Tonight I was having problems with my internet, so I decided to try my own meditation. Here are the supplies I used:

Clock (to watch the time for 5 minute intervals)
Tingshas
Mala
Baoding Balls
Hand Prayer Wheel
Buddha statue with tea candle

I closed my laptop so the light wouldn't bother me. The room is dark since it was 10:45 PM when I started. I lit the tea light that sat in my Buddha's hand and chimed my tingshas once.

I then did a 5 minute interval with my mala (prayer beads), silently reciting my mantra "So Hum". During this time I watched the Buddha and the little flame on the candle. The details of his face and body while illuminated in the dark are very beautiful, though I will admit he kind of scared me at first (I was expecting him to move his head or open his eyes, but then I had to remind myself that he's just a statue).

When the first 5 minutes were over, I bowed and then changed to the baoding balls (iron chime balls). I spun them in my hand, listening to the sounds they made in the silence, still watching the Buddha and his flame. I switched hands every minute or so since the baoding balls actually exercise your hand and arm.

When the second 5 minutes were over, I bowed again and changed to the last item, the prayer wheel. I held it in my right hand and spun it for the entire 5 minutes, again still watching the Buddha and the candle. The prayer wheel, when spun, is considered to be praying the mantra "Om Mani Padme Hum" hundreds, even thousands of times as the mantra is written on paper within the wheel.

When the last 5 minutes were over, I bowed a third time, switched back to the tingshas, and recited the following sentences, quietly striking the tingshas after each sentence:

"May I be free of suffering and the root of all suffering.
May my friends be free of suffering and the root of all suffering.
May my family be free of suffering and the root of all suffering.
May those neutral to me be free of suffering and the root of all suffering.
May my enemies be free of suffering and the root of all suffering.
May all beings be free of suffering and the root of all suffering."

And with the last strike of the tingshas, I bowed once more and blew out the candle.

This meditation was very fun for me because I used different tools so I didn't get bored with doing the same thing for 15 minutes, but I did seem very distracted by the clock, so maybe I'll try not focusing on doing exact 5 minute intervals next time and just switch when I am ready. But it was a fun meditation for me.

I forgot that I have my labyrinth stone to work with as well, so next time I plan to incorporate that into my meditation. Maybe I'll walk the labyrinth once in addition.

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