Welcome to Microwave Meditations. This blog is half cheerful collaboration/half cranky debate between a committed deep thinker and a stumbling meditation teacher. Both of us propose that it’s possible to pause, in the midst of a standard-issue busy work day, and reflect for 3 minutes. This is just about the amount of time you end up standing around waiting for your lunch to heat up, or your copy job to finish, or for the conference room to empty out. We say, put this time to good use: consider your life, this moment, what you want. We’re here to invite you to ponder. We’ll give you some food for thought and some actions to take. Try stuff out, and tell us what you find out. We want to hear from you!
How we roll
We are looking to assemble a library of 40 really good and diverse meditations and thought starters. The raw material might come from us and it might come from you. Each time we post an idea, we’ll be looking for feedback and comments. The items that float to the top will appear on the Keeper list.
It’s that simple.
Microwave Meditations 
You’ve found one of my blogs…Pocket Perspectives…but there’s another blog too, called Reflections from a Friend,one that I post on using ideas written to me by a close friend who is a Buddhist monk… One meditation post included ideas from a fellow blogger, Art, from the blog Zendictive…(http://zendictive.wordpress.com/ ) His idea was a 3 minute shower meditation each night…I made his idea into a “page” and posted it here on Reflections http://reflectionsfromafriend.wordpress.com/2011/12/28/1228-reflecting-at-the-end-of-the-day/ .
I also really like taking some “calming time” using a few videos I’ve made and put on my youtube channel…when I want some soothing I watch/listen to them…both are ideas from Rick Hansen’s (author of Buddh’s Brain) newsletter “just one thing” True to my Northstar http://www.youtube.com/user/pocketperspectives#p/u/6/CZcBD8Vp4T0 and another one is “taking in the good” http://www.youtube.com/user/pocketperspectives#p/u/1/SOvTjivU9hQ
Hey, Pocket Perspectives! Thanks for your response, and your great resources. When I get better at WordPress, I’ll re-blog these, or whatever you call that around here. We’re here to be trained. Tell us what we can do to inspire good workplace dharma debate around this here e-water cooler.
Ok, here is one for you. I have stumbled onto a model while sitting trying to solve the old issue of counting the breaths. I see this strategy as counter productive. Why would you want to stimulate the left cognitive brain while you are trying to make it fade to meditate.
So while sitting asking as intention to understand the breath, its depth, strength and power an idea became concrete over time.
Now I have found what I stumbled upon has many more traits that are temendous for eliminating thought and reaching emptiness.
It is a cintinuum with equal exhales and inhales as it balances and gives the breath a symetry and a flow.
Little did I know that this model would be attracted to my breath and nw my mind and body/
If you look at this model I have connected the inhales and exhales with a transition at each end.
Now it flows and the transitions offer another place to focus. When I think of mditating or following my breath it has already started on the Breathing track by itself. So I found that if you balance the breath with 4 components an inhale a transition a exhale followed by a transition everythig has a relationship with each other now.
This model has balanced the mind, breath and then the body mind connection seems to be soothed.
The idea of following the breath has not changed but this model has things that the abstract count the breath lacks. You can see it, touch it, follow along as you inhale and exhale tracing the path/ So being a meditation teacher this must be different or what will you reaction be to something new?
http://ptsdawayout.com/mindfulness/
Yes, I relate more with following the flow of the breath, and this is what I teach. I never was much for counting breaths.
I am a big fan of the new and different. There is potential for this in every moment, if we’re willing to release ideas about how any moment should be.
Thank you for your insights, Marty.
Yes, more of the flow, but I was surprised with the balance the body, mind and breath that attracted my organism. Now thoughts have a harder time penetrating our focus. Empty gets easier and quicker as I continue to practice.
To answer the other question about what is permanent about us is our true self. It is always the same. Check out Jill Bolte Taylor and her experience with the right hemisphere.
http://ptsdawayout.com/2012/01/10/video-about-jill-bolte-taylor/
Marty
BTW, turns out Captain Kirk had it right all along… sort of. Thanks to Cicero… sort of — oh, and one old albatross, on today’s NerDharma! http://bit.ly/xuyDHk
http://namasteconsultinginc.com/2012/06/10/versatile-blogger-award/
Congratulations on the Versatile Blogger award!
Well, that is fantastic. Thank you so much! I’m new to blogging so will need some guidance on how to properly thank you. Any tips, or is there a site you can point me to that explains the proper protocol? Cheers, Margaret
You are welcome Margaret. All you have to do is write a post similar to the one I did. Thank the person who gives you the award, list the “rules” and then nominate your own group of blogs for the award. Let me know if you need more help than that. I have an Ask Here tab on my site and you can leave me a private message. Peace, Jen