My 10-minute Anapana Experience

                

                Happy Holidays you beautiful soul! I hope you're spending your time with the people you love and who loves you this season! If not and you feel alone, just remember you have the entire universe inside you. 

                I would like to share you my experience on Anapana. I've been doing it for five consecutive days.  I applied for the Vipassana meditation to be held on Jan 7-18 at Dhamma Phala,Dasmarinas City.  Although I am on the wait list, I still am training myself to be able to survive the 10 day meditation. Just in case, somebody else quits. I have read reviews about their Vipassana experience. Some have quit the course after 3 days. Some have felt sensations in their body(which is the goal) and almost went crazy. I mean, 10 days of noble silence and meditation is really scary to me and I have been meditating since I was 18. So I decided to read more about the course and downloaded the Vipassana app on my phone. There are mini Anapana courses given through S.N. Goenka's recording. Anapana is a meditation on the awareness of breath. Position yourself where you feel mostly relaxed and just concentrate on your breathing. Try Anapana for atleast 10 minutes a day, it is a good way to get ready for the Vipassana course or if you just want to start the practice of meditation. 

             

Satya Narayan Goenka
(30 January 1924 – 29 September 2013)

First day 

I am PMSing and I'm the crankiest of the crankiest today. First time to do Anapana guided by S.N. Goenka's recording. I was able to concentrate on the thought of my breath for about 2 minutes then after a while my mind became agitated. Random thoughts kept on coming but I was able to accept them without judgement. Hopefully, concentration will last longer tomorrow. 

Second day

My breathing is calmer but my mind is more agitated today. I had to start all over again after the first five minutes. Was able to finish through the ten minute period the second time I tried.

Third day

Breathing is more relaxed. Thoughts are still agitated. Looking forward to tomorrow's meditation. 

Fourth day 

Something happened today. Seems like I have been dwelling on just one thing. I couldn't clear my mind. This is not supposed to happen. I have read that on the fourth day, your mind will become calmer but not on my case. I am thinking too much right now. 

Fifth day

My mind is calmer than yesterday but not as calm as it was on my third day. I feel like 10 minutes is way too short for meditation though. I will definitely continue doing this, whether I get in the Vipassana course or not.  

            I document myself after every meditation. It allows me to know if the experience is a lot better or worse than the last. I do not claim to be an expert. In fact ,I still struggle now and then but I am really into meditating. It helps me feel more relaxed, aware and mindful of my surrounding. So if you have suggestions, please let me know! 

            

           

           

Taal Volcano Crater Tour

If you are into hiking, then you’d probably like to trek Taal Volcano. This is the island-lake inception everyone in the internet has been talking about. I went there with my aunt few months ago. I’m really not a fan of outdoor activities but I can easily be persuaded.

You  can buy souvenirs in the island, they also sell abaca hats (PHP 150) and non surgical masks (PHP50). You kinda need these to protect yourself from the sun and dust.

We took a  banca to get to the island.

I could wear something like this everyday, love how it accentuates my eyes.

I think it took us about an hour to get to the top. Tiresome, yes, but you'll get over it once you see the view. 

Almost there!

The crater, see that tiny island?

To get to the crater, you will have to pay PHP 50 entrance fee. You can stay as long as you want and take as many pictures as you wish. 

Not too bad for a first-timer!

It was tiring but it was worth it. You can meet a lot of people on your way up and on your way down. So if you want to learn more about the crater and the trekking rates, go to Taal Volcano's official website.

Bio

Hello! I’m Kimberly Alberto-Collado. My friends call me Kim, my family calls me Bi ( /biː/ ). I’m a 23-year old freelance music teacher, singer-songwriter, jewelry designer, mermaid and DIY mama made of spunk and candy.

I wanted to be an astronaut, but then I failed Physics. Now, all I want is to have an orphanage and to travel the world.  I DO NOT LIKE pizza and I have no intention on breaking the internet with my ass. Thank you for understanding.