As most of you know, Rob and I really like meditation. We started dappling in it when we lived in Virginia and then completely took the plunge when we visited India. The course in India was led by a Tibetan sect and was a combination of learning Buddhist philosophy and meditating. It was 10-days of silence - and it was one of the most intense and rewarding experiences of our lives. We vowed to do it again.
Ommmmmmm
Fast-forward a year, we're all settled in Columbus, and dealing with the craziness of everyday life. Too many things to do, not enough time, feeling tired, getting easily frustrated, yadda yadda yadda. Our first year back in "real life" after our gap year was a bit intense.
Rob survived his first year of medical school and I survived starting and running my first business. All is good, just BUSY. By the time March rolled around, we were yearning for the peace of mind we experienced in India.
Our daily meditation practice took a serious hit (I've only been doing about 10 minutes every few days), and we were feeling the effects.
So...we decided to spend this one free summer Rob has during medical school to do another meditation retreat. Of course, going to India again was out of the question, but we were certain there was something closer to us.
While in India, we heard about a popular 10-day course called Vipassana that had really taken of in The States, so we looked at that first. Luckily, there were a few centers within a decent drive that we could attend. We found one in Illinois that fit with our available dates and signed ourselves up!
I was a bit worried about doing this kind of course while pregnant. Is it safe? Will I get blood clots from sitting for so long? Will they feed me enough?? Apparently, according to the center, babies love Vipassana. Ok, then! We're on our way.
Let me tell ya, I'm SO glad we did that 10-day course in India, because that provided a little primer for what we were about to experience. Vipassana is a very strict discipline and technique, and that took some getting used to.
We started meditating at 4:30 every morning. Yes, you heard me correctly - 4:30 AM! We then proceeded to meditate for about 10 hours per day in 1-2 hour increments, stopping for short breaks, meals, and sleep. You better believe that it was INTENSE!
Since I was prego, they let me sit in a chair and have extra meals. I felt a bit guilty, as I couldn't talk to anyone and explain why I was getting special treatment. Everyone else only got tea and fruit for dinner, while I got whole meals. Their hungry eyes were piercing.
I started sitting in the corner, trying to hide my "indulgence."
About halfway through the course, the baby had a growth spurt and I all of a sudden became obviously pregnant. People seemed to notice and their eyes soften to more of a, "Oh, are you growing something in there???."
Fortunately, we all got to talk the last day to help us re-adjust to normal life and prepare us for going back out into the world. It was really fun to hear about the experiences that our fellow meditators had. This crazy retreat provided an instant bond for all of us and I hope we'll all keep in touch.
So now, I'm refreshed and ready to take the next steps! I'm currently half-way through a business training course that is helping me develop my business. As my coach told me today, "It's like you're birthing TWO babies into this world!" And that really struck me. Transforming my business really is a birth on it's own. I am one excited and proud momma!!
Life is good.
Love and Hugs,
