Tea and Meditation Thursday: Relaxation Music for Meditation

Tuesday Treat: Almond Tea Cake

Tea and Meditation Thursday: Ocean Guided Meditation

Tuesday Treat: Tea Sandwiches

Tea and Meditation Thursday: Waterfall Meditation

Tuesday Treat: Scones and Cream

Tea and Meditation Thursday: Autumn Joy!

What's Next?

As I conclude the "31 Days to Build A Better Blog" challenge (such a wonderful time I had meeting the other bloggers in the challenge), and myself, have concluded two challenges related to tea and meditation, I am considering what's next, both for me and for this blog.

Tea and Meditation

I know that I am still making changes in lifestyle and I intend to continue. I want to continue working out how to create a contemplative tea lifestyle and still have time for allk the other priorities.

What about you?

Blog Plan

I am pretty sure I will not post every day, but will continue sharing my journey. I intend to post at least twice a week for the month of October, probably on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

So far, my ideas are to have a Tuesday "treat", offering a recipe of some kind for tea or goodies to have with tea, and to post an update about how the week is going on Thursdays. If I don't check in, I will post a meditation video you can try with your own cup of tea.

Tuesday Treat


Tea and Meditation Thursdays

This coming Thursday, I may take a break since I have just posted about how it's going, so I'll see you next week!

Jeanine

A Lifestyle Review: Life After 30 Days of Tea & Meditation

Last week, I shared what I have been learning as I struggle to create the tea lifestyle I want. I learned a lot about how to handle not wanting to meditate! But what about all those changes?

30 Days of Tea and Meditation

It has been 30 days, now (as of Oct. 2nd), since I challenged myself after completing the Chopra meditation challenge, to continue the practice of tea and meditation for 30 days straight.
I tried to make room for morning and afternoon tea, for working at home, for homeschooling, for meditating, for family time and for getting enough sleep! And I wanted to slow down and make room for contemplation and reflection, in general.

Almost every one of those changes proved to be challenging. More often than not, something got compromised.

Here’s My Update

I am still creating those changes in my lifestyle and still finding some of them a challenge. But shifting my attitude so that I can fully accept the imperfection of it all has made a huge difference in how I feel about how it’s going!!

And somehow, without any strenuous effort on my part, the changes are becoming easier. There is more a flow, especially when I don’t fight myself. I am getting more sleep, I am spending time with my family, I am finding more time for contemplation, I am drinking more tea, I am getting more work done and having enough time for our homeschooling.

Some days go by without afternoon tea. And sometimes, I briefly lament the things that didn’t get done. But all in all, I’d call it a success!

Homework

Journal about where you are in the process of change. Celebrate the successes! And hold the tough parts lightly, staying open to creative solutions that might pop up while you sip your next cup of tea.

See you tomorrow!

Jeanine

Something to Think about When You Meditate

The Wisdom of Having a Plan


Though the harvest moon may be in hiding by now, it did launch the harvest season, which means it’s a good time to think about what you want to harvest in your own life.

Last week, I did a full moon meditation prior to making my full moon dreamboard and it just highlighted for me that the whole process of meditating is much easier for me if I have something to think about or a plan before I start. When I did my full moon meditation, I thought through some things but also got some intuitive guidance about how to create autumn bliss next month.

Meditation Prompt

So here are some ideas to get you started if you would like to meditate about your own harvest season. They come from Jamie Ridler, who often offers dreamboard and journal prompts based on the moon’s activity.

From her new moon questions, we are invited to consider what wants to begin in our lives and what we would like to make grow. What do we want to nurture into harvest?

Homework

Your homework: pick one of those prompts for tea and meditation. And let us know how it goes. For extra credit, journal about your experience after the meditation.

See you Monday! Have a wonderful weekend!!

Jeanine

When the Going Gets Tough, Go Deeper

Meditate Deeper


What I mean by that is that when you just aren’t feeling the love for your meditation practice, your tea or other relaxation methods may seem to fall short. In times like those, reach for an deeper relaxation so that at least you get something out of it.

When I didn’t do that, I sometimes found that I felt as cranky after the meditation as I did before. So if you start with tea and that doesn’t calm you, go deep.

Countdown to Meditation Bliss

Your homework for today…

Here’s one technique for creating a deeper induction as you meditate. Countdown from ten to one, slowly. You can picture the numbers in your mind, or imagine being in an elevator and watch the numbers light up as you go from tenth floor to the ground level. Or you can imagine walking down ten flights of stairs.

If you try it, let me know how it goes.

See you tomorrow!

Jeanine

Tea is the Warm-Up

When I don’t feel like meditating, I find that it feels like a chore that I just want to get over with as quickly as possible. So it was in that spirit, last week, that I decided to combine my tea with meditation so that when the cup was empty, I could count myself done.

When to Drink Your Tea


Usually, I drink tea first, reflectively, and begin the process of slowing down my thoughts and easing into a more relaxed state. And then I meditate. But this time, I tried to do the whole thing while sipping tea. And it might have worked, if I hadn’t been so impatient to be done.

But I think for my own best experience, it’s better to slow it down even more than that and make tea the warm up to my meditation experience.

Homework

Your homework: try it both ways and compare. Let me know which way works better for you.

See you tomorrow!

Jeanine

Meditating with Mantras

“Focusing on one word reaches down into the spiritual, emotional, or mental desire and pulls it up through the physical, and it gives you energy. A mantra lines up your deepest energetic intentions, which are very subtle, with your gross intentions out in the world.” –Patton Garrett Sarley, CEO of the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health

Healing Mantras


There were some days last week when I did not feel like meditating at all. And I hardly cared what happened during the meditation, either. I just wanted to check it off my list!

So I thought I would make it easier by just planning to repeat a mantra. Then, I thought I might as well make it a healing mantra and chose affirmations I wanted to embrace.

What I found was that I felt discomfort as I repeated the things I don’t yet believe. So I altered the words to reflect where I am now.

“I intend to believe…”


“It is my goal to let go of…”

And it was very empowering to support myself in that way. So if you want to work with affirmations as mantras, make sure the statement or phrase is encouraging (be courageous) or reflects where you are now (I am becoming ready to…).

Homework

Your homework: create an affirmation mantra and try it out for five minutes or so. Let me know in the comments how it goes.

See you tomorrow!

Jeanine

What I Know for Sure after a Week of Struggling w/ Tea & Meditation

Experience Leads to Wisdom


I spent last week sharing some of the struggles I have been having as I try to make all these “contemplative tea lifestyle” changes. What I would like to share this week is what I am learning as I persist. Here’s one thing I am learning to do…

Embracing Imperfection

Or at least, allow it. Then, try for actual acceptance. After a while, you might find you can embrace it. I’m not sure I am there yet when it comes to meditation. I still feel disappointed when it doesn’t go the way I want. But I’m getting there. The more I encouraged myself to let go of the demand for perfection last week, the better I felt about my days as they ended.

Your homework: pick something imperfect in your world today and make a decision to allow it. That’s it! If you decide to reach for acceptance or to try embracing it, that’s extra credit! :)

See you tomorrow!

Jeanine

A Sea-Infused Shamanic Journey

Preparing for the Journey

In yesterday’s post, I shared my intention to do a shamanic journey motivated by concern about my son’s need for healing beyond the normal healing techniques we use, and described all the things I did to prepare for it, trying to quite my active mind and get very deeply relaxed. It sounds, I imagine, like I must have spent a great deal of time leading up to it, but I think the tea time was about 20 minutes or so, and the shamanic reiki process was another 20 minutes, including deep breathing, crystals, hypnotic induction, etc.

And I may not have needed as much time. But I trust the process more when I know I am very deeply relaxed!

The Journey

Remember the really clear blue water I was swimming in during my meditation the other day? Well, that’s how it started. So I just swam around for a while wondering if anything else would happen when suddenly, there was my son.

I asked him what he needed and he began to talk to me about spending time together and playing games and watching movies and other things we need to include in our family time. Suddenly, a big monster appeared, which I killed. One of my arms became a weapon and I knew what to do without having to stop and think.

Another one appeared, this one more shadowy, and I took care of him, too. Now I know at least one way to interpret who these monsters represent. But I believe that in journeys, just like in dreams, symbols can have more than one meaning.

After the second monster-like being was taken care of, I began to build a protective structure all around him. It seemed to happen in slow motion, one wall at a time. Then I made it big enough for both of us, then our whole family of four (my partner and stepdaughter weren’t there right then but I knew they would be soon).

Then, I thought of creating a door so we could let other friends and family in, and saw them coming in to be with us.

Then I saw us moving about in the world still surrounded by this protective covering. I saw my son in college, I saw my future home, I saw myself teaching at a retreat center, I saw my family swimming together and many other brief flashes of future.

Coming Back

And as usual, I just sort of knew when it was complete, and began the process of returning, which I have to do slowly or I get disoriented.

What was unique about this return is how empowered and energized I felt! And how safe. And hopeful about my family’s future.

Homework

You may not have much experience with shamanic journeys, but you could try your hand at creating your own guided meditation.

What kind of experience would you want to create?

Give it a try if you dare! :)

See you Monday!

Jeanine

Of Tea and Shamanic Journeys

Today, I decided to do shamanic reiki during my meditation time, using the same music as usual, instead of the drumming that can make journeying easier, because I knew my son would have a harder time relaxing with drum sounds. My son, incidently, was the reason for the journey. I had been concerned about him for the past day or so, and felt like I was getting some intuitive impressions that he needed my help with healing something.

Tea First

Because journeying calls for an even deeper level of relaxation than guided meditation, I decided to drink more chamomile tea beforehand and to wait a little while after that before doing the shamanic meditation.

Crystals

I also have been using crystals lately as I meditate and for this journey, I decided to hold them for a while before beginning the journey. I don’t know if this is a problem for others but my mind doesn’t just wander, it jumps around like a whirling dervish and sometimes, does a little creative writing when it is supposed to be quiet and receptive.

Does that ever happen to you?

So I knew, already, that holding a rose quartz crystal in one hand and an amethyst crystal in the other is amazingly soothing and deeply relaxing. I have used them before when I am stressed out or irritated by something my little darling son has said or done. I also have used them for guided meditation in the past when I wanted to do a spirit guide meditation and wanted to make sure I was relaxed enough to hear or see clearly.

Well, it occurred to me about a week and a half ago that I had forgotten about them and their use for meditation and I immediately began using them again. Isn’t it weird how you can forget something like that and then have it suddenly pop back into your head?

Anyway, once I knew I was plenty relaxed, I decided to load the deck by adding one more thing: a hypnotic induction technique I have been throwing into the pot from time to time.

And then, I did a 20-minute journey, which I will tell you about in tomorrow’s post.

Announcing: Homework

Thought I'd change things up a bit and start making homework suggestions.

If you aren't already participating in my 30 Days of Tea and Meditation challenge, your mission, should you choose to accept it, is either (1) to have a cup of tea and take a few minutes to savor it and let go of today's stress ~~ maybe a soothing cup of chamomile tea while you observe the full moon? Or (2) to take five minutes to meditate tonight (while staring at the moon?) and either way, let me know how it goes.

If you are participating in the challenge, grab your journal and leave it open beside you as you meditate. After today's meditation, jot down anything that seemed significant about your meditation experience.

Any subtle invitations, gentle nudges, creative solutions or other kinds of intuitive guidance? Write it down. And I would love it if you would share it here, too! (I adore comments).

See you tomorrow!

Jeanine

The Saga Continues! (How's It Going for You?)

Picking up where we left off yesterday, I have been talking about all these changes I have been making. Maybe too many!

What about you? Do you ever feel like you have taken on too much? What do you do and how do you handle it? Let me know in the comments!

Are We Having Fun Yet?

When will these fabulous changes become fun? Well, there is the pride of accomplishment. The awareness of what “enough sleep” feels like. The thrill of noting that I want nothing more than to go to bed when it is not yet midnight (although that doesn't happen every night, I confess).

But I am still not getting enough done and my family is still not getting enough of my time, according to them.

Also, I am bored! So I am having some withdrawal, and probably, attempting too many changes at once.

I am not sure how I got from adding one cup of tea a day to adding tea plus meditation to tea lifestyle to getting up while the sun is still stretching.

But you can be sure I will continue blogging the good, the bad and the ugly about my experience!

How Is It Going for You?

What about you?

What changes have been a challenge for you? How’s it going? Leave me a comment and let me know what changes you're working on and how they are working out for you!

See you tomorrow!

Jeanine

Too Many Changes! (Can I Just Go Back to Bed?)

In this blog post, I want to continue the saga of too many changes at once!!

Here’s what I have been doing: morning tea and meditation, and whenever I can, afternoon tea. But before I was used to that change, I got inspired to make some more changes. And since the fall season is my most energetic time, I figured I better make use of the motivation before winter hibernation sets in!

More Sleep?

So I decided to start implementing some sleep changes, going to bed earlier and getting up earlier. The way I planned it, this would guarantee many, many wonderful things!

Enough sleep, enough time for both homeschooling and work, morning and afternoon tea, morning meditation, family time and that whole slowing down thing I’m trying to accomplish.

At night, instead of working, I am sitting on the couch with a Jane Austen sequel, keeping an eye on the TV and trying to read at the same time so that I won't (1) be bored and (2) worry about the work I still haven't done.

In the morning, far earlier than usual, I "yawn and stretch and try to come to life!"

But How Is It Going?

Well, I'm bored and on some nights, I have refused to play along, staying up late again and getting up later than I planned.

Any suggestions for making peace with all these changes?

I will feature your comments in an upcoming post.

And the saga continues tomorrow!

Jeanine

And So It Goes! More Tales on the Journey to 30 Days of Tea & Meditation

As you may have noticed if you have been reading along, my tea and meditation changes have led to more changes in lifestyle! Now I am trying to change my sleep and work habits so that I actually get enough sleep and have more time for rest and family. It is a part of the whole "contemplative tea lifestyle" change I have been angling for but I hadn't expected to decide to go crazy.

And I mentioned in my last post that the first day did not go so well. It is getting easier each day in some ways, but I would not yet say that it is "easy!"

As a night owl trying now to sleep like a lark, I am running into some difficulty. For one thing, I am naturally foggy in the morning and part of the reason for that is my allergies.

The other part is that it's too blankety-blank early!! But I chose to try it because it seemed like the only way to get enough sleep and have enough time for both work and homeschooling.

Following my natural rhythms made my days and my nights too short! So I rearranged my schedule somewhat and now, have more time for tea and meditation, and for everything else. Still not enough time! But more time.

More, tomorrow, on how it has been going!

How has it been going for you? Are you participating in 30 Days of Tea and Meditation? I would love to hear about your experiences!

If you want to know about someone else who is meditating with tea, check out A Girl with Tea.

See you tomorrow!

Jeanine

More Time for Tea

As you know, I am doing all I can to create a slower, contemplative tea lifestyle, and for the past few days, have tried changing my schedule a bit to see if that would give me more work time without losing the slower feeling I am trying to create. My hope was that it would give me more time to play with so that there was less rush and less loss.

So far, it seems to be working!

First Day

But the first day did not start off as well as I had hoped. Though I went to bed much earlier than usual, it was about an hour later than planned. So, I was still tired when it was time to get up. And I was a bit foggy so at first, it seemed like I was moving through molasses.

Because of that, I started working a couple of hours later than I had planned and only had an hour or so before I needed to get into the meat of our homeschooling day.

Tea and Meditation

On the other hand, the morning tea ritual was wonderful!! I loved the whole tea and meditation experience
and my son enjoyed it, too. We had a slow morning and a good one!

Next week, I'll tell you more about how those first few days went.

See you Monday!

Jeanine

Meditating about Transformation and Change

As I’m sure you remember from the past few days of this blog, I have been concerned about how to find the time for work and homeschooling and morning and afternoon tea, and meditation. And I received some intuitive guidance that led to making some changes in my schedule.

But I wanted to do that day’s meditation, too, to see if I would get any additional information because the advised changes seemed a bit extreme!

The Guided Meditation

The meditation was deeply relaxing and did include guidance from animal spirit companions. I saw myself swimming in beautiful, clear blue water, and I could see everything around me and was swimming easily in a kind of flowing motion (like a mermaid, it seemed).

Mermaid?

I asked what that meant and the message I received was that I was going to be able to see clearly what I needed to know and see. And the changes I wanted to make would flow easily into my life.

I also was reassured, again, that I was not alone and would have all the help I needed.

In tomorrow’s post, I’ll tell you how this week’s changes have been going…

See you then!

Jeanine

Transformation: Changing & Shifting Priorities

At the Beginning

In this blog post, we pick up my story with the next piece of intuitive guidance that came my way.

So, in my search to find the holy grail, which really means the time to do the work I believe I am supposed to be doing, without losing the other things that are important to me, I was reassured when I did my intuitive reading that all is well, that I am being guided into the changes I am making.

A second message was that I am on the cusp of transformation of some kind. Something new is happening.

And right now, I need to choose my priorities and then, get rid of whatever might distract me from them.

A Shift in Priorities

I was encouraged to look at all the good choices and pick the ones that are best for me right now. Once I have selected them I will be helped to make them happen. More good news, right?

So I did that and created a whole new schedule around it which would make time for getting enough sleep, getting a lot of work done, homeschooling, morning and afternoon tea, and meditation.

Speaking of Meditation

But I still wanted to see if there was anything else I needed to know that would be revealed during meditation. Especially since this new schedule involved some fairly radical changes, like going to bed a good deal earlier than this night owl usually does.

Tomorrow, I’ll tell you how the meditation went!

See you then!

Jeanine

Intuitive Guidance about Playing Hide-and-Go-Seek with Time

Playing Hide-and-Go-Seek with Time

When last we left off in this story, I was distracted in church by all the things I haven’t had time to do in the past several weeks and was planning to try to find the missing time by doing an intuitive reading and addressing it in meditation. We hadn’t meditated that day because we were in a rush to get to church (no slowing down that morning because I knew how crowded the parking lot and seats would be).

So when I got home, the first thing I did was the intuitive reading. Here’s the message I got from it…

Intuitive Reading

The most important message was a reminder that this process I’m in of trying to slow down, not work at night or on weekends, and make time for morning and afternoon tea, has been six months or more in the making and that it began with gentle nudges that did not originate with me (or not consciously, anyway).

Which means it’s not just me in this game; I have help! Good news!! I am really reassured by this because it tells me that it will probably all work itself out.

But there was another encouraging message before I meditated. I’ll tell you tomorrow…

Jeanine

Finding the Missing Time

Misplaced Time

On Sunday morning, while listening to the sermon in church, my mind wandered just a smidge and I thought about how I seem to have misplaced time for some of the things that are important to me. They are mainly work-related things. They may not be as urgent as they feel. I mean, I’m pretty sure I have some workaholic tendencies.

Missing in Action

Still, I was wondering where that missing time is hiding and whether or not I would be able to find it. I was never very good at hide-and-go-seek! If not, and here’s what I decided to meditate on, I wondered how I will live out some of the possibilities revealed in one of my recent guided meditations.

Once I got home, I decided to do an intuitive reading, too, to get as much helpful information as possible.

Tomorrow, I’ll tell you what I found out in the intuitive reading…

See you tomorrow!

Jeanine

Creating Contemplative Weekends & Weekdays

Weekends Off

I had such a great weekend this past weekend that I decided to try to do it every weekend from now on, to take the weekends off and to try not to schedule so much work-related stuff that I find myself working in spite of the plan.

When you work at home, there is no easy demarcation between work time and time off. You have to create that yourself and I have not been so good at stopping!

Guidance During Meditation

So I decided to get some help during meditation. As I drank my tea and then, later during the meditation, I tried to picture myself having an ideal weekend and an ideal workday. I actually asked for guidance during the meditation: "show me an ideal weekend...", etc.

What I saw first was me sleeping!! I know I need more sleep than I have been getting and part of what was so wonderful about this past weekend was sleeping in each morning.

I also saw myself reading, watching movies, hanging out with my family, etc. What I did not see was the computer!

Same thing for weekdays. At night, I saw myself watching TV and reading. And laughing!

How are these 30 days of tea and meditation going for you?

See you tomorrow!

Jeanine

New Guided Meditation from Deepak Chopra...

Speaking of Guided Imagery...

In yesterday's post, I mentioned that I have been noticing that I seem to have the bext meditation experiences when I include some sort of guided imagery in my meditation. Sometimes I make it up myself, sometimes I use something I have acquired somewhere else. Doesn't seem to matter as long as I take the time to relax deeply first (and that cup of chamomile tea beforehand loads the deck in my favor) and then, go into guided imagery.

A New Guided Meditation

Well, I received another follow-up email from the 21-day meditation challenge and, in addition to promoting their upcoming gatherings, they offered a brief meditation from Deepak for all the meditation challenge participants.

To try it out yourself, click here. Let me know what you think.

Warning: it is quite brief. When it was over, I turned on the meditation music CD I bought and continued with deep breathing and my own made-up guided meditation.

And what type of meditation works best for you? Does it help when you combine meditation with tea?

See you tomorrow!

Jeanine

Spirit Guide Meditations

Movie Theater Surprise

You know how after you have seen a movie, you "come out of it" slowly and maybe even move a bit sluggishly toward the doors, not fully back yet from the world you just inhabited? And when the doors are opened, and you look outside at bright sunlight or the brightly lit parking lot, it's a bit of a surprise to see your ordinary reality again?

That is how I feel after a really good meditation experience!

I open my eyes and am surprised to be in my home, seeing my furniture and windows. Even if I was imagining myself at home during the meditation, it feels different to see it all for real.

Not All Meditations Are the Same

Well, I have noticed that that does not happen every time I meditate. Sometimes, I relax but don't lose any awareness of where I am.  Sometimes, it feels like a struggle even to relax!

Although I notice that if I drink my cup of chamomile tea slowly and give it time to relax me even before I start the meditation, that helps! Sometimes I have sort of gulped it down because I wanted to hurry and get to the meditation. That does not work so well.

What seems to work best for me is some form of induction or progressive deepening of my experience followed by some kind of guided imagery. And the deepest experience happens when I do spirit guide journeys.

What works best for you?

Seems to be I need at least 10-15 minutes but the best ones are more like 15-20 minutes long. So I think I will intend to spend at least that much time each day and see what happens.

That's what I did today and it was wonderful! After it was over, I decided to really come back slowly by adding reiki. I still feel the effects of it as I write this post.

See you tomorrow!

Jeanine

Anatomy of a Contemplative Weekend...

Taking the Weekend Off

As part of my quest to slow down, and create a contemplative lifestyle, I was determined to take the weekend off, and I succeeded!!

I slept in on Saturday and woke up full of ideas that were work-related. So I did spend about an hour writing them down so they would not be forgotten, but after that, I was done for the weekend.

I slept in each day, I meditated each day, and drank quite a bit of tea. I watched movies, I cooked, I invited a friend over for lunch on Sunday, I made a special family meal for Labor Day and had a wonderful time!

Making Time for Contemplation

What I’m most pleased about, though, are the times I spent relaxing, reflecting and not doing anything more complicated than staring out the window as the wind blew the trees around. I spent lots of time contemplating the golden glow covering the trees as the sun gently began descending.

I finished a Jane Austen novel and started a Jane Austen sequel!

Every time I was tempted to get something done, I would ask myself what would happen if I didn’t get it done. Each time, I found I could live with the consequences.

Now, I need to work on doing that every weekend!!

See you tomorrow!

Jeanine

Back to School Blog Tour: How My Ritual of Tea & Meditation is Helping My Son

 

This back to school blog tour is brought to you by the women at http://www.livingmymoment.com/ and http://www.theworkathomewoman.com/ . Jump in and participate with your blog! It's not too late...

Creating a Tea Lifestyle with My Son

I decided a while back that I wanted to make a change, slow things down, drink more tea and create a tea ritual for myself that included meditation. I had no expectation that my 9-year-old son would join me but of course, I hoped he would!

And I should mention that I am part of a family of four, but my stepdaughter does not live with me and my partner declined my invitation to join in on the meditations and does not really like tea.

It Started with the Meditation Challenge

When the Chopra Center meditation challenge began, he wasn't interested. But along about the third or fourth day, he decided to try it. From that day on, he began doing the meditations with me. I'd make myself hot tea, always chamomile (SO soothing!!), and I'd pour him whatever iced tea was in the fridge.

We'd sip and chat quietly, and then begin the meditation. As the 21 days drew to a close, he seemed just as eager as I was to continue after the challenge was over. And he loved to tell me all about his experiences during meditation.

How It's Helping

Just his enthusiasm alone encourages me but I have noticed other changes in both of us. We are both Enneagram fours (flair for drama) and I notice that neither of us reacts as strongly to things that bother us. When we do, we return to calm more easily.

Just this morning, before meditation, he was angry with me about a decision I made that was not to his liking. He stomped off to his room but came when I called him to meditate. By the time it was over, he still looked a little pouty but gave me a hug and wanted to sit near me.

I have seen that kind of thing happen again and again in the past three weeks and I hope it continues!

30 Days of Tea and Meditation

By the way, I decided to support my decision to continue meditating after the challenge, by starting one of my own. I'm challenging myself and anyone who wants to join me to have 30 days in a row of tea and meditation.

I started on Thursday (the 2nd) but it's not too late to join us! Just take five minutes out of your day for a cup of tea and a brief meditation. That's it!

For more information about it, go to my blog post here and my "tea and meditation" Squidoo page here. I'll even send you a free sample of tea if you fill out the form here.

Thanks so much for visiting!

Jeanine

Chopra Center Bonus Meditation! (a gift for day two of my meditation quest)

An Email Surprise

I was delighted to receive an unexpected email from the Chopra Center last night offering all sorts of resources for those of us who might be feeling bereft at the end of the three weeks of meditating with 20,000 others.

"You didn't think we'd just go away after 21 days, did you? We're going through the same withdrawal you are." ~~Chopra Center

They created a meditation for "day 22" and offered a library of guided meditation podcasts available for download. In the email, there also were links for purchasing guided meditation CDs and registering for other things they've got going.

Chopra Center Offerings...

"What else do you desire in your life and what's your next step to move closer to it? If you continue to meditate, your life will continue to blossom and bloom. Are you ready for that?" ~~Chopra Center

"Setting Your Intentions" meditation

Guided meditation podcasts
Guided meditation CDs
Retreat in Sedona

30 Days of Tea & Meditation

"If there's nothing out there, is there anything in here?" ~~Davidji, Chopra Center

There were a few new mantras and a focus on the heart during this meditation and it felt significantly longer than the ones we did for the challenge. I listened to it last night and it was a great way to let go of tension.

Though not directed to do so, there were moments when I felt entirely connected to myself and fully aware of my strength. It felt really good!

But since it was so long, I decided not to do it for today's morning meditation because I didn't think my son would be able to focus for that long a period of time. He asks me each time how long I think it will take :).

Instead, we listened to that meditation music CD I bought and did our own thing. Great day 2 experience!

See you tomorrow!

Jeanine

30 Days of Tea and Meditation

Creating My Own 30-Day Challenge

I got inspired by the 30-Day Project, which does something different each month (this month, it's 30 days of learning), to consider this next little period after the challenge my own "30 days" project. At first, I was thinking 30 days of afternoon tea, because I am still struggling to get that in each day. My afternoon tea is often evening-tea-after-my-son-goes-to-bed.

But then, I decided that for this month, what is more important is my morning tea and continuing to meditate each day.

My First Day of Tea & Meditation

Speaking of continuing to meditate, I want to tell you how my first day went. About a week ago, I bought one of the meditation CDs that played in the background for some of our meditations...



So I knew I would have that playing in the background and set it aside to play right after my morning tea. By the way, it was beautiful!! Almost achingly so! I like the beginning of it even better than the part I heard during the challenge.

My son and I had talked about doing one of the meditations for children I learned during my child meditation facilitator training, but this morning, we decided to add a power animal meditation from a Cherokee meditation book I have.

During the meditation, I had two animals show up to guide me and I got some wonderful intuitive guidance!! I was so relaxed, I didn't want to open my eyes.

Join Me?

I'd love to have you along for the ride during the next 30 days!

All you have to do is find at least five munutes a day for tea and meditation. I'll even start you out with a tea sample if you go to my tea-for-one retreat kit page and give me your address. For more brief tea ritual information, check out my Squidoo page at http://www.squidoo.com/tea-and-meditation .

I am going there now to create a place where you can add your blog links if you'd like. And I will be blogging about my experiences here.

See you tomorrow!

Jeanine

Finishing the 21 Day Meditation Challenge...

"For thousands of years people have used meditation to move beyond the mind's stress-inducing thoughts, emotional upsets, and delusions - into the peace and clarity of present-moment awareness. The variety of meditation techniques, traditions, and technologies is nearly infinite, but the essence of meditation is singular: the cultivation of mindful awareness and expanded consciousness."
--Chopra Center

This challenge has been wonderful for me! I really hope I continue to meditate every day.

If you missed part or all of the challenge but would like to develop a daily meditation practice, here are links for each of the 21 days…

Day One
Day Two
Day Three
Day Four
Day Five
Day Six
Day Seven
Day Eight
Day Nine
Day Ten
Day Eleven
Day Twelve
Day Thirteen
Day Fourteen
Day Fifteen
Day Sixteen
Day Seventeen
Day Eighteen
Day Nineteen
Day Twenty
Day Twenty-One

Give it a try and then, share your experiences with us!

Celebration and Gratitude: Day 21 of the Meditation Challenge

Celebrating the Creation of a Tea Ritual

"Here we are at Day 21. If you started on the first day and are at this point, I have only one word for you: Celebrate!!! You have strung together everything it takes to have a daily practice and now all you have to do is choose it each day. We suggest 30 minutes twice each day . . . once in the morning and once in the afternoon or evening – you choose." ~~Chopra Center

Celebrating the accomplishment of being here for all 21 days of this challenge -- that was today's theme. And I truly excited to have done it each day and to have grown so fond of this new practice.

Though I had meditated in the past and even had tried to do so daily, it was always haphazard. And usually unplanned. Now, I will make it a part of my morning and hopefully, my evening, tea ritual.

Gratitude

Gratitude was another theme of today's meditation experience. Though we began with the familiar questions, who am I?, what do I really really want?, and how can I best serve or what is my purpose?, we soon moved to asking ourselves what am I grateful for? and I was reminded of how grateful I am that this meditation challenge came along when it did, just at the right time!

Next, I have to figure out how to do it on my own. I bought one of the music tapes that was sometimes playing in the background and probably will start by creating meditations for my son and myself. Brief ones.

But in the evening, I may listen to some of the guided ones you can find on YouTube. I have one of them on my Squidoo lens and may add more.

Where to Find It

How did today's meditation go for you?

If you haven't listened to it yet, you can find it right here.

See you tomorrow!

Jeanine

To find each of the meditations in one place and leave your blog post links, go to my Squidoo page at http://www.squidoo.com/21-day-meditation-challenge. You also can find links to all of my blog posts about the challenge here.

Deeper into Stillness: Meditation Challenge ~ Day 20

Only One More Day

I can hardly believe there is only one more day left of this amazing meditation experience!! It really has been so wonderful.

In crafting each meditation, my intentions have been to...
a) Very gently expose you to many different types of meditations


b) Share some of the deeper aspects of Vedanta, the Upanishads, and advaita


c) Lead you to your heart and the processes of forgiving, compassion, and vulnerability


d) Help you move from where you were to where you want to be.
It is our hope at the Chopra Center that you continue to reverberate with many of these aspects of one-ness." ~~Chopra Center


Today's Meditation


Today's meditation went well, though it was really more like tonight's meditation by the time I got around to it. The sun was just beginning to bathe the whispering trees with a golden glow. I found at first that I couldn't look away from them.

But when we began repeating the mantra, I closed my eyes. It felt wonderful!

Where to Find It

If you have waited, too, to do the meditation for today, you can find it here. And when you are ready to blog about your experience, please share your link with us here.

Other Meditation Links You Might Like...

Meditation helps with depression
Free guided meditations

See you tomorrow!

Jeanine

To read each day's blog post and find a link for that day's meditation, go to my Squidoo page at http://www.squidoo.com/21-day-meditation-challenge .

Do You See Purple? Chakra Meditation ~ Day 19 of the Meditation Challenge

The Color Purple

Apparently, a lot of new meditators see purple. I am not a new meditator, but even when I was, I don't remember seeing any particular color.

Did you?

First Thing

Because we go back to homeschool this week, and the meditation challenge ends, I decided this morning to try doing the meditation first to see how that might fit as part of our schedule. I made up my bed, took a few supplements, made and drank some chamomile tea and then, meditated in my pajamas.

While the tea was steeping, I stared at the trees. So basically, the meditation was almost the first thing I did, compared to my normal routine. I think I like that and it might make it easier to get up in the morning.

Especially, once I no longer have to turn on my computer and go into my email to get the day's meditation.

But I was a bit groggy at first, and doing it this way really extends the process of waking up and becoming alert.

Chakra Meditation

Today's meditation focused on clearing and balancing the chakras, and he included a visualization of each chakra's color as well as an invitation to bring our attention to anything related to that chakra in our lives that might need a little assistance.

"The chakra meditation is a very powerful one because it truly opens your body, mind, and soul into the conduits that they truly are and opens you up personally to a more universal flow at the level of your physiology, your emotional state, and your spiritual awareness." ~~Chopra Center

I do love the way I feel after doing that meditation! Lighter and more clear, relaxed and happy.

How did you feel?

Where to Find It

If you haven't yet done today's meditation, you can find it here. And add your blog post here. You also can share your experience here in the comment section if you'd like. I would love to know how this meditation challenge is going for you and what benefits you are noticing.

See you tomorrow!

Jeanine

To read each day's blog post and find a link for that day's meditation, go to my Squidoo page at http://www.squidoo.com/21-day-meditation-challenge .

Breaking the Cycle So You Can Manifest What You Want: Meditation Challenge ~ Day 18

Meditation that Helps You Break the Cycle

"Is there something in your life right now that needs revamping or a shift or a new perspective? Are there any patterns that you keep repeating and reinforcing that aren’t nourishing you? I designed today’s meditation to help you break the unconscious circle of being stuck in the karmic hamster wheel of life." ~~Chopra Center

Today's meditation was designed to help us release toxic patterns and break through our blockages so that we can be empowered to create more of what we want and less of what we don't want.

He talks about the power of intention and the need to pair each intention with action and will. He also points out that after setting an intention, there is an incubation period before what you want is manifested. And that the final part of the process is allowing it to manifest.

The Process of Manifestation

A four-step process is outlined...

1) Identifying a desire
2) Setting your intention
3) Having the will that it manifest
4) Taking action

There is also the suggestion that we remember our connection to everything that is by thinking about how our goals and desires have benefit beyond ourselves...

"By asking ourselves, “How would this desire or intention serve me and everyone else I come into contact with?” we can make the most evolutionary choices for true happiness, wholeness, and harmony." ~~Chopra Center

Where to Find It

I watched a movie and took a nap before listening to today's meditation. I'm glad I got to it, though, because it was great!

How was it for you?

If by chance, you haven't gotten around to it yet, you can find it here. And if you want to add your blog link about your experience, you can do that here.

See you tomorrow!

Jeanine

To read each day's blog post and find a link for that day's meditation, go to my Squidoo page at http://www.squidoo.com/21-day-meditation-challenge .

Meditation Challenge: Day 17 ~ Shifting into Self Referral

Your Most Authentic Self

In contrast with object referral, the experience of self-referral is when your internal reference point is your own spirit, and not the objects of your experience. Your true self is free of all those issues – it is open to feedback and immune to criticism, it has no fear because it has no desperation or constriction or lack. It is ever abundant. It is neither above nor below anyone else because it knows we are all Spirit wearing different disguises. Therefore when the world around us is swirling with chaos and confusion . . . we are the calm amidst the storm because we can come from within – a place of abundance, and pure joy, and stillness – to truly see all the external aspects of existence but not be dependent upon them working out a certain way.

Instead of External Happiness

Our encouragement today is to choose the happiness that does not depend on circumstance, that can exist despit what others think and say, no matter what's going on, even if we aren't in control.

My Meditation Experience

I waited until evening to do the meditation today, which is great for letting go of the day's stress, but I missed it earlier in the day. I had a headache by the time I did it. But boy, did it help!

The contrast between before and after is more dramatic later in the day! Great meditation.

Where to Find It

If you did not start your day with this meditation, either, you can find it here. Later is far better than never!

See you tomorrow!

Jeanine

To read each day's blog post and find a link for that day's meditation, go to my Squidoo page at http://www.squidoo.com/21-day-meditation-challenge .

Wacky Feelings & A Native American Shaman! Meditation Challenge ~ Day 16

My Wacky Annoying Feelings

I ask in precisely that way because I have noticed a faint but lingering sadness or melancholy that sort of comes and goes.

I was wondering about it, blaming hormones and lack of sleep and whatever else came to mind. I call that sort of blame-finding mission a form of creative writing and I think we rarely land on the real reason unless we get still and quiet and then, ask. But I did it anyway.

And only in the past few days did it occur to me that it might be connected to my experiences with meditating. That it might be a form of release or clearing. Then, this morning, I woke up with a sort of vague fear that kept attaching itself to everything I did while I got ready. I was half asleep, up much earlier than usual to go to an appt., hadn't had enough sleep and wasn't paying attention.

I just kept batting away the anxiety like an annoying fly until I woke up enough to wonder what the heck was going on. I did all my healing techniques and felt better, but I could still tell that something wasn't right.

Finally, I realized that the feelings were clearing, and I was reminded of the sadness that comes and goes.

And then, today, they addressed it and explained it on the meditation page...

Accept and Be Gentle with Your Feelings

"If some of the meditations have sparked some emotion within you or have opened up something that may have been dormant – a sadness long forgotten or an unresolved issue – this is a good thing. There is dormant toxic emotional plaque that is buried in all of us. And this is a form of it FINALLY starting to release – even situations and circumstances we are positive we had closed the loop on and let go. If you are finding yourself more emotional these days . . . or less stressed out . . . or less filled with anxiety . . . congratulations! You are experiencing the first direct benefit of a meditation practice. Let’s keep it going . . . and remember: be gentle with yourself." ~~Chopra Center

Where to Find It

I was in a hurry this morning and had to wait until later to do the meditation. Then, when I got back, I had to finish up with my homeschool planning for the year. Talk about last minute -- we start next week!! But I finally finished!

And I celebrated with the meditation. Well, after I did my happy dance while singing, "I'm done! I'm done! I'm done, I'm done, I'm done!"

If you have waited, too, here's the link!

Native American Shaman

And by the way, today's meditation process is a good one. It's about continuing to explore who we want to be and what qualities we want to embody. The exploration today is about archetypes (fun)!

I have to confess, though, that I fell asleep a couple of times during it. At one point, my response to  his pormpt was to envision a Native American shaman sitting next to me, comforting and kind and peaceful. I lay my head on his shoulder in my mind, and that must have felt real because I drifted off to sleep, LOL.

See you tomorrow!

Jeanine

To read each day's blog post and find a link for that day's meditation, go to my Squidoo page at http://www.squidoo.com/21-day-meditation-challenge .

Three Important Questions to Meditate on Today: Meditation Challenge ~ Day 15

Three Questions

Before today's meditation, the meditation guide mentions three questions that we can ask ourselves and suggests that our meditation practice will help provide the answers. We are reminded that we were given the first question yesterday as a mantra: who am I? And we were promised that each time we meditate, our awareness and understanding of who we are will expand.

What comes to mind as you ponder that question?

Awakening

Just before meditating today, I saw and heard one lone goose, which reminded me of the Native American supposition, based on what goose means in Native American spirituality, that the childhood stories that were your favorites often hold clues to your life themes and your life quest.

I spent a week or so blogging about that question here.

What was your favorite childhood story?

Sleeping Beauty was one of mine, and as I sat here, trying to wake up, part of me longing to go back to bed, I was reminded of how many different times in my life and in how many different ways awakening has been a theme for me. Even in as basic a way as my struggle to get going in the mornings.

The Other Questions

The other two questions seem just as deep as the first, all-important one...

What do I want?



What is my dharma – what is my purpose?
 
My favorite stories offer clues to the answers to those questions, too, although my deepest clarity has come from having my hands read.
 
My Meditation Experience Today
 
I wondered how it would go when I still felt so groggy. But it was wonderful!! Not as usual, it was even more wonderful than that, I think, because it was longer. We meditated for ten minutes this time!
 
After we were done, I felt so good, I think I might do it again tonight!
 
Where to Find It
 
If you haven't meditated yet today, here's the link. If you did try it, I would love to know how it went for you. Did you experience any revelations? And how is your experience going, in general, during this challenge?
 
I sometimes wonder if I am talking to myself about this challenge, but occasionally, I hear from someone who is doing it with me, has tried it or intends to do so. Yay! :)
 
See you tomorrow! (Don't forget your list ~ see the Chopra Center link for explanation)
 
Jeanine

To read each day's blog post and find a link for that day's meditation, go to my Squidoo page at http://www.squidoo.com/21-day-meditation-challenge  .

Awakening to Ourselves at a Deeper Level: Meditation Challenge ~ Day 14

"Every time we meditate we connect to the purest essence, and each time we touch it, experience it, or glimpse it . . . we awaken more to it in our life. And each time we awaken . . . we experience a higher state of consciousness in our life."~~Chopra Center

Evening Meditation

Today, I decided to wait until later to do the meditation to see how it would be, what impact it would have on my night. I am hip deep in homeschool planning (it's crunch time) because we go back to homeschool next week. And I knew it would be hard to focus on anything else this morning.

I wondered how it would feel to go full out with working on the homeschool planning, put that aside, eat dinner and then, sit down to meditate.

It helped a lot to de-stress from the day! I liked it, so I can see that it would be good to have this kind of meditation break twice in my day.

How was it for you?

Where to Find It

If you waited, too, and have not yet done today's meditation, I'd love to hear how it was different for you. Here's the link for the meditation. If you're blogging about your experiences, you can add your blog link here.

See you tomorrow!

Jeanine

To read each day's blog post and find a link for that day's meditation, go to my Squidoo page at http://www.squidoo.com/21-day-meditation-challenge  .

Seven Reasons I'm Glad I Am Taking the Meditation Challenge (Day 13)

Seven Reasons...

When I started this process, I had no idea what to expect! But I knew I wanted to create a meditation practice and was game to give it a try. It has rewarded me, already, much more than I could imagine!

Here's why...

(1) I look forward to getting up in the morning now because I know I don’t have to jump right into my day. I get to start the day with a cup of tea and meditation.

(2) It seems like I am sleeping better at night. I am falling asleep more quickly and waking up more easily, too.

(3) I am deeply relaxed now as I start my day and I feel calmer throughout the day. I have noticed that I am not as reactive when something goes wrong.

(4) I already like my life better! I don’t feel so rushed and I’ve been doing things like watch the sunset and sit for a while and read after my son goes to bed, instead if immediately getting back to work.

(5) I feel more spiritually connected than I did before the challenge. I can tell when I’m doing the meditations that the sense of connection has deepened.

(6) Before the challenge came along, I had been wanting to slow down, create more time to relax and incorporate drinking tea into those moments throughout the day. This challenge gave me the perfect opportunity and structure make those changes.

(7) After the first few days, my nine-year-old son decided he wanted to do the meditations with me and has joined me every day since then. He seems calmer, too!

Chopra Center Quote for the Day...

"You are never stuck. You are never trapped. You always have an opportunity to make a shift . . . . surrender to your unconditioned self . . . awaken to your infinite possibilities in each moment. And it is in that surrender – in that trust – that the universe will work out the details so you can let go of past control issues, past judgments, and past conditioned responses."

Where to Find It

If you haven't done the meditation yet for today, it is here. And you can add the link for your blog post here.

See you tomorrow!

Jeanine

To read each day's blog post and find a link for that day's meditation, go to my Squidoo page at http://www.squidoo.com/21-day-meditation-challenge .

What Do I Want to Create? What Does Slowing Down Mean for Me?

Tea and Contemplation

As you already know, I am in the process of slowing things down. I have been practicing meditation and am trying to create a morning tea ritual around it. I also want to make room for afternoon tea and a more contemplative lifestyle, in general.

But practically speaking, what is that going to mean for me? That’s what I’m asking myself right now.

Balance Between Work and Play

Well, one thing I think it will mean is that I have got to create more balance between building up my business and planning for time for myself and family. I’ve been neglecting that balance.

What I Want to Create

I miss having time to read, and time to sit on the couch in the afternoon and look out the window. And then, once it cools off a bit, I can even take time to sit on the balcony.

What I know, so far, is that I want to start my day with tea and meditation, move through our homeschooling day without rushing or pressure, and carve out at least an hour in the afternoon for tea and reading.

Then, I can get back to work for a couple of hours. And after that, I want to stop. I would like to be done with working in front of the TV after my son goes to bed.

Instead, I want to relax, have a cup of tea and read during the commercials. I’m not sure yet how to make it all work but I want to try.

And that’s what I know, so far!

See you tomorrow!

Jeanine

To read each day's blog post and find a link for that day's meditation, go to my Squidoo page at http://www.squidoo.com/21-day-meditation-challenge .

What Limiting Beliefs Do You Need to Let Go Of? ~ Meditation Challenge: Day 12

Be Gentle with the Ego

"As you meditate regularly, your witnessing consciousness expands and you are able to see more and more clearly that you are not your ego . . . you are not your limiting beliefs. This is the starting point for more conscious choice making.Isn’t it interesting that only YOU have set the limits for what you can do, what you’re capable of, and what you believe. This creates a magnificent opportunity to move beyond any limiting beliefs you may have." ~~Chopra Center

Choose the Miraculous

In the pep talk on today's meditation page, we are encouraged to see ourselves as being made of the same stuff as the universe, to see ourselves as limitless and infinite...

"Right now, we have a choice – a powerful choice – to choose these magnificent characteristics of the universe . . . or some conditioned, less than, constricted, perspective. Which will you choose?"~~Chopra Center

Where to Find It

How did you feel about today's meditation?

I loved it! It was awesome. Especially the part where we inhaled something we wanted to experience, like limitless possibility, and exhaled something that no longer served us. We did that several times and it felt fantastic. Try it, if you haven't yet!

If you have not yet listened to it, you can find it here.

See you tomorrow!

Jeanine

To read each day's blog post and find a link for that day's meditation, go to my Squidoo page at http://www.squidoo.com/21-day-meditation-challenge .

Welcome to All the Savvy Bloggers! How Would You Describe Your Blog?...

The Start of an Adventure

I always get excited when a new blog challenge starts! (I think this is my fourth or fifth one). If you decide to comment, please leave a link to your blog and tell me about it.

For this challenge, I will be blogging every day about my effort to slow down and create more me time, more family time, and to create a more contemplative lifestyle, in general. I am already in the process of creating a daily tea ritual that includes meditation.

The Meditation Challenge

Eleven or twelve days ago, I started a 21-day meditation challenge put on by the Chopra Center. Every day, they email that day's meditation and give you a little pep talk to go along with it. I am SO glad I decided to do it, because it is paying off already. I feel better! Much less stressed.

Join Us?

If you want to get in on the meditation challenge, it's not too late! Just follow this blog because I post a link to each day's meditation.

After the Meditation Challenge

Once the 21 days have ended, I will be blogging about my efforts to continue this process I have started. I welcome your feedback and look forward to reading your blogs, too!

By the way, I have been reading a couple of blog posts by a fellow blogger at LittleBooks.com and she has issued a "six words" challenge. Hers is to use six words to describe your life. I was thinking maybe those of us participating in this challenge could use six words to describe our blogs.

Here are mine: creating a contemplative tea lifestyle. What are yours? Tell me in your comment...

See you tomorrow!

Jeanine

P.S. While you're here, it would be ever so helpful if you would "like" my Facebook page and "follow" this blog...

Follow this blog

P.P.S. I also will be participating in the "Build A Better Blog" activities...