a fitness class. It’s been just over three months since I blogged about my new practice of transcendental meditation (TM) and here’s an update on my journey. What I realized, perhaps more than anything, is that the 20 minutes I practice TM in the morning and afternoon are the best form of “me” time anyone can ask for.
My time. Picture sitting up quietly in bed with your eyes closed for 20 minutes before you even start your day. What would you experience? I feel the air coming in from the window crawling up my skin and now that it’s spring, I hear birds chirping. My senses are so awakened during that 20 minutes, that it makes me appreciate the new day. Imagine that? Taking time to appreciate a new day. And when I’m done, I open my eyes and start my day with a fresh mindset that would have otherwise been full of anxiety.
“My senses are so awakened during that 20 minutes, that it makes me appreciate the new day. ”
In the afternoon, I normally find somewhere to meditate (a park, bookstore, church) around 3pm and notice it causes more of a shift in my energy, because by that time the hustle and bustle of the day has heavily set in and my mood, at this point, is affected for better or worse. I recite the same mantra that I use in the mornings and finish feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. I find that I’m not schlepping through what follows and haven’t craved that 4pm cup of coffee. Those 20 minutes of me time, away from my emails, out of meetings and getting in tune with myself are now sacred.
TM allows your mind to relieve stress from the body and in response, your body becomes healthier and your become more aware of its needs. This “me” time, has become the most important 40 minutes of my day. While TM might not be for you, I encourage you to try sitting quietly and focusing on your breath for five minutes twice a day. Sometimes, a simple time out is the most powerful form of “me” time.
