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comment by orangecat
orangecat  ·  3811 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: How you should spend the first 20 minutes after work

    Whenever I would come home from a long day at work or school, I was so tired the only things I could find energy to do were mindless life-negating nonsense — television, Netflix, Reddit, Facebook, whatever.

As a graduate student, the above sentence stings because it more than true. After work in the morning and class at night, I mentally "clock-out" and lack the energy to do anything productive.

Part of my daily routine is to meditate for at least 20 minutes in the morning right after I wake up, and at night before I go to sleep. The daily action of clearing my mind and reflecting on my actions of the past day has helped alleviate the lethargy I used to feel after work and class.





OftenBen  ·  3811 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Care to share more about morning meditation? I've found that it doesn't do much for me, unless I'm on vacation or something. Otherwise I find myself unable to properly sit and clear my mind, I focus too much on the day ahead.

orangecat  ·  3811 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Immediately after I wake up, I make some tea and roll up my yoga mat (and sit on it) to help alleviate my back rounding and my legs falling asleep.

Once I am in comfortable position and had a couple sips of tea, I close my eyes and focus on my environment. I do not try to silence my mind; Instead, I observe my thoughts and thinking patterns, and let them flow past me instead of obsessing over obtaining clarity.

Let me know if you want me to explain more in depth.

Maphen  ·  3810 days ago  ·  link  ·  

This is great! I've always wanted to look into meditation and it's nice to have such a clear starting point.

Now if I could only get our baby to join me.

OftenBen  ·  3810 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I understand the concept of not trying to still the mind, just observing, but I find in the morning the stream of thoughts doesn't end, at least not in the time I have to sit.

orangecat  ·  3810 days ago  ·  link  ·  

How long are you setting aside each morning to meditate?

If you are finding that you can't keep your mind focused, try counting your breaths and paying attention to how you are breathing. Are you taking short, staggered breaths, or are you breathing slowly and deeply?

OftenBen  ·  3810 days ago  ·  link  ·  

20-30 minutes, depending.

My breathing is good, I just get no clarity from morning meditation.

Herestolife  ·  3810 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I recently have been "attempting" morning yoga right when I get out of bed to awaken my body to what the day has for me. Do you have any insight about some things I should be doing. Im a newbie at it

orangecat  ·  3810 days ago  ·  link  ·  

If you have a portable mirror, position it to see yourself from the side to check and correct your posture. Make morning yoga/meditation a daily habit; incorporate it into your morning routine. Read up on meditation. If you are looking for an immediate starting point, a commonly referenced online resource is Chapter 5 of Mindfulness in Plain English.

And as I mentioned in an earlier comment, sit on a cushion/rolled up yoga mat to help alleviate potential back/posture problems. Focus on your breathing and on observing your thoughts.