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.