Clear your mind… An article about Meditation Apps For Goalies
DISCLAIMER: I am not a ‘meditation person’.
When I try to do it, I feel like I suck at it (and I know you are not supposed to judge yourself, but I suck at it 🙂 — see what I just did there? ). I pretty much use it as a time to think about all the stuff I am going to do for work after I finish my mediation – – ha ha ha.
But I have used two meditation apps, so I will share my thoughts with you on each, but my suggestion is for you to try them both and see what works for you. I have something I do other than meditate which helps clear my mind and reset my focus, I will tell you what it is at the end of the article.
The two apps I have used are:
#1 – Headspace – free basic program + paid premium
I completed a few of their programs and just couldn’t stop letting my mind wander. I did like the guided meditations and the way they reinforce that you are just learning and it will take time.
I like how it charted my consistency rewarded me a little for it (not with money and prizes or anything)
#2 – Oak – free
I like how it has specific modules for breathing (Headspace may have them now too, I don’t know), but I think the skill of breathing is WAY overlooked.
There is quite a bit of time where the guide is not talking, with Headspace it seemed like there was a lot more talking throughout the meditations, which I think made my brain start going sometimes.
You can pick a background sound for during your meditation, the stream is my favourite right now! Maybe the sound distracts me from the fact I am meditating J
Anyway, that is MY experience with them. Basically, I think they are both good, I think it is really a personal preference – – do you like the person’s voice? I am sure there are dozens of other good meditation apps, these are the two I have tried and I know my failure as a meditation-er (I say this in jest) is not the apps fault 🙂
Here’s what I find does work for me and force me to clear my mind and reset…
Practicing my guitar or ukulele.
You see, when I meditate, I am free to let my mind go and start churning.
And CHURN it does, pretty much the whole time. And I know that is the entire point, to learn how to NOT make it do that, but in the end, I just feel a little disheartened and overly aware of how much my brain actually races – – which distracts me more 🙁
When I practice guitar (or ukulele when we are in Collingwood), I have to focus so hard on the task at hand, there is no way I can think about the program I need to design next, the blog post I need to write and upload… oh yeah and that new program I am working on (which I actually am J ).
All I can think about is A 🎶…. G 🎶…. D 🎶….A 🎶….and “I wonder if this is how The Edge sounded when he started?”
Another one that works for me is playing chess or doing a puzzle with Paul. It is a great way for us to spend time together and you sort of have to be in the moment… other than that time it was taking Paul forever to make his move in chess… like 5 minutes and not so much as a flinch.
“Type A” Maria couldn’t take it anymore, so I let him have a little “any day now…” sarcastic comment to which he calmly replied…
… “It’s your turn”.
OOPSIE… ma bad.
Have a great one my friend – – goalies ROCK and don’t let anyone tell you different!
Cheers,
M