When it comes to meditation, I think I’m what you would call a “wanna be” meditator……I really, really wanna be a good meditator but the truth is I have this crazy monkey mind AND it’s hard for me to sit still. Not exactly a winning combination when it comes to meditation. 🙁
Although I have tried different things to help me meditate, eventually I settled on my own version of meditation which I call “moving meditation.” Instead of sitting or lying down to meditate, I practice a series of Qigong movements which are slow, choreographed movements that open up the energy channels in the body. These gentle movements, which I practice every morning, are a great way to wake up my body and ease myself into the day.
Since the Qigong keeps me moving, that solves my “sitting still” issue, but it doesn’t really address my monkey mind. Sometimes I find it helpful to watch something like a candle flame in order to quiet my thoughts, but more often than not I still end up writing my to do list in my head or calculating how much time I have before I need to get in the shower and get ready for work! In an effort to give myself some grace, I have lovingly embraced my monkey mind and resigned myself to the fact that it is what it is.
Thankfully those days are over because I just discovered the “jelly cam!” What’s the jelly cam you ask? Well, I’m sure you know what a lava lamp is, right? The jelly cam is like a living lava lamp, only better. It is the most amazing live stream of jelly fish (yep, jelly fish) floating in the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Trust me….it is AMAZING!
The Monterey Bay Aquarium actually has ten live cams set up so you can watch the aviary, the coral reef, the sharks, penguins, sea otters and, of course, the jelly fish. The livestream is available every day from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. PT. You can watch it here.
There are two jelly cams – both have a relaxing spa like soundtrack playing in the background but my favorite has to be the moon jelly cam. Watching these sea creatures float effortlessly through the water is beyond meditative. I become completely mesmerized as my endless stream of thoughts seems to effortlessly disappear. It’s like a dream come true!!
I think you will agree that life seems different now due to the pandemic. Although I seem to have less things to do in a day, there is still a strong undercurrent of stress. It is a level of stress that used to be the result of my busy schedule but now it is the result of so much uncertainty in the world.
Could I have benefited from the jelly cam pre Covid? Definitely, but I may not have taken the time to enjoy it. They say everything happens for a reason so I’m glad my life is slower now because it affords me the opportunity to escape the uncertainty and surrender to the beauty of the sea. And that is where I find joy.
So if you are like me and you have trouble quieting your monkey mind or maybe you’re feeling a little stressed and anxious, take a moment (or ten) to check out the jelly cam. I think you’ll agree this just might be the best thing EVER!
P.S.
If you love the jelly cam as much as I do, consider making a donation or becoming a member of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. We need to make sure this never goes away!
