Sacred Silence - Post Week 1

One week into "Sacred Silence" sure feels like an eternity if it means spending 10 minutes in meditation every single day. But is that necessarily a bad thing? It might be, seeing as one of the initial four volunteers has already opted out, but it might not depending on how you read the thoughts of those still in and going strong:

What time of day do you choose to meditate?
Samuel Gwosdy (Grade 9): "I choose to meditate before I go to sleep."
Troy Saldanha-Martins (Grade 10): Before sleeping"
Misheel Batkhuu (Grade 11): "I initially hoped to do it in the morning, but have struggled to consistently wake up early enough. The few times I have done it, however, always yielded magnificent results; I felt refreshed and clear-minded to start the day with a calm, firm focus on mindfulness.
Most days, though, I end up only squeezing my meditation in at the end of the day right before bed. At least it makes for good sleep:)"

How would you describe the meditation portion of your day/routine?
Samuel Gwosdy (Grade 9): "I lie down, listen to the calming mediation, and it helps to relieve stress."
Troy Saldanha-Martins (Grade 10): "Peaceful, time to wind down"
Misheel Batkhuu (Grade 11): "To get there, when I’m throwing it in at 11 pm it’s usually rushed and awkward. But once I’m in meditation, it’s bliss. I feel warm, at peace, and fulfilled. It’s nice knowing this time for breathing is time for my health, my soul, my presence. I haven’t quite experienced boosts in energy as online sources promise, but I have undergone some enlightening realizations and generally feel my energy shifting in nuance. My perception definitely feels more clear and positive at that at the end of my meditation, and I do feel it blossoming gradually during the ten minutes."

How do you fill your ten minutes of meditation? (i.e. silence/music with a timer, meditation guide video)
Samuel Gwosdy (Grade 9): "Meditation guide video "
Troy Saldanha-Martins (Grade 10): "Listening to calming music with a timer"
Misheel Batkhuu (Grade 11): "For this first week, I listened to 10 minute meditation guide videos by Travis Eliot and Lauren Eckstrom, my two favourite yoga instructors. I intend to spend the next week meditating with soft music for ten minutes, and slowly work my way to meditating in silence by the end of the six weeks of this challenge."

What changes, if any, in perception or your life have you observed?
Samuel Gwosdy (Grade 9): "I am able to fall asleep faster and I am less tired during the day."
Troy Saldanha-Martins (Grade 10): "I have not yet noticed any changes yet to my life."
Misheel Batkhuu (Grade 11): "I tend to lean forward when I’m sitting in meditation, so every once in a while I have to readjust myself gently so my back is straight and tall, my neck leaning slightly back, chin tilted slightly forward. It’s a reminder that even in everyday life, I’m straining too often too hard. I need to work on relaxing, stepping back to feel and value the present moment.
In one of my guided practices, I repeated the phrase “May you be healthy, may you be happy, and may you be at peace” over and over in my mind to a person close to me. It was incredible. With the repetition and visualization, I truly realized how much I value them and how much I should never try or dare hope they were different or only one part of themselves. Since, I’ve judged this person less and cherished their complete, mischievous, adorable, annoying, lovable self."

How do you feel about five more weeks of daily meditation?
Samuel Gwosdy (Grade 9): "I am very excited about 5 more weeks of daily mediation and I feel that it will only relax me further. "
Troy Saldanha-Martins (Grade 10): "I feel so-so, on one hand I don't know if I will be able to do it but on the other I feel like it will help me in the long run."
Misheel Batkhuu (Grade 11): "Excited and at peace. I’m looking forward to continuing developing mindfulness and composure in my every action and thought, as well as finding a why to my currently busy-busy every day."

And that wraps up the thoughts of our cruisers after a week of daily meditation. After another 10-minute seven-day set of solitude, stay tuned to hear more next week!"

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