Within the past year I have been studying mediation and have found it to be very helpful. It helps me to teach myself how to monitor and regulate my attention better. I have become much more aware of my wondering mind and have found myself catching my mind wondering quicker.

A warning however. It can be very frustrating to start out. Our minds fight against being calm and it take patience and kind regard towards ourselves to make progress with meditation.

If you would like some places to go look in your local area for a Zen mediation center. This is not just a place for Buddhist, by the way. I am not a Buddhist, but have spent a lot of time at the Zen Center in Atlanta this year learning mediation techniques. I recommend having a teacher because they can help your frustration.

Give it a try and post your attempts.

MM

I'm afraid that any center such as you mention would probably be burned to the ground...I have found Nebraskan's to be very intolerant of that they do not understand...But, I have found Yoga to be very benificial not only with myself but with my children as well. Same concept in a way I guess.

r we talking about metatation?Such as yoga? Mediation is like done to settle disputes between 2 parties? Maybe someone spelled it wrong?

I think we all meant meditation lol

I have not tried Yoga yet. I have meant to, but have not been able to find a Yoga center near me, yet. Nucking_Futs, I am sorry to hear that your area is so intolerant. That is a real shame. It is not easy to find or participate in religious centers other than Christianity living in the heart of the South either. Don't forget that Atlanta is the Southern Baptist Capital of the World. It is unfortunate that you cannot find a place such as a Zen center, because while Yoga does touch on some meditation techniques of the mind, it mainly deals with the body (feel free to correct me if I have misunderstood yoga).

The Zen center I have been going to, however, concentrates soley on learning to quiet the mind, which has been a huge help to me since ADHD is basically a form of thoughts run amuck in ones mind.

You could try some books on meditation. I find those helpful as well.

MM

Yes, you are exactly right about Yoga and I have checked out some books about meditation and have started basic concepts but have not gotten that far into it. And ppl tend to treat ADD the same way they do other religion's here. It's kinda scarry to them because it's a mental disorder. It's sad such little tolerance for others.

I am sorry you have to experience that. Keep up the mediation though. Check out your area and see if their is anything available to help you with it. It really helps if you can get someone that can teach and work with you.

MM

Intolerance is everywhere.

I live in northern New Jersey the metro New York area. And here I do everything I can to cover up my ADD. Here it is just a weakness, an excuse for not being competitive and productive. It is just another excuse for lazy freeloaders who don't want to work hard and pull their own weight. If something is wrong, you had better keep it to yourself and keep charging ahead. There is no excuse for not making your number and getting ahead.

A t-shirt that was popular for a while here said "Welcome to New Jersey, Where the Weak are Killed and Eaten".

But I know what you mean about religious and idea intolerance. I lived in the deep south for four years (Alabama).

But there are many meditation opportunities here. But if you are in the business world, that had better be kept quiet also.

I've alway's believed that intolerance is something taught if you stand for it or let it rule your life so will your children. I know there are a lot of people in town who think I have fallen off my rocker and I've just come to realize I DON'T CARE...I have been outside playing in puddles or running thru the sprinkler with my kids and had people actually stop and stare at us like I've lost it...I just stare back what's so great about being an adult? I spend at least 20 hours out of my day being an adult and it's not all I thought it would be...OK there are some benefits *wink, wink* but, it's more stress then I thought it would be.

I live my life by what I feel is right and not what the general population feels is right...don't take me to mean that I steal, kill or am lazy...it just means that if relaxation breaths calm me then I'm going to do it and if someone wants to be judgemental and call me crazy well...I'll wish them well when I out live them.

AM I making sense?

N/F,
Oh yeah, you make a whole lotta sense. I applaud your forthrightness and your bravery to do what you need to do to be healthy, emotionally, physically or spiritually. I only wish I had reached that point some 20 years ago instead of trying to live up to the collective mindset of how someone at 30 or 40 should act. But, ya know, I think that many of those on the sidelines rolling their eyes at us are inwardly thinking, Gosh, I wish I could do that!!

Willow,

I have a feeling your right on the money. I never could understand the rush of life. Run here, run there, run, run, run were are we running? and if we get there first, is there a prize? Something tells me that after a lifetime of running pleasing others the only prize at the end of the race is a straight jacket or coffin...neither appeal to me.

Now YOU"RE right on the money. Well said, N/F, well said........

Oh my, I just thought of one thing worse...ie: having a stroke because of all the stress, then have to live in my physically incapacitated body with ADD/ADHD. May have to REALLY work on this "no smoking" thing now in earnest. That's way too scary a thought.