Lifestyle Challenge

For the 23 members of the Whole Life Challenge, medications week 1 brings changes in many daily habits. They are changing their diet, cure adding in exercise, treatment mobility, supplementation and hydration. The last two parts deal with reflection and a lifestyle challenge. The lifestyle challenge will change every week. They got hit with MEDITATION for the first week. We know a little bit about that!
Most of our team has downloaded the Headspace App. It comes with 10 free days  – helping you ease your way in. Brian says it is like having a monk in your pocket. 
If you are looking to add in some peaceful time to your day, meditation is the perfect solution. 10 minutes of quiet breathing and focus can clear the mind and warm the heart. But where do we start? What do you do if you get distracted? What about when I fall asleep? Here are some answers to those questions. (Taken from the Berkeley Buddhist Priory)
Q: How do I know if I am doing it right?
A: You don’t. In fact, you can’t. That is because meditation is one with you, so there can be no separation of a “doer” and an “observer” who knows that it’s right. But you can know if you aren’t doing it, and that is all you need to know, because then you can bring yourself back to simply sitting.
Q: Nothing seems to be happening during meditation; what is wrong?
A: The problem is more likely to be with your expectations of what should “happen” than with the meditation. Meditation has profound effects over time, but the whole process is much larger than we can know and judge. Try letting go of the expectations and just sit. The same holds true if a lot is “happening”. It may help to remember that this is the practice of a lifetime: let it do its work.
Q: How can I stop from constantly wandering off?
A: Don’t try to stop yourself from wandering off, because then you will be trying to add something to pure meditation. But each time you are aware of having wandered off, do not waste time in coming back.
Q: I seem to “float” from one thought to another; I don’t often get caught by any one thought in particular, but I am sort of “elsewhere”, rarely being aware of actually sitting there.
A: This happens. Try putting a bit more energy or concentration into what you are doing: an alive, aware, gently focused mind is best. But don’t take this too far, or it becomes “trying” rather than meditating. See the next question.
Q: I find that if I concentrate hard on just being aware of sitting, if I sort of “bore in” to this, then I get caught a lot less often. Is this OK, or am I trying not to think?
A: Sometimes this seems good, as a response to the “floating” mentioned above, for instance. But don’t make a general practice of it, as this, too, is adding something to pure meditation. Trust that “just sitting” really is enough.
Q: How can I stop from falling asleep?
A: There can be many causes for this. Perhaps the posture is not quite right or the room is too warm; perhaps you are not putting enough energy into the sitting; maybe some part of you is fighting the meditation; or maybe you are simply too tired and need to go to bed!

Coach Chance judging Will during the Lift Up Autism Fundraiser. Kids working out in support of kids is pretty awesome.