Meditation and memory
The other day I wrote an educational article about meditation, memory and the young developing mind, which got me thinking about meditation in general. I totally admit to not buying into the whole "pondering" thing, but have never tried meditating myself. I just don't really have the time to sit in a quiet corner to chant and ring a bell for a couple of hours.
Yes, as you can see, I'm totally uneducated.
I love yoga, have spent my wad on acupuncture (when trying to get pregnant), and eat pretty healthy. But, the whole chanting-breathing thing just doesn't bring to mind relaxation, memory building, or weight-loss assistance. It makes me think of feeling silly and time that could have been spent baking cake.
I do love cake.
So, imagine my surprise when I found some pretty positive research linking meditation with building healthy memory. I don't know about you, but the idea of not remembering things scares the bejesus out of me. I have a hard enough time getting through the grocery store without a list. I would hate to miss out on memories of my child growing up later in life.
I totally can't remember half of the 90′s (ugh).
One study I stumbled across suggested that spending 12 minutes daily practicing Kirtan Kriya meditation aided in promoting healthy brain function and building memory development. 12 minutes daily. Maybe it's time I got over my silliness and spent some time meditating.
I think I can do that, right?
After picking a meditation spot (I put a pillow in the bathroom - yes, the bathroom. It's quiet and I can shut - and lock - the door), getting all comfy-cozy, and setting a nice chiming timer for 12 minutes, I started following the directions for the meditation pose. Yup, I felt pretty foolish at first, but then, I started getting into it. I tried chanting out loud, silently, and then quietly. And, before I knew it, I was feeling pretty good.
In fact, really darn good! Then the chimer chimed, and I set off on my day.
I'm already looking forward to meditating tomorrow…
*And, yes, that is me meditating (I took the pic while finishing my morning chant). My husband thinks I look like I should be in a Sudafed commercial.
