On the first day I started using the book/CD combo I've owned for a while "Getting in the Gap: Making Conscious Contact with God Through Meditation" I have been a fan of Wayne Dyer for a long time; something about his voice is so relaxing, and his interpretation of spirituality really appeals to me.
So I read a little and listened to the introduction, then I started Track 2, the 10-minute guided meditation. I've done yoga in the past, so I found some similarities to it, minus the stretching and contortions. The focus on breathing was probably the biggest one, which I think is well established as a crucial aspect in all of these methods of relaxation.
The biggest difference was vocalizing. Dyer uses a technique called Japa, which involves repeating a mantra. In this instance he simply uses the sound "ah" that can be found in God, Allah, Krishna, Ra -- pretty much every name the different religions on this planet call our Creator. At first I had trouble with it, especially feeling I was out of tune with Dyer's tone. But the more relaxed I became, I discovered I slipped right into the same note. I think there's something important about that.
He does take a Christian approach to his technique, using the first 10 words of the Lord's Prayer to focus our thoughts, then using the "space" between the words to clear our minds from those thoughts.
I tried doing all of the 10 minutes sitting up in a yoga-like position, but I found my lower back bothering me a little towards the end and I tried lying down, but I found I had trouble chanting my "ah" in that position. Obviously I'll need to fine tune this.
Before beginning this session I had been very agitated, my head overflowing with upsetting thoughts and physically exhibiting signs of an early-onset anxiety attack. When I was done all of that was gone -- in fact, my husband just happened to call at that time and he immediately mentioned that I sounded "subdued." Being the writer I am, I wasn't crazy about that word -- I think of being repressed and held down by that word. Whereas I actually felt very calm and relieved, freed of the overwhelming thoughts that were making me mentally and physically off kilter.
So, I felt day one went very well and will continue to do the 10-minute track for a few more days, then work up to the 20-minute track. I will return to post my reflections and results.
