Taking an inward journey

On Saturday in my all-day teacher training class we focused on meditation.
I think meditation is an important part of yoga practice and frankly, life. But I don’t have a regular mediation practice on my own. I can barely get in my 30-minute home yoga practice five times a week.
Mary, who taught class on Saturday, told us that meditation is an inward dark journey. A regular meditation practice is about showing inner kindness to ourselves. It gives us an opportunity to listen to what our body needs and wants.
One of our assignments was to pair up with a  classmate and schedule 10 days where we meditate on the same day. On Day 5 we check in. And after Day 10 we answer a few questions.
If I remember correctly we are asked to meditate 20-30 minutes each day. My eyes nearly fell out of my head. I was like, how am I gonna fit that in, too???
My buddy and I scheduled a time when I will be on my work winter break. But part of that time I will also be out of town. So that will be a challenge to get my meditation in and my hotel yoga practice as well.
But that’s the point. I don’t think it should be super easy. And not super hard either. Just enough of a challenge and exercise to give us an idea of a regular meditation practice.
In class Mary showed us a variety of ways to mediate. In my own ignorance I really thought the only way you could meditate was either sitting or lying down. There is asana meditation (which I have actually added to my home practice this week). Asana, meaning pose–so I meditate while doing a sequence of poses with my eyes closed.
We also learned about walking meditation, which I found fascinating. Heel, ball, toe …
Mary wants us to try a variety of mediation practices during our 10-day practice.
December is a crazy time for so many of us. And this “homework” is just one more thing to add to my already long list. But I also think this will remind me to be kind to myself and listen to my body.
Besides my asana meditation I have been working on this week I have also been trying to take 5, 10, 15 minutes to just sit and do nothing. It’s a lot harder than it sounds. (No TV, no phone, no Facebook, no book or magazine, no blog writing, etc.) For me right now what is helping is that I take a few moments to just sit and enjoy our Christmas tree.