In this audio clip, Dr. Patricia Carrington shares insight into other people’s experiences meditating along with her, during their first meditations alone, and about meditating with others.
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Issues that Face the New Meditator
This audio clip is excerpted from Dr. Patricia Carrington’s Learn to Meditate Course
I assume that now you’ve meditated at least twice by yourself, and I’d like you to think over those two meditations, especially the last one you had, and give some attention to how it felt to meditate alone compared to meditating with me on the recording. Just take a moment and think about it.
All right, let me tell you some other people’s experiences with their first meditations alone.
Some people find it’s more relaxing to meditate by themselves, without having to be aware of the recording, or of me, or of anything but the quiet of the meditation. Other people, however, find that when they meditated alone, that their medication wasn’t as deep, at first, as when they meditated with me, during the instruction session. Whichever response you had, others had the same.
It’s very natural to feel differently when you’re meditating alone, than say when you’re guided by an instructor, or meditating in a group with others.
By the way, it’s permissible to meditate with other people who are meditating at the same time that you are. You may know some friends or family members who meditate and you’ll probably enjoy scheduling some of your meditations so that they and you can meditate together. But it’s not necessary, or even desirable to be with other people for every meditation session. Meditation is, after all, a private sort of experience and a pleasant way of being alone.
You may also find that, from time to time, you’ll want to replay your meditation instruction recording and meditate again, along with me. I’ll tell you about how this recording can be used when we meet for our last discussion a week from now…
