Meditation Experiment Over 40 Days: Summation of Results (Zensperiment)
In the heart of New York City's West Village, the Osho Padma Meditation Center played host to a unique journey of self-discovery for one participant during Week 5 of the #zensperiment series. The focus of this week was learning about oneself by stepping out of one's comfort zone, and the meditation session in question was a lesson in Kundalini meditation, a practice that involves shaking and dancing.
The session began with 15 minutes of shaking to music, followed by 15 minutes of dancing, 15 minutes of seated meditation, and 15 minutes of meditation lying down, all with eyes closed. Despite feeling a bit self-conscious and opening their eyes when they were supposed to be closed, the participant found the experience rewarding, feeling a little satisfied despite the discomfort.
The meditation group was called "Kundalini Yoga & Meditation," led by the instructor, Satya Priya. Priya emphasised the use of Kundalini meditation as a way to get to know oneself, one of the hardest achievements in life. The participant left the session feeling both disappointed, thinking they had discovered that Kundalini meditation was not for them, and hopeful, with the hope of seeing the participant again.
Throughout the meditation journey, the participant learned to let go of anxiety when it started to spiral out of control. They found watching the passage of thoughts through their mind rewarding and realised that there is a world beyond themselves that they might miss if they spend too much time in their own head. The participant considers mindfulness as the key takeaway from the meditation journey.
As the #zensperiment has now lasted for 39 days, the participant has been doing a quieter version of Kundalini meditation. They have decided to continue meditating after the series, inviting readers to share their new meditation practices and to contact them for further thoughts on mindfulness, meditation, and life.
In closing, Kundalini meditation is focused on knowing oneself, finding out who one really is. For the participant, it was a journey of self-exploration and learning to abandon oneself, at least occasionally. The participant was glad they attended the session, despite feeling intimidated at first, and encourages others to step out of their comfort zones and try new things, even if it means dancing like no one's watching.
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