Monday, January 16, 2012

Stop Thinking so Much (for crying out loud)


I tend to get slumpy this time of year. As in, the seasonal depression starts to do its work. Either that, or this time of year just feels like a lot of work and no play. For weeks on end.

I tend to go inward and think too much. It is a curse, this thinking. That psychic I went to once was right on when she said, "You think too much!" I was like, "I know." She was like, "I know you know!" (She said that a lot.)

This year, I'd like to kind of figure out myself some more and what I want. Now that my son is approaching the four year old mark, I am starting to wonder about myself again - What has life done for ME lately?

So, being the Oprah lover I am, I sought out the wisdom of O contributor and life coach, Martha Beck.

She was even in my dreams last night! I just can't remember what the hell she was talking about. This can't be good.

I bought her new book:


I am not even half-way through it, so I have not yet been given my instructional manual for my life.

So far, it has been a lot of teaching on finding WORDLESSNESS.

Martha says we all think too much - I've heard that before! Meditation can help us get closer to our truer nature, our truer self. So that we can feel and hear and know what is best for us. I have had interest in meditation before but have not committed to it wholly.

Martha recognizes the difficulty in achieving a wordless, meditative state. It's kind of hard to just STOP thinking, especially when you tell yourself to stop thinking. So, she has a few easy suggestions for achieving that state. I've been trying to do one or two of those each day.

I was stoked (when's the last time you heard the word "stoked?") to discover the other activities that she suggests to increase "wordlessness" in your life:
Music, singing, playing an instrument, dancing with abandon, drawing and painting, and telling stories through writing, poetry, and expressive story telling.

I do a lot of that already! Yay, me!

When I sing loudly, dance like no one's watching, and get lost in telling a story (whether written or verbal), I am rocking the delight of wordlessness.

Martha says to dance by "dissolving verbal attention into pure movement" and to tell stories to "entertain and feel the rhythm of it."

I do that. I like to do that.

(If you are wondering why some of the above are examples of tapping into a "wordless" state, then you will have to read her book cuz I don't need to get too detailed on your ass here.)

So, I will delight in my play, play more, practice wordless meditation, and ride my way through a year that will bring me closer to myself.

And, yes, I will finish the book. Just couldn't wait to tell ya'll about it already.

Peace out.

9 comments:

Unknown said...

I'm left wordless by this post!

Carolina said...

Kristy,
I think way too much as well! I've tried meditation but have never succeeded in achieving that 'zen' state. I'm so glad that there are other ways to achieve that 'wordlessness' state. Thanks for sharing! Now if I could only find a way to achieve the 'not talking too much' state. My girls say I talk way too much...!

Natalie said...

It is so hard to make our brains turn off...I need to start playing the piano again!

Cam | Bibs and Baubles said...

sounds really interesting. i do a lot of that stuff already too. yay you and me! heehee! i have a long way to go to turn my brain off though. i think WAY too much!

The Gal Herself said...

I love that you "dance with abandon." And I'm jealous. I've been trying to move more in the evenings, just running in place in my living room during TV commercials, and I feel silly. I THINK TOO MUCH. And I'm glad you mentioned O Magazine. I love. Never that big a fan of her show, but I look forward to every issue.

Liz Mays said...

I think and what if way too much. I figure out a possible scenario for everything, but in doing all this thinking, I get nothing done!

Kara said...

I'm a bit confused by the whole "writing" makes you "wordless" part. 'Cause I feel "wordless" when I have writer's block, and "wordful" when I'm on a writing spree. And while on the subject of words - "stoked" is a great one and you put a smile on my face by reminding of it.

But all kidding aside, I DO know what you mean. It's all about doing something that connects you to the joy of enjoying the moment. I hope you find many of those moments.

Unknown said...

This sounds like the exact thing I need. Like you, I've been thinking about mediatation but never really believed I could do it. However it keeps coming back to me as a thought - which may be the very thing I need. Once your done let me know what you thought...

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