5 minutes

Meditation: 5 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 8:00 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Wanted to get my meditation in before I head off to a party. Won’t be back until after midnight at least!

5 minutes

Meditation: 5 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 7:45 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: I meditated a bit earlier in the evening. It’s a small step, but important. And I really had a good meditation. For all my struggle lately, I’ve had strong and focused meditations.

5 minutes

Meditation: 5 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 1:00 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Forgot about meditating until the very last minute again. Doesn’t help that I was out late. This will be easier when I’m back on a regular schedule.

5 minutes

Meditation: 5 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 9:50 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: This was better today. I think I need to try to move my meditation into the mid-day whenever possible.

5 minutes

Meditation: 5 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 11:45 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Very hard to meditate when I’m feeling this frazzled!

5 minutes

Meditation: 5 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 11:35 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)

5 minutes

Meditation: 5 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 11:50 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Merry Christmas! I’m slacking off a bit around the holidays, trying to keep up a very abbreviated meditation practice.

5 minutes

Meditation: 5 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 10:05 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)

5 minutes

Meditation: 5 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 11:30 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)

5 minutes

Meditation: 5 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 11:55 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Not bad at all. I'm feeling like it may be time to move back to a 10 minute meditation practice in the evening.

5 minutes

Meditation: 5 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 11:30 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: This was the best meditation I've had in a long time. I felt calm and centred for a change. Crazy time of year, but it's beginning to wind down for me. And I'm thinking about where I want to take my meditation practice in 2010, in terms of setting a New Year's Resolution.

5 minutes

Meditation: 5 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 11:30 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: My mind was scattered, but at least I was at peace with being on the zafu.Good sign.

5 minutes

Meditation: 5 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 11:50 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: I thought this would be another bad, bad meditation night, but actually, it wasn't. Given the kind of evening I had, that's pretty miraculous.

5 minutes

Meditation: 5 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 11:40 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: *eyeroll* I can't sink any further than this. Five minutes of breathing and repeating “I'm okay, I'm okay, I'm okay” like a mantra. *sigh*

10 minutes

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 10:50 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Horrible, horrible, horrible. The lesson here is never wait until just before bed when I'm cranky and yawning exhausted to do my meditation. I simply did not want to do it tonight.

10 minutes

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 10:20 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: I went to bed late and my mind was very, very busy. Still, I was able to come back from distraction again and again. I guess the practice is what counts, right?

10 minutes

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 10:20 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Once again, pretty good. I set a limit on the fidgeting (but worked my way through all 'three strikes' within the first three minutes). I keep my eyes closed during meditation. Tonight, I kept spontaneously opening them and looking around. I never feel sleepy in meditation anymore, but I feel tired a lot during the day. I think it's just the time of year.

10 minutes

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 9:00 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Bull's eye! Tonight, I resolved not to fidget during meditation - I limited myself to 3 fidgets. It worked! I guess my fidgeting was fueling my distraction.

10 minutes

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 10:20 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: I'm almost there! I really settled into the ten minutes and felt good about it. If it goes well tonight, I may increase the duration to 20 minutes.

10 minutes

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 1:30 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Not bad! My mind wandered off near the end, but it's getting better. Meditation growing pains!

10 minutes

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 9:50 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: I was doing pretty good until the last few minutes and I fell apart (Random thoughts, they're SO much fun! How can anyone resist?)

10 minutes

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 9:30 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: I started out very focused, my wandered a lot in the middle, I managed to refocus again but it all fell apart at the very end!

10 minutes

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 11:00 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Best meditation I've had in ages. I became distracted a bit in the middle of the session, but came back strong!

I've become very frustrated with my meditation as of late, so I've decided to ease off a bit, meditate less and maybe even once a day if that works better for me. I'll build up again gradually, but I want to emphasis quality of meditation rather than quantity.

I just haven't been enjoying my meditation lately and I want to get back to that!

40 minutes (30/10)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 9:00 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Not so great. A few minutes in, I heard a tap dripping and it was driving me nuts, then I remembered: the water was being turned off for repairs. I paused my timer and raced around filling up glasses and the tub. Then back my zafu, but my head was spinning.

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 7:10 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Very good meditation! This makes me wonder if maybe I should switch it up and do my longer meditation at night because the mornings don't seem to be working that well for me.

40 minutes (30/10)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: St. C House
When: 10:00 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Terrible, terrible, terrible. I actually sat and picked at my nails for the last two minutes. I felt like a big meditation loser. When did this become so hard?

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 9:45 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Better! I was in an energetic mood and my meditation was very focused. It helped knowing I only had 10 minutes to sit.

30 minutes (10/20)

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 10:00 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Out late last night, but no regrets; good times and laughter with old friends made my heart very happy! I sat for 10 minutes this morning, constrained by time, but I had a good meditation.

Meditation: 20 minutes
Where: St. C House
When: 9:45 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Not bad, not as distracted as usual, though my heart doesn't seem to be in it these days. I think I'm in a 'meditation slump'

30 minutes

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 6:15 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: First 10 minutes: I was distracted. Second 10 minutes: I was falling asleep. Third 10 minutes: I was distracted. At least I'm not freaking out with anxiety like I was last week.

40 minutes (30/10)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 6:15 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Very, very tired and drowsy. I don't know how I got through this meditation. My body was sending me a message and I got it: I took a three hour nap for the rest of the morning. Hopefully, I'm catching up on this sleep deficit.

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 9:35 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: That wasn't bad! I wasn't falling asleep and my mind wasn't wandering quite so much. It's really not the wandering itself that bugs me, it's the part where I can bring my focus back (or I fall asleep).

40 minutes (30/10)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 6:15 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: A slight change to the morning schedule - I'll be starting at 6:15 to participate in a 'Virtual 15 Minute Meditation' with a group from a studio I used to frequent. I wasn't sure how it would feel to meditate with other people in this way, but I did feel a sense of camaraderie and unity during the first 15 minutes of my meditation.

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 9:50 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Meditation was a last minute thing tonight. I was pretty focused for the first few minutes, but less so as time went on. Usually I look forward to my meditation but tonight all I could think about was going to sleep. I wasn't sleepy, but I wanted to sleep!

40 minutes (30/10)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 6:45 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Better this morning, in terms of focus, but I was SO sleepy despite an extra hour of sleep last night (and an early walk in the cold). I think I'm chronically sleep-deprived right now.

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 9:50 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Moderately distracted. Had to wear noise reduction headphones to block out the sounds of the party next door *eyeroll*

40 minutes (30/10)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 6:45 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Up at my regular time but I was SO distracted, I felt like I wasn't even there. The last ten minutes were better than the first 20, but STILL....

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 8:30 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: I was less distracted tonight. It's easier to talk myself into focusing when I know I'll only be on the zafu for 10 minutes.

40 minutes (30/10)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: St. C House
When: 8:00 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: One disadvantage to meditating at the house is noise. I woke up late this morning, so I had to deal with a telephone conversation in the background. I put on headphones and listened to an ocean waves recording to block out the noise, but it was still difficult. Wondering if a recording of white noise, along with my Bose noise reduction headphones would do the trick?

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: St. C House
When: 6:00 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Noise again, this time a movie ('I Heart Huckabees' which is bad enough when you're NOT meditating...). Definitely need the headphones, or maybe earplugs. Very distracted and unhappy tonight.

40 minutes (30/10)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 6:45 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: So sleepy! I felt like I was on the edge of sleep the entire time.

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 10:10 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: I'm heading to the house for the rest of the weekend, but decided to meditate before I left because I'll probably be too tired later tonight.

50 minutes (30/20)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 6:45 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: A bit distracted this morning, but better than yesterday. I wasn't sleepy because I slept in until 7 a.m.

Meditation: 20 minutes
Where: Meditation Group
When: 7:15 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Only 20 minutes because the group leader did this 'meditation instruction' thing for 10 minutes to orientate the beginners in the group. The time passed really quickly and I'm delighted with the Mobile Meditator in this context - I was very comfortable!

40 minutes (30/10)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 6:45 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Very distracted, but I kept trying!

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 10:10 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: This was one of those nights when I needed meditation to slow myself down for sleep. It *almost* worked, but I was too wired.

40 minutes (30/10)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 6:45 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Very, very distracted. This was a great opportunity to practice bringing my attention back. Also good practice in observing my emotional responses. I didn't have very much sleep last night so I was feeling very drowsy.

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Subway
When: 10:10 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: I was so distracted tonight, this almost seemed like a waste of time. I have no control over my brain. Kept looking out the window (at nothing). Argh.

40 minutes (30/10)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 6:45 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: First ten minutes I was distracted, second ten minutes, I was falling asleep, the third ten minutes I was fairly focus and more-or-less awake. Nice to end on a high note! ;-)

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 10:10 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: I started my meditation with an agitated mind, but gradually calmed down. Not enough to sleep, though :-(

40 minutes (30/10)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 6:45 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Distracted throughout, but at least I wasn't drowsy!

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 9:45 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: I was at a pub party following the ice hockey finals this evening. Meditating while tipsy and sleepy is not very effective, but I found it very amusing. Next time, I'll try to remember to meditate before heading out.

40 minutes (30/10)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: St. C House
When: 6:40 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: A bit distracted, but I was able to catch myself each time my mind wandered. Wow, random thoughts are so *interesting* during meditation! It's like having a cookie dangled in front of you when you're pekish. So hard to resist!

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 10:00 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Swirling, swirling mind. I hate meditating when I'm upset.

60 minutes (30/30)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 6:50 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Terrific except for the allergy attack. I was blowing my nose every few minutes! Very frustrating. This time of year, I'm allergic to the moulds in the air (due to the fallen leaves). Later in the day, found myself inspired by this recording by Erich Shiffmann.

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: St. C House
When: 9:15 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: It's been a while since I've done a long evening meditation. I wasn't even planning for it tonight, but I really needed it. I'm still working out the temperature thing at the house. I brought my down sleeping bag this weekend, but it wasn't quite warm enough. I'm investigating an electric microplush throw to keep myself warm when I'm here.

40 minutes (30/10)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 6:50 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: I struggled a little bit with my focus this morning. I took a muscle relaxant last night to treat a shoulder problem and I think I had a bit of a chemical 'hangover' from the drug (I slept like a log). Lately, 30 minutes has not seemed very long for meditation at all. I've adjusted to it.

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Streetcar
When: 11:15 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: The streetcar is a smoother ride, a little bit easier than the subway, actually.

40 minutes (30/10)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 6:50 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Focus was good this morning and not sleepy at all! Hooray for adequate sleep!

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Subway
When: 9:45 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: I had a good subway driver tonight, my meditation was a smooth ride :-D Good focus. I seem to easily remain focused for 10 minute meditation sessions now.

40 minutes (30/10)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 6:45 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: The first 10 minutes were very focused, the second 10 were scattered as I engaged in mental 'story-telling', the last 10 were mixed, focused with occasional mental forays.

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Subway
When: 8:05 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: 10 minutes of bliss on the subway ride home. I'm starting to notice when I have a veteran operator; the train doesn't jerk around when there's someone with a light hand at the helm. I always appreciate that more when I'm meditating!

40 minutes (30/10)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 6:45 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: The first 10 minutes was really nice, but the longer I sat, the sleepier I became. May take a nap later.

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Public Health Clinic
When: 8:05 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: I was asked to wait for 15 minutes after receiving the Swine Shot, so I spent the time productively, meditating. I'm always amazed by the feeling of calm that descends whenever I meditate in a public place. But it was difficult to concentrate.

40 minutes (30/10)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 6:45 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: I had a difficult time staying awake this morning. I felt tired and heavy.

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 9:35 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: I decided that sleep trumps meditation tonight. Ten minutes of meditation was a peaceful way to end my day, especially after playing ice hockey.

40 minutes (30/10)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: St. C House
When: 6:45 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: I was fine in the first ten minutes, but really distracted near the end. I was interrupted midway though, which may have contributed to my lack of focus.

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 9:45 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: I very rarely drink alcohol, but tonight I had two vodka coolers. I discovered where the expression 'buzzed' comes from. My entire body was buzzing!

60 minutes (30/30)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 6:45 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: The first 10 minutes were good, the second 10 minutes were very distracted and the last 10, I was falling asleep.

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: St. C House
When: 9:45 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Nice meditation. We found a small space heater for me to use. It was a big help in keeping me warm.

40 minutes (30/10)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 7:45 a.m.
How: This was a good meditation. I was definitely distracted, but I was diligent in bringing my attention back to the passage. It's amazing the meandering paths my mind can take if I let it loose!

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 9:35 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: A ten-minute meditation was the perfect way to conclude my day! I went to sleep immediately afterward. No problem sleeping after meditation, by the way. That used to be problem, but hasn't been for the past few weeks.

40 minutes (30/10)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 6:30 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: This morning, I was deeply body-tired from teaching so much (and so intensively) yesterday). I wasn't falling asleep, but I was very distracted. I had such a difficult time calming my mind and remaining present!

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Subway
When: 9:45 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Given that I was on a moving train, I had a really nice meditation. This may become the norm on Thursdays because I'm travelling home so late.

40 minutes (30/10)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 6:30 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Really nice meditation this morning. Moderately distracted, felt calm and well-balanced. It was a nice start to the day.

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 9:55 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Very tired. I didn't know if I would make it through ten minutes, but I found it soothing.

60 minutes (30/30)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 6:30 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: I finally took the plunge and set my alarm for 15 minutes earlier. Even though I went to bed earlier to compensate, I still felt it. I was sitting by 6:30, with no construction noise. Unfortunately, I was sleepy during my meditation and this is the hardest thing for me. I hate the struggle to stay awake.

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 8:30 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)/(St. Francis prayer)
Notes: I had a weird meditation. When I started, I spontaneously started using the St. Francis prayer, but my mind was flitting all over the place. After 10 minutes, I switched to the Twin Verses and settled down a lot, but I was still distracted.

60 minutes (30/30)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 7:00 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: I had a tough time 'settling down' this morning, but once I did, I was fine. The time passes so quickly! I never imagined that I would ever say that about a 30 minute meditation, but it's true!

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 8:30 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: I had one of my best, most focused meditation sessions in ages! And I was wide awake, having just spent an hour playing ice hockey. I'm never sleepy after games, just wired. But apparently I was worn out enough that my monkey mind took a rest.

60 minutes (30/30)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: St. C House
When: 6:45 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Good meditation, moderately distracted and only sleepy in the last 5 minutes or so. I've learned that I need a heavy blanket over my knees and a light meditation shawl over my shoulders to stay warm enough. Experiencing some stiffness in my neck and this is new (and very distracting).

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: St. C Park
When: 12:05 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Sundays are a tricky day for evening meditation because I don't return home from St. C until 9:30 or 10:00. The solution is to do my 'evening' meditation earlier (entirely possible, as this is my day off). I left my zafu set up with that in mind. However, in the afternoon I took the dog on a walk to a nearby park and it was so warm and lovely out! I sat underneath a tree with golden coloured leaves, bathed in sunlight and meditated for 30 minutes. It was sublime!

60 minutes (30/30)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 7:00 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: I had a very good meditation this morning. I wasn't drowsy at all, I was somewhat distracted, but diligent in bringing my attention back to the passage. I felt very calm and focused. My periods of unfocus contrasted starkly with my periods of deep focus.

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: St. C House
When: 9:45 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Being in a different place for meditation sometimes makes my mind swirl. It did that tonight. It took about 10 minutes for me to settle in, then I had a good meditation. It felt good to do a long evening meditation - I haven't been able to do this in a few days.

40 minutes (30/10)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 6:45 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: I'm trying to fit my meditation in earlier to avoid construction noise. I ate breakfast and sat in front of the S.A.D. light before meditating and that was helpful (no drowsiness). I'm thinking of shifting my wake-up time 15 minutes earlier so I can be on the zafu by 6:30 (construction starts at 7:00 a.m.).

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Subway
When: 9:45 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: I had hoped for a longer meditation session tonight, but circumstances interfered. Instead, I ended up doing a 10 minute meditation on the subway while travelling home. I try to avoid meditating on the subway, but it was an interesting experience. Most of all, I was surprised by the sense of serenity that overtook me as soon as I closed my eyes and focused on the passage. It was immediate.

40 minutes (30/10)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 8:00 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Lovely meditation this morning. I'm feeling at ease with both the new routine and the new passage. I kind of miss the romance of sitting for meditation shortly after waking, but it just wasn't working for me. I may experiment with sitting right after breakfast though (going for a walk afterward). It would be nice to do my meditation before the construction noise starts in the morning.

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 9:50 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Another short and sweet meditation. I really do appreciate the transition from my busy day to bedtime. Tonight, my mind was full of the past, analysing my day of teaching.

40 minutes (30/10)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 7:50 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: I had breakfast, sat in front of my S.A.D. light and went for a brisk walk before doing my meditation this morning. This, along with adequate sleep (the perfect formula for this is something I'm still figuring out) seems to be right formula for an alert meditation. Even though I was feeling a bit sleepy this morning, I wasn't drifting off in my meditation. I was, however, quite distracted this morning. I had lots of practice in bringing my attention back to the passage.

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 9:50 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Now that I'm regularly sitting for a half-hour at a time, 10 minutes feels like a walk in the park. It was a really nice way to 'wind down' after work, before going to sleep.

60 minutes (30/30)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 8:00 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Great meditation this morning and I felt very alert. I'm excited that I'm no longer feeling sleepy during my meditation! This is really the hardest thing about meditating, falling asleep. I can embrace my monkey mind and the distractedness, but when I'm sleepy, my defences are down and I feel like I can't do the 'work' I need to be doing in meditation. My mind just shuts down.

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 8:50 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Again, no sleepiness in my meditation! I wonder if it's the extra sleep that is making the difference (perhaps I need more sleep than I previously thought?). In fact, tonight I was a bit 'wired'. I felt very warm as I started the meditation, cooled down about half-way through. Moderately distracted, but diligent in bringing my attention back to the passage.

60 minutes (30/30)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 8:00 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: Great meditation this morning! I wasn't sleepy, I was only moderately distracted and I felt calm and centred. I woke up feeling a bit scattered this morning, tidied up the apartment, ate breakfast and sat in front of my S.A.D. light before starting meditation. I'm wondering if the S.A.D. light made a difference?

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 8:30 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: I skipped hockey and opted for an early bedtime tonight. My meditation was really good until the last 10 minutes, when I started drifting off to sleep.

40 minutes (30/10)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: St.C House
When: 8:30 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: I was not sleepy this morning, so I had a *much* better meditation. For some reason, I was deeply aware that I was in a new place. I had to consciously make an effort to calm down and not feel time-pressured. The new passage is very nice - I'm enjoying it.

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 9:50 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: I arrived home late, so only had time for a brief meditation. I was feeling very tired, but I didn't feel sleepy as I meditated. Though short, this meditation left me feeling more centred.

60 minutes (30/30)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 7:00 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: I wrote the new passage out on a small square of paper, which I propped up on my altar. With my 'cheat sheet' I felt comfortable with it and soon felt at ease with it. Unfortunately, I felt *very* sleepy this morning, despite having already been up for an hour (and gone for a brisk walk in the rain). I can't blame this on eating beforehand. I use a light therapy box and I'm wondering if I sat in front of it before my meditation, would it help? Also, I think I'm running a sleep deficit again - I haven't been to bed on time for the past two nights.

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: St.C House
When: 9:30 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)/(St. Francis Prayer)
Notes: I'm staying at E's house tonight, so had my meditation in her front room. I had a terrible time staying awake tonight during my meditation; I kept drifting off. Halfway through, I switched to the St.Francis prayer, thinking a change of focus would keep me awake. Didn't work. Breath focus didn't work. I was tired. I soldiered through it.

40 (30/10)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 8:00 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: I started using a new passage for my meditation this morning: the 'Twin Verses' from the Dhamapada. I've been meaning to memorise these all week, but didn't get around to it. So I kind of memorised them on the fly. It didn't take me long and I used the passage for the rest of my sit. I wasn't distracted at all this morning, but I was a bit sleepy. The late start time is because I decided to walk the dog after waking, then decided to eat some breakfast. I'm wondering if the drowsiness is from the breakfast?

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 10:50 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation ('Twin Verses' from the Buddha, Dhamapada)
Notes: I had hoped for a longer meditation tonight, but it wasn't to be. Probably for the best, anyway. I'm struggling a bit with the new passage I'm working with. I don't feel 'settled' in it yet (read: I haven't sufficiently memorised it). I felt like I was scattered all over the place while I meditated.

40 minutes (30/10)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 7:30 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation (St. Francis Prayer)
Notes: I was very tempted to sleep in this morning, since my noon class cancelled. Very tired. I did a few tasks around my home and went for a walk before meditating. This helped smooth away the sleepiness before I sat, but missed the soothing darkness of early morning (and lack of construction noise too).

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 10:50 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation (St. Francis Prayer)
Notes: I was pretty distracted for such a short period of meditation!

40 minutes (30/10)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 6:30 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation (St. Francis Prayer)
Notes: I woke groggy, but I wasn't sleepy during my meditation. I was moderately distracted, but my focus was not quite as sharp this morning. Everything felt just a bit fuzzy around the edges. It took me less time to get settled on the Mobile Meditator Zafu this morning. In hindsight, I probably should have added a bit of air to the central chamber - my hips are not as open in the morning and I could feel this in my posture.

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 9:50 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation (St. Francis Prayer)
Notes: I taught evening classes. Even though I get home by around 9:15, the time seems to slip through my fingers. I enjoyed the very brief meditation I managed to slip in. No problems at all going to sleep afterward either.

60 minutes (30/30)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 6:30 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation (St. Francis Prayer)
Notes: Very sleepy. Late hockey game last night, plus I don't think I've been getting enough sleep lately. Took a nap in the morning and I'm going to work on an earlier bedtime (or shorter evening meditation on nights when I am working)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 9:15 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation (St. Francis Prayer)
Notes: Less sleepy tonight, though I was a bit dozey near the end. I tried out the Mobile Meditator zafu tonight. It's an adjustment because air isn't as 'solid' as buckwheat hulls, but once I settled in, it was very comfortable.

60 minutes (30/30)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 6:30 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation (St. Francis Prayer)
Notes: Distracted meditation this morning. I was definitely in 'future mode', planning everything from my day to my evening meditation. This is true irony: My mind was too busy planning my next meditation to be present in the meditation it was currently involved in. Argh!

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 10:30 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation (St. Francis Prayer)
Notes: I was feeling drowsy during my meditation, wide awake as soon as I was finished. My legs were uncomfortable tonight - no cramps or anything, just uncomfortable. I played a late ice hockey game tonight, which probably accounts for it. I didn't go straight to bed afterward this time. Instead, I read a book for about 5 minutes and that's all it took: I was out like a light. There's the solution to my mind-too-busy-to-sleep problem after evening meditation.

60 minutes (15/15/30)

Meditation: 15 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 6:30 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation (St. Francis Prayer)
Notes: I was just settling in when I was struck with cramps from my monthly cycle. I had to take a break for awhile.

Meditation: 15 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 8:00 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation (St. Francis Prayer)
Notes: Resumed my meditation while sitting on the futon (with some back support).

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 9:30 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation (St. Francis Prayer)
Notes: I ate too much supper. I usually eat very light in the evening - a full meal was too much. I felt bloated and awful during meditation. I'm surprised how much a simple thing can affect me. I'm becoming more aware of how things I eat make me feel.

60 minutes (30/30)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 6:30 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation (St. Francis Prayer)
Notes: Great meditation this morning, the time just flew by!

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 9:30 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation (St. Francis Prayer)
Notes: I had a rare lazy evening at home, decided to do a longer evening meditation and go to bed early. One thing I've noticed lately: Going straight from meditation to bed does not guarantee ease of sleep. I had some trouble getting to sleep the night before and the same thing happened last night. It's as if my mind needed one more energetic romp before it could shut down for the night.

40 minutes (30/10)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 6:30 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation (St. Francis Prayer)
Notes: A little bit sleepy this morning.

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 11:00 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation (St. Francis Prayer)
Notes: Like yesterday, I felt resistant to sitting, but once I was there it was great. I didn't light the candles tonight. I sat in the dark and when I finished, rolled right into bed to sleep.

40 minutes (30/10)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 6:30 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation (St. Francis Prayer)
Notes: Distracted again this morning. I read something recently by Easwaran that was very inspiring - basically, he offered that the practice of bringing the attention back again and again is 'training the mind'. So distractions are actually my friends because they give me the opportunity to practice one-pointed attention again and again.

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 10:23 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation (St. Francis Prayer)
Notes: I got home late tonight and felt some resistance to doing my meditation, but meditation felt like a relief once I settled in.

50 minutes (30/20)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 6:30 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation (St. Francis Prayer)
Notes: I'm more distracted in the morning, probably thinking about the day ahead. It was good practice, constantly returning my attention to the passage.

Meditation: 20 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 10:00 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation (St. Francis Prayer)
Notes: I'm going to play it by ear with this evening meditation, try to sit for at least 10 minutes but sit for more if I feel like it. Last night, I noticed an interesting pattern in my wandering thoughts: past and future. Every time I brought my attention back to the passage, I noted whether I was going into the past or into the future. There was a bit of past (mostly related to the yoga classes I taught during the day) but much more future.

40 minutes (30/10)

Meditation: 30 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 7:05 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation (St. Francis Prayer)
Notes: Not sleepy, but very distracted. Burned my thumb while trying to light a candle. It was like a 'Three Stooges' meditation, lol!

Meditation: 10 minutes
Where: Zafu
When: 10:00 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation (St. Francis Prayer)
Notes: 10 minutes seems short, but it was a perfect way to launch an evening meditation practice. I think I'm better focused in the evening, as long as I'm not exhausted. I enjoyed this!

30 minutes

Where: Zafu
When: 5:56 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation (St. Francis Prayer)
Notes: Busy morning so I moved my meditation till evening. Starting tomorrow, I would like to try an early morning meditation, with an eye towards adding a shorter evening session (the type of meditation I practice does not advocate doing more than 30 minutes in one sit).

30 minutes

Where: Zafu
When: 12:00 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation (St. Francis Prayer)
Notes: I seem to have moved past the meditation slump I was in last week and the sleepiness is gone too. I had a wonderful meditation today.

30 minutes

Where: Zafu
When: 10:00 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation (St. Francis Prayer)
Notes: I'm sticking with the St. Francis passage while I move through the transition to a 30 minute meditation. It was fine tonight - no frustration and no drowsiness. And my legs didn't go to sleep either (Maybe I need more of a cushion against the floor when I'm at Meditation Group? Or it could be the temperature - that room was COLD last night).

30 minutes

Where: Meditation Group
When: 7:20 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation (St. Francis Prayer)
Notes: It was interesting to meditate in a group setting. It took me longer to settle down, but once I did, I was fine. This meditation lasted 30 minutes, 10 minutes longer than I'm used to. After 20 minutes, my feet start falling asleep. But I felt fine meditating for this duration and may go ahead and expand my practice to 30 minutes for a few days to see how it feels.

20 minutes

Where: Zafu
When: 9:55 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation (St. Teresa of Avila - 'Let Nothing Upset You')
Notes: *Very* sleepy today. I started to drift off a few times and could feel the beginning of dreams whirling through my mind. As I grew drowsy, my brain began to 'rewrite' parts of the passage I was using, substituting words or ideas. Very interesting.

20 minutes

Where: Zafu
When: 10:00 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation (St. Teresa of Avila - 'Let Nothing Upset You')
Notes: I started using a new passage for meditation this morning. This one is short and was easy to memorise. I was sleepy in my meditation today.

20 minutes

Where: Zafu
When: 10:20 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation (Prayer of St. Francis)
Notes: Tried sitting in full lotus and lasted about half the time, 10 minutes. It felt mostly comfortable, but less so as time went on. I had a mostly focused meditation.

20 minutes

Where: Zafu
When: 11:30 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation (Prayer of St. Francis)
Notes: Best meditation session I've had in about a week! I was very focused. My face felt a bit tense.

20 minutes

Where: Zafu
When: 3:00 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation (Prayer of St. Francis)
Notes: Moderately distracted due to some exciting news prior to my session. Good practice in returning my attention to the passage.

20 minutes

Where: Zafu
When: 3:50 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation (Prayer of St. Francis)
Notes: Distracted, but not as much as yesterday. I had moments of focus here and there.

20 minutes

Where: Zafu
When: 10:15 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation (Prayer of St. Francis)
Notes: Distracted, but not as much as yesterday. I had moments of focus here and there.

20 minutes

Where: Zafu
When: 10:00 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation (Prayer of St. Francis)
Notes: Very distracted today. Not as bad as last night, but I had to keep leading my excitable little monkey mind back to the passage I was meditating on. Over and over and over again.

10 minutes

Where: Zafu
When: 10:22 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation (Prayer of St. Francis)
Notes: Awful meditation. I spent the second part of it curled up in a seated fetal position on my zafu. Did. Not. Want. This is quite a contrast to the blissful meditation sessions I've had in past days.

20 minutes

Where: Zafu
When: 9:30 a.m.
How: Passage Meditation (Prayer of St. Francis)
Notes: My mind wandered a lot, but I found myself observing the wandering with curiosity.

20 minutes

Where: Zafu
When: 1:45 p.m.
How: Passage Meditation (Prayer of St. Francis)
Notes: I'm finding it easier to fit my meditation in if I do it early in the day. Ideally, I'd like to start meditating in the morning. I increased my meditation time again, to 20 minutes. I felt comfortable with this duration and will try to work with it over the next week.

15 minutes

Where: Zafu
When: 10 a.m.
How: 15 minutes Passage Meditation (Prayer of St. Francis)
Notes: I decided to try Passage Meditation for the entire duration instead of just for the first five minutes. It was challenging not to allow my mind to wander. I enjoyed my meditation today.

5 minutes

Where: Bed
When: 1:25 a.m.
How: 5 minutes Prayer of St. Francis
Notes: Thank goodness for meditation! I was upset and full of anxiety, didn't know how I would ever get to sleep. Five minutes of meditation put on the path to sleep, followed by binural beats and silent recitation of my mantra. I was out cold in less than 10 minutes.

15 minutes

Where: Zafu
When: 12:15 p.m.
How: 5 minutes Prayer of St. Francis, 10 minutes breath focus
Notes: I sat down right after I finished my yoga practice today. I had a bit of trouble with focus, but had a pretty good meditation overall.

5 minutes

Where: Bed
When: 10:45 p.m.
How: 5 minutes Prayer of St. Francis
Notes: Almost forgot to meditate tonight - the horrors! So it was a last minute thing, on the bed, before sleep.

15 minutes

Where: Zafu
When: 10:00 a.m.
How: 5 minutes Prayer of St. Francis, 10 minutes breath focus
Notes: My meditation was very scattered today. I tweaked my shoulder last night teaching a class, so that was bothering me and I was fussing over it.

10 minutes

Where: Subway
When: 7:45 p.m.
How: 5 minutes Prayer of St. Francis, 5 minutes breath focus
Notes: The trip home from downtown is exactly ten minutes. The final gone sounded right as I pulled into the station. Not easy to meditate on the subway, but not as hard as I thought.

15 minutes

Where: Zafu
When: 8:05 p.m.
How: 5 minutes Prayer of St. Francis, 10 minutes breath focus
Notes: I seem to be making a habit of pre-hockey-game meditation. I didn't feel focused or calm until the very end of my meditation today.

5 minutes

Where: Zafu
When: 10:35 p.m.
How: 5 minutes Prayer of St. Francis
Afterward: Glad to get it over with; bedtime meditation doesn't seem to work very well for me

15 minutes

Where: St. Lawrence Market 'hood, near the fountain
When: 11:15 a.m.
How: 5 minutes Prayer of St. Francis, 10 minutes breath focus
Afterward: Light and giddy (and somewhat more distracted than when I started)

5 minutes

Where: Zafu
When: 10:00 p.m.
How: 5 minutes Prayer of St. Francis
Afterward: Distracted (afterward and during the meditation)

15 minutes

Where: Zafu
When: 11:43 p.m.
How: 5 minutes Prayer of St. Francis, 10 minutes breath focus
Afterward: Calm

5 minutes

Where: Bed
When: 10:30 p.m.
How: 5 minutes Prayer of St. Francis
Afterward: Agitated, tired.

I think I was over-tired. I had a difficult time with this meditation

15 minutes

Where: Parkette
When: 6:05 p.m.
How: 5 minutes Prayer of St. Francis to centre myself, then 10 minutes of breath focus
Afterward: Very calm, very centred

I'm expanding my meditation time to 15 minutes. So far, so good! I enjoyed it and it didn't seem difficult to me.

10 minutes

Where: Zafu, at my altar (finally cleared the stuff off of it so I could use if properly)
When: 7:50 p.m.
How: 5 minutes Prayer of St. Francis, 5 minutes breath focus
Afterward: Headed to the ice rink to play the first game of the winter season. Lost 4-2

10 minutes

Where: Floor with small cushion
When: 12 a.m.
How: Prayer of St. Francis for 5 minutes, then focused on breath for 5 minutes (lost track of breath cycles)
Afterward: Felt very focused (but ready for sleep)

5 minutes

Where: Bed
When: 1 a.m.
How: Focused on breath for 5 minutes (23 breath cycles)
Afterward: Exhausted.

5 minutes

Where: Bed
When: 11:30 p.m.
How: Focused on breath for 5 minutes (26 breath cycles)
Afterward: Sleepy!

10 minutes

Where: Bed
When: 10:30 p.m.
How: Silently repeated the Prayer of St. Francis for 5 minutes, focused on breath for 5 minutes (23 breath cycles)
Afterward: Felt ready for sleep

10 minutes

Where: Zafu, post-practice
When: 10:30 a.m.
How: Silently repeated the Prayer of St. Francis for 5 minutes, focused on breath for 5 minutes (21 breath cycles). A bit chilly today, used my blue meditation shawl.
Afterward: Was absolutely fascinated by variations in my breath.

10 minutes

Where: Yoga mat, post-practice
When: 1:30 p.m.
How: Silently repeated the Prayer of St. Francis for 5 minutes, focused on breath for 5 minutes (28 breath cycles), used regular timer on my iPod (the Meditate app is buggy today)
Afterward: Felt deeply calm

10 minutes

Where: Yoga mat, post-practice
When: 10:30 a.m.
How: Silently repeated the 'Serenity Prayer', Used the Meditate timer on my iPod.
Afterward: Felt like I was trying really hard

5 minutes

Where: Home zafu
When: 9:45 p.m.
How: Silently repeated the 'Serenity Prayer' to myself as a focus, a method proposed in Eknath Easwaran's book, 'Meditation' Used the Meditate timer on my iPod.
Afterward: I felt like I was getting it out of the way.

15 minutes

Where: Outdoors, at Princess Park after my class
When: 11:05 a.m.
How: Silently repeated the 'Serenity Prayer' to myself as a focus, a method proposed in Eknath Easwaran's book, 'Meditation'. Used the Meditate timer on my iPod to time the session with 5 minute intervals
Afterward: I felt deeply aware of my breath. Surprised that I was able to stick it out for 15 minutes.

5 minutes

The best way to get started is to just start. The best way to keep going and to keep myself accountable is to record my progress. Thus, this blog.

Keeping it simple.

Where: Home zafu
When: 10:30 p.m.
How: Silently repeated the 'Serenity Prayer' to myself as a focus, a method proposed in Eknath Easwaran's book, 'Meditation'. I used the Meditate timer on my iPod.
Afterward: I felt calm. Also felt pleased that I had made the effort