I think I’m on week 3 of the 8 minute, 8 week meditation course from the book by Victor Davich. Apparently it improves your memory amongst other fabulous treats… I believe I am yet to receive this benefit. Let me check the book, yes, it’s most certainly week 3 and this is reaffirmed to me when I read page 89 headed “Where are you?” to see that point 4 of where I am is
“Impatient that you’re not progressing as fast as you might have expected”
Davich is not wrong, I really want my memory to improve! And yes I’m getting impatient. Fran (Yoga Guru and Meditation Teacher) very patiently tells me to let go of my expectations and allow the benefits to come to me in their own time. She assures me that it will happen.
Before I embark on week 3, let me tell you how I got on with Naked Sound Meditation. And before you ask, it was the sound that was naked not me. This is a technique that “treats sound in all its pristine nakedness.” As you settle into your meditation you draw awareness to the sounds surrounding you, allowing them to drift by without defining or judging them.
I found this technique extremely educational regarding how sounds affect my body. The sound of a car horn always kick starts a flight/fight response resulting in a tightness in my chest (I imagine this is a common occurrence for a lot of Dubai city drivers.) The drilling of neighbouring construction sites set my teeth on edge – again a tight chest. This constant response to sound waves resulting in the release of stress hormones can’t be a good thing. But it happens, before I’m even aware my brain has gone into overdrive following neural pathways that have been reaffirmed time and time again and “BOOM” here’s some adrenalin.
Seven days of allowing sound to rise and fall around me was an excellent learning adventure. I was able to observe all manner of responses to different sounds, to acknowledge them and let them go. I learnt a lot about myself and my reactions, I’m hoping that my meditation practice will help overcome these stress responses, undo years of programming that I wasn’t even aware of. I’m looking forward to week 3.
Sarah Hackett 