Meditation

Today I attended a workshop about stress reduction. Initially I thought it would be like a class that would identify the factors, causes, effects of stress but actually it taught us how to meditate. I've never done meditation before and I wasn't quite sure how and what to expect from the class. I've always been skeptical about it and thought meditation wasn't my cup of tea. But I decided to keep an open mind because I want to do anything that will help me with my stress.

The instructor showed four simple meditation techniques that would help us cope with stress. Although I did find it hard to concentrate at times, I was surprised that it was quite relaxing and calming. He gave us a handout that will guide us how to meditate. I also bought a CD on meditation for beginners. :)

He said some of us might find it hard to include meditation in our daily lives but according to him it has been proven that it takes 21 days to build a habit. He said the best time to meditate is first thing in the morning and it will help set our day. He said we should try this approach. We'll see...

But what struck me most was what he told us: "right now, we are all a sum total of our past experiences". This is so simple and yet so true. Everything we've done in the past makes us who we are today. His suggestion was we should do something today that would define who we are in the future. The more positive, the better. This might hold true for cancer patients like me, thinking positive or having a positive outlook in life will greatly affect how our body will respond or react to this disease. Hopefully it will help me beat the big C.

Maybe meditation is exactly what I need.