YOU ARE NOT ALONE - A companion online community discussion board for The Mental Illness Happy Hour podcast with Paul Gilmartin

The neuropsychology PhD, author and speaker shares natural ways for us to improve our mood and take care of our brains.

- See more at: http://mentalpod.com/natural-highs-neur ... Fyilp.dpuf

I did a quick research on TM and was wondering if anyone of you got into it without an official TM teacher, because it's quite pricey in my opinion.

I found this episode very helpful. It has inspired me to practice meditation. I use the timer on my iPhone to set 20 minutes. I don't use a fancy technique, I simply discipline my mind to count each breath from 10 to 1 over and over. It isn't a mantra, but it does focus my mind. If I go off track and wander down a thinking path I gently remind myself to give that concern to the divine energy of the universe and return to counting backward. Sometimes I really zone out and I am not counting and I am not thinking, I am just observing my breath in and out.

I don't know why, but 20 minutes is the magic number for me. When the time is up I am relaxed and it is as if my nervous system has hit reset to a lower pitch wave length. I find I have a better day and I make better choices for my own self care.

It is a simple practice. I make sure I am comfortably sitting, with my back well supported and my head floating above my shoulders. It isn't the same when I lie down. It can be just as beneficial, but it is a different result.

Thank you for this great episode.

How long does it take to get "good" at this practice? I do yoga, and I can barely keep my mind quiet for the 5 minute shavasana at the end. I do feel relaxed after the hour yoga session, but that part in particular I find difficult. I feel like maybe I should try meditation, just because it's supposed to have all these benefits, but I'm afraid I'd be bad at it and then just get frustrated.