Last Updated on March 17, 2024 by melissanreynolds
This is an older post that shares how I accidentally fell in love with meditation through an experiment, which became a foundational aspect to my healing.
Since the the seismic shift of moving cities to take on a 3/4 time role, I have taken tiny steps to improve my life.
Now that I’m seriously pursuing the next stage of my mission to reduce my fibromyalgia/chronic pain/chronic fatigue symptoms, and in order to track what makes a difference and to fit it into a busy life, I’m going to try some experiments.
In mid-January I added D-Ribose powder to my morning and evening routine, when I take magnesium.
My Meditation Experiment
As of the last week of January, I added total relaxation pose (aka corpse pose) for 10 minutes a day as a gentle introduction to meditation, and a gentle reintroduction to yoga.
For the first three days I did this faithfully. On the fourth day I forgot. On the fifth, I jumped right in and did a 15 minute guided relaxation called Yoga Nidra, it was bliss! I noted, as I walked the dog about an hour afterward, that my neck felt “nice” (meaning, the absence of pain). It didn’t last very long, but I liked it.
I then found Yoga Nidra longer sessions. So I have a 50 minute, a 40 minute, a 15 minute one and a new mother’s one from a CD.
Having the meditation to look forward to has helped me cope with the day much better. I haven’t noticed a difference in energy levels, but it is nice to have something to look forward to when all I want to do is sleep (I can’t nap due to the medicine I take to help me sleep at night). Having my body in total rest for that time and for my brain to be switched off is a nice reprieve from myself.
Now that I have started I don’t know how I haven’t always done it!
More resources for you
This is the post documenting the experiment that made me fall in love with meditation! What a journey it has been since then. I have gone on to meditate every single day since, train to be a yoga and meditation teacher and created many resources for you.
The free 10 minute yoga for chronic pain and fatigue series includes a restorative yoga pose, Yoga Nidra meditation, breathing practice and a gentle stretch class to help you potentially fall in love with yoga too.
In addition to yoga and meditation, I have experimented with several things that have made a huge difference to my quality of life:
Low Dose Naltrexone Four Year Update
Recovery Factors Supplement
Ultimate Guide to Managing Fibromyalgia
I like the simplicity of this goal! I will try it too. Ten minutes is achievable.
I use spotify, I will look for yoga nidra there too.
I too cannot nap, which is aggravating, because I am so jealous of people who can do this briefly, and completely recharge.
I just want to recharge, and I never actually get there.
Your blog is awesome, and I look forward to all of your entries, as they are spot on.
Thanks Klaus!! Good luck with the yoga nidra
Hi Melissa, It so nice to have something to look forward to on a daily basis. Yoga is such an amazing thing – they should teach it in schools. I wonder if they do in India? Did you see what happened on world yoga day 21st June? The national event in India was held at Dehradun’s Forest Research Institute with the participation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Rajasthan created a world record bringing over 100,000 people together at a yoga session to mark the International Day of Yoga.
On an aside I was listening to your video – what is your accent?
I don’t think they do teach it in schools generally in India.
Kiwi! I am a New Zealander 🙂