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Meditating at work...
nakazcid
Somewhere in Dixie, y'all Veteran
I've tried meditating at work in between calls with modest success to reduce stress. However, one co-worker caught me at this and I simply explained that I was resting my eyes. Does anyone have any thoughts about the effectiveness of meditating in a noisy environment, as well as any explanations that might keep proselytizers away?
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do you feel shame when you think about saying that you are meditating to your coworkers?
You cant meditate if you are anxious about the very act of meditating.
Also, your meditation will be more effective in busy environments if you develop some acumen with meditation in a calm environment.
I may be trying to avoid the consequences of not practicing the majority religion. I could simply state that I'm meditating since that's not necessarily a religious activity. However, it could prompt questions in that direction. *
that's a tough situation, but I agree with shenpen nangwa. I think you should say you're meditating. There is a Christian tradition of meditation (though it's not all that well known), so I don't see why anyone would have a problem with it (not that they should have a problem with other religions anyway...). Also, you are making a lot of assumptions about how your coworkers will act. These may be well founded. That being said, I find that often times I imagine the worst about how people will react to certain things and when I actually go through with them, am pleasantly surprised.
Maybe you could say 'I'm praying'. Which is kindof true. Not sure about that tho- Anyone else have any thoughts?
all the best-
Jesus was an avid meditator.
I think dealing with your fears is something you could cultivate. You could ask yourself some tough questions! For instance: If the people around you would hate you if they knew the real you, why do you accept being surrounded by people who isolate you?
However, for the time being, if the place you are in is important enough to stay, you could just easily tell them you're calming yourself down, following a meditation technique you've learned etc. There is no need to be secular, if that will make others uncomfortable. There is honor in speaking truly, but there is even more honor in speaking skillfully as well.
With warmth,
Matt
Tried meditating in the loo?
Until you are comfortable with what you are doing and stop worrying about other peoples hang-ups you arent going to be relaxed enough for it to be effective anyway.
Lincoln's post holds a lot of truth. You shouldnt be ashamed of taking care of your mind and overall well being through the non-denominational practice of meditation.
After all, it's named right for that "rest-Room" :rolleyes:
even if it's for just a short 5-10 min break.
This is why I usually use "Christian" (in quotes) to describe this type of person. If they truly practiced what Jesus taught, you wouldn't be worried about this in the first place. Perhaps that's judgmental of me, but in this case I gotta call 'em like I see 'em. I live in the bible belt as well, but I have "Friends of Tibet" license plates and have never been afraid to tell anyone I'm Buddhist (as much as I am) if the question is asked of me. I've never had anyone do anything more than give a quizzical stare, since, in my experience, most "Christians" have not the first clue what Buddhism is. I got more negative feedback when I had a "Darwin" fish on my car, and more on the stickers advocating health care reform. Boy, that really gets their ire up!
Mtns
Gee, is it that bad?
In this case, you might answer: "Oh, I was just conversing with the devil about the next coming of the Antichrist. -- Have you seen my idols?"
OK, seriously, you can always refer to Teresa of Avila and her prayer of quiet. Meditation was once a respected practice in Christianity.
Cheers, Thomas
I agree with this. Personally I have no idea how you're able to meditate at all in a noisy office environment, I know I couldn't! Though when I use to work in an office, I found that meditating at home regularly would help reduce stress in the office somewhat (as, of course, it does on all aspects of life).
I think this is a very good point, I've certainly had some experiences like this myself.
It's a difficult situation and I guess at the end of the day you know your coworkers better than we do, so it's a judgement you'll have to make yourself. I think personally if I wasn't comfortable with the possibility of being asked what I'm doing and having to come up with an explanation, I'd simply not meditate at all at work.
So I assume that you are meditating in your break, in which case you've had lots of advice to which I can't add anything.
Metta
That is a pretty smarmy response. There are many jobs that you have moments of downtime when you're waiting for something you need. Yes, there is probably something you probably could be doing, but if it's the case as it is with the TC, then she is waiting for another call. Technically she is working. They are paying her to field any call that comes in. That in-between time can be a time when the mind really wanders.
My work involves responding to calls from employees when they call in with problems. In between calls, I have nothing to do. Most of my co-workers "surf the web" in the intervals between calls. I suppose if I asked my manager, he would prefer that I take courses (difficult given the episodic nature of the work) or brush up on my technical skills in between calls - some of which I do. But one could also argue that meditation enhances my customer service skills by making me more responsive to employee needs and less stressed out.
Metta
I can totally understand your wish to not get into any conversations about religion. I have to avoid that like the plague with my family, even when I'm constantly being bombarded by their religious pushing.
Perhaps stating the obvious, but meditation isn't really about relaxation, so it might be better to think about activities that will help you relax?
P
Actually, I find that it enhances my performance. Aside from relaxation, it makes one more mindful and compassionate, and perhaps a bit more flexible and creative in my solutions. I do need to explore it more. Interruptions can occur at anywhere between 3 minute and 15 minute intervals, the latter of which can still be fairly effective. It's something I need to play with more...