Friday, February 12, 2010

Retreat Countdown: 11 Days ... success continues!

This morning I increased my meditation period from 25-minutes to 30, with success!!  Monkey mind is always there and the time is spent constantly trying to disengage from thoughts and return to the breath.  Good practice, no?  The good news is I did sit upright as if in a chair and my back only began to ache a little during the last 5 minutes.  Even though, it wasn't excruciating, so that's progress as well.

Quitting Pepsi cold turkey was a bad idea.  Around 6 PM last night I started getting the dreaded caffeine-withdrawal headache.  I expected it and popped a couple of Tylenol.  A few hours later I started feeling sick to my stomach.  Troy suggested maybe cold turkey is a bad idea, so I caved and drank 1/2 a Pepsi, then went straight to bed.   I was asleep by 10 PM.

I have set my alarm to 4 AM and do my best to turn it off before it can wake Troy.  So far, so good, I think.  The biggest problem is my kitty alarm, Groucho.  He starts meowing (more like whining) for me to get up when the alarm does...or if he sees me open my eyes, whichever comes first.  Usually, the alarm goes off and I lie in bed for 30 minutes before getting up.  This morning I woke up at 3:59, a minute before the alarm would go off.  I turned it off and only laid in bed another 15 minutes.  I have to admit, when you get up at 4 AM it makes for a much, much more leisurely start to your day, especially when you don't have to be at work until 8.

Last night Troy and I made a run to WalMart to pick up the last of my toiletries and other needed items.  He remarked that it's getting to be an awfully expensive free retreat.  I must admit, though, I am having fun!  I'm fortunate that he allows and encourages me to have fun, within reason, of course.  LOL

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