OMG Meditation

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I skipped posting this cartoon in the correct chronological sequence because I’m not sure of its merit. So many spoofs (I love that word, don’t know why) of Munch’s “Scream” have been done so I felt like this idea was a little trite. Still, with the use of the texting shorthand, (OMG means “Oh My God,” for those of you who have just awakened from a 40-year coma and are reading this while looking at a computer for the first time in your life), it is current and lots of people like that kind of stuff. This morning, I received a comment from a reader who wanted to see it on the blog so it could be shown to a friend, so here it is. I am nothing if not accommodating to my precious blog readers.

This next cartoon was the brainchild of a friend of mine from my previous life back in Texas. It immediately made me chuckle because I hate contest shows and love meditation. Thanks, Keith.

I started mediating about a year ago at the suggestions of a friend of mine and a therapist I was seeing (professionally) at the time. I had ignored the topic for years because I mistakenly thought that it was another hocus-pocus, spiritual thing of some sort, like speaking in tongues. In truth, there is tons of science behind it showing it to be a terrific brain exercise which achieves all kinds of benefits: reduced stress, better concentration, higher I.Q., less anxiety, the list goes on and on.

Meditation can be a bit elusive at first but incredibly simple once you get it. You don’t even have to sit in a funny way. If done properly, you will experience unusual things that many people associate with spirituality. Scientists will tell you that these things are simply normal functions for a brain entering a state of meditation, which is relaxation and hyper-awareness simultaneously. Like the stars you see when you stand up too fast and get a  head rush, they aren’t spirits, they’re just manifestations of what your brain is going through. (With mediation, you don’t get head rushes, I’m just using that as an example.) Still, many people insist they are connecting to some kind of universal force or whatever, which is fine if you’re into it, so whether you believe in hocus-pocus or not, there are a lot of benefits to daily meditation and I highly recommend it. If you’re interested in reading more about it, the book that got me started was “Wherever You Go, There You Are,” by Jon Kabat-Zinn.

Out of curiosity, I also took a course in Transcendental Meditation, but it is expensive so I don’t recommend it. The info they give is so incredibly simple that I’m certain you can find it on the web for free (even though they make you sign a form saying you will never reveal what you learned). If you really like ritual and hocus-pocus, you might benefit from their course, which they drag out over several days and really drill into your head. (In a friendly way, no intimidation involved.) I, on the other hand, am only interested in the science of it and do not believe in the magic of a specific mantra, so I could have been taught what they have to offer in minutes. Just my opinion, I’m not an expert. I was, however, able to use what TM taught me to improve my meditations, and have been experiencing the benefits for almost a year. That’s my mixed review, take it for what it is worth.

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