Meditations on a Raft

I’ve been getting really good at leading mindfulness this year. So much research has been recently published about the benefits of mindfulness for clients with ADHD and behavioral disorders, so I have incorporated guided imagery, meditations, progressive muscle relaxation, and yoga into so many client sessions that I lost count. I know the “chocolate” meditation is my favorite and the beach imagery exercise always makes me want to sleep. I try to break down the psychoeducation piece into bite size chunks by telling my clients that our brains need a break to stay healthy and strong.

I have this down.

But why is it so hard for me to practice on my own time?

I recently tried out Float Therapy after some convincing from a friend. I could go for some sensory deprivation, I decided. Who wouldn’t want to float in salt water enclosed in a dark pod? Not me! I tried, I really did. I reflected on each body part and how it was feeling. I reviewed my goals and successes. I tried to sleep.

I ended up making a grocery list.

I went on a night rafting trip with some friends this weekend. We started at sunset and had hours for our eyes to adjust to twilight as we watched the water, looked at constellations, and listened for wildlife. I felt such peace and rest and sense of being. We shared our dreams for the future and barriers in our way. We made observations on our environment. We sat in silence. We embraced our existence and each other. It was perfect.

For an hour. And then I got cold and bored and wanted to paddle faster.

“It’s hard”, I tell my clients, “mindfulness takes practice.”

“This is hard”, I tell myself, “keep practicing.”

P.S. I took these along the way: