My Personal Experience at TAMA’s Meditation Session
Before Meditation
What was your mindset before the meditation started? My mindset was very distracted it had been a busy day I had a lot on my mind. I was feeling very anxious about the length of the mediation. I could not stop thinking about how I was going to be still for 1 and a half hours with my mind racing.
Did you have any expectations or thoughts about what the session might bring? No I had no expectations. I definitely had thoughts about what the session could bring up for me or how it could make me feel. I was quite nervous about how I was going to feel during the session more than anything.
How did the space feel when you first walked in? The space felt calming, welcoming and grounding. The care from the girls who were running the evening helped me feel relaxed, they made you feel comfortable in the space like the evening was for us.
Were there any physical sensations or emotions you noticed before you sat down? Physically I felt sore, stiff and uptight before I sat down. Emotionally I was filled with anxiety when I first walked into the room all that was running through my head was “there is no way I can lay here in stillness with my thoughts for over an hour, what am I doing here.”
During the Meditation
What was the atmosphere like during the meditation? The atmosphere felt tranquil. Yes it did, I felt nervous energy at first but as soon as Jaya started speaking and guiding us it was like I just felt any worry or nervous energy in the room just melt away.
Did you have any specific thoughts, images, or emotions that surfaced during the practice? I had images of when I was a kid how I used to sleep so well, thoughts of why now as a adult I dread bedtime. I started to feel frustration at my quality of sleep as of late.
Was there a particular moment when you felt fully present or completely at peace? I don’t know if I was ever fully present for my mind was racing when I arrived but I struggle deeply with finding peace, stillness in the body and mind. I found complete and utter peace, it was just after Jodie the owner of TAMA performed reiki on me I felt this tingling sensation then after that it was like all my thoughts, worries and anxiety just melted away and I drifted into the deepest form of relaxation I have ever experienced.
How did the guidance or music (if there was any) affect your experience? The music was so tranquil it really helped guide us into a deep form of relaxation. The music with Jayas voice really helped me slow down my racing thoughts and drift into a place of deep relaxation.
After the Meditation
How did you feel when the meditation ended? I think I feel asleep if I didn’t I definitely went into a deep form of relaxation, there were no thoughts, there was no head noise, this is so rare for me. I felt a sense of calmness with a desire for deep sleep after, it is so hard to explain but I felt at peace like any stress in my life did not matter to me at this current moment.
Did the experience influence your thoughts or feelings for the rest of the evening or the next day? Yes. When I got home after the meditation night I had no troubles getting to sleep. The next morning I was up at 4am to teach pilates and usually I feel so groggy and stressed soon as I awake but this morning was different I felt calm, centred and ready for the day. My normal intrusive thoughts weren’t so loud and I felt like my classes had more energy and vibrance to them.
What did you take away from the meditation—any insights, feelings, or new perspectives? I had a new perspective on the mindset of slowing down and doing less is more in the long run. We all have such busy lives and sometimes we don’t even realise our bodies are stuck in that fight or flight mode. I did not realise my body was in such a bad state of stress until I walked out of that meditation room.
Has it impacted your daily routine, mindset, or approach to work in any way? Yes. Since the meditation night it has impacted my routine dramatically. For years health care professionals have been telling me to meditate but I just couldn’t make it stick or become part of my daily routine. But I had never experienced meditation in this setting or form before. Now morning and night I do a 10 minute meditation first thing in the morning and last thing at night and I am already seeing the changes in my mindset and sleep with just these few small changes. TAMA meditation nights will now be apart of my weekly routine to set me up for the rest of the week.
Written by JESSICA KER.