Week 3: The Blossoming Journey
As Week 3 unfolded, a profound sense of well-being started to settle within me. My habits were gaining strength, and my commitment to regular practice became more steadfast.
Embarking on the 8-week course, I found myself at a crossroads, feeling lost and grappling with anxiety triggered by recent events. Despite these uncertainties, a positive shift was noticeable. Determined to extract the maximum benefits from the course, I sensed the timing was just right.
“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” – Samuel Becket.
Type of Meditation Explored
Week 3 commenced with the exploration of the Five Tibetans rites, a routine featuring five movements designed to center the breath and mind on the body. Given my background as a Yoga teacher, the routine felt familiar, and I was honored when Nick asked me to lead the session. Guiding, assisting, and advising others align with my passions, a consistent thread in my life.
The routine, practiced by monks every morning in monasteries, consists of five movements, repeated between 3 to 21 times based on the time available.
What Did We Learn in Week 3?
The week delved into the intricate relationship between our thoughts, rational thinking, and the impact of fear and anxiety on our brains. This exploration proved particularly relevant for me, given that anxiety was the primary motivator for taking the course. The broad nature of the topic provided ample room for contemplation and learning.
Nick’s reminder that “this is only thought, not fact” served as a valuable tool, emphasizing that our thoughts do not necessarily define reality. Just like meditation, mastering this perspective requires practice.
Week 3 also focused on calming the mind and nervous system through intentional breathing. The class explored the “Doing mode vs Being mode,” shedding light on how we analyze and overthink situations. Learning to transition from the problem-solving “Doing mode” to the receptive “Being mode” became a pivotal aspect of navigating challenging scenarios.
To deepen our understanding and practice these modes, we logged unpleasant events during class, conducting a thorough analysis of each experience.
Homework
Consistent with previous weeks, we incorporated previously learned tools and integrated the new ones from the latest class into our homework. The term “tools” accurately captures the essence of these techniques, empowering us with practical means to enhance our practice.
With each passing week, my confidence and strength in meditation grew. Week 3 saw me continue guided meditation, explore solo meditation, log daily unpleasant events, and document gratitude thoughts. Meditating alone initially posed some discomfort, but I recognized it as a natural part of the process—an unlocking of something significant.
Practice became the key, and patience proved to be a transformative game-changer.
This brings us to the end of today’s post. I hope you found it enlightening and that it piqued your interest in discovering more about Cognitive Meditation.
Feel free to reach out or comment, sharing your thoughts or experiences. I’d love to hear from you!
Namaste.