Meditation is One of the Sweetest Treats Around

Saturday was wild.

If I get the chance to sleep in and do nothing I normally take it, but not this Saturday.

Woke up early because my little nephew, Blane, had a basketball game.

Family time is super important, so I'm really glad I took Mom up on the offer. It's not every day you get to watch one nephew hop across the basketball court and the other chug coffee like he's got a big event coming up. The caffeine crash Cameron had I'm sure was brutal.

Next it was off to try an introduction to meditation with Melissa and Sol :)

Remember the Yoga Collective of Yakima I wrote about a few weeks ago?

It's a free group of amazing individuals who donate their time, or funds to offer FREE classes for the community. It's incredible and this past Saturday they happened to be offering a FREE class for Introductory to Meditation. :) Interested? There is one another class mindfulness meditation this evening.

Amanda ran this class and I was very happy to see so many smiling faces, including Sharon, who is one of the yoga instructors. A few baby bumps and gentlemen are there as well :)

I wore leggings and a sweatshirt and I loved that you weren't required to bring anything. They provided a blanket and two different sized pillows to assist in sitting for the day's meditation.

When I picture yoga I have always thought that you needed to have your legs crossed, but there are SO many different variations to practice, Sharon had a fancy chair thingy that supported her back but was on the ground. The lady next to me looked like she was asleep and the sweet lady across the way was seated in a chair while others used the wall to support them.

You want to have your knees below your heart, but most importantly, you want to be comfortable so you aren't constantly fixing your position.

Amanda went into the basics of meditation and some of the different experiences one can have during each session. It was comforting to know that everyone's journey is different and you can't really do it wrong as long as you are wanting to do it. I hope I am saying that correctly :)

She chose a 10-minute mediation where we used the words So Hum to mentally keep us in that peaceful space.

If you are curious, I found one on YouTube for you:

I will be honest, it went by much faster than I thought. I didn't feel like I struggled too much with thinking a ton, but when I did notice I was all over the place I thought the words so hum while focusing on my breathing and it helped bring me back. Also I noticed for me, as I continued to breath deeply I was able to take bigger and bigger breaths, not working hard. It felt really easy, clean and I really liked it.

After we were finished, people shared some of their experiences and one lady, new to Yakima, brought up an app she loves to use to meditate called Insight Timer, which a few people really enjoy. She also mentioned singing bowls ... more on that when I have her on the show, but until that time ...

Amanda mentioned that while meditating you are releasing the pent-up emotions and thoughts you keep bottled up inside, and last night after I had spent a long day with family and friends I felt so peaceful.

I pulled out some white chocolate molds I had been messing with and was overcome with emotions when the memory of where I bought the mold came flooding back.

I was super broke and living in Hawaii at the time. I had just graduated college and was kind of in that weird scary spot where you have to make a decision on what to do next, options are limitless but not at the same time.

I had wandered into a Barnes & Noble and found the music mold in a bin of discount stuff. I spent more money on it than I should have but I knew at some point I would use it. For over a decade I have kept that mold with me and last night as I sat in front of my computer, fiddling with the microphone I had just set up, my husband brought me a plate of perfectly molded white chocolate music notes and I was SO happy.

Broke and single Sarah was super anxious and worried about what the future held, but I am so very, very proud to be where I am and still have the music mold.

I mean, look at that detail.

Ready to unleash some ish?