Not that I knew what I was doing, but I started meditating 20 years ago. There was no guide book, no training taken – just a person thinking, “I’ll roll out this blanket, stretch out here, breathe and think.” I was just making it up as I went along. For the past several years my meditation has been on the mat, in a yoga studio, in the hands of experts. Despite those early explorations on my own I had mostly stopped practicing at home.
Off and on I have sleepless spells, usually when I’m over-committed, over-screen-timed, my head swimming with ideas and to-dos. During one such bout this summer, I decided to try guided meditation. The sarcastic, jaded side of me thought it would be cheesy, so I was hesitant to buy something. I ended up downloading a free app called Stop, Breathe and Think.
The app has about 15 free guided meditations, like “Mindful Breathing,” “Body Scan” and “Be Present.” I can’t lie that part of my decision to go with this app was based on their illustrations. When you complete various feats of peace-finding, you earn badges like the double rainbow, or this one:
It’s perhaps a bit weird to solve for this using a device that is part of the cause of my splintered self, but I found it has worked for me to hit play to pause.
This post is part of Think Kit by SmallBox
Lifeline prompt: “Pause Button. How do you pause your day? What’s a break look like in your world – is it refreshing, reenergizing, or restful? What makes you able to keep on keepin’ on?”