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In the summer of 2008 I spent my first week at the San Francisco Zen Center. I was unmedicated at the time and the week of the monastic life was the calmest I have had in years. At the center, mediation begins and ends the days and in between there is work assignments. I choose to work in the kitchen;slicing vegetables, washing organic greens and stirring rice, all with concentration on the task itself. All this along with no TV or internet for a whole week made my mind quite and my soul happy. I have returned there many times and each is very special and is a relief to my bipolar disorder.
Since my first visit with the Zens I have tried to be a faithful meditator. I wain from no meditation for a few weeks to 10 minutes to one hour a day. I admit I get lazy with my practice, but I always feel calmer, more satisfied with my life when I make time to sit for a least a few minutes a day.
I recently read in the December 2011 edition of Women’s Health Magazinewww.womenshealthmag.com that just 12 minutes a day of meditation can reduce stress, inflammation, depression and help you slumber better. So, we all need to get on the bandwagon and start our meditation routine.
First, you do not need a zafu, a meditation room or a guru to get started. There are plenty of guides online to start your practice with different styles to fit your preferences. I have a hard time clearing my racing mind, so sometimes I count backwards in 3s, repeat “I am the
Buddha” or envision a flickering candle. Whatever works to keep your mind from going a thousand miles a minute will create more harmony in your life.
Mrs Bipolar 