Amusingly Mindful Meditative Amusement – with Stroppy

I fall asleep when I try to meditate. Doesn’t matter what type of meditation, I fall asleep.  So I’m now practicing my own form: “Meditative Amusement” (or should I call it “Amusing Meditation” or “Mindful Amusement”?).    

Focusing on amusing myself matches the conventional definition of meditation* (AND makes me smile which is therapeutic in itself), don’t you think? 

Here’s what led me to Amusing Meditation:   Jacqui Murray who has an excellent writing blog – Word Dreams (among many other blogs) introduced me to Esther Newton, a British author, who has a weekly writing challenge . . . 

This week’s challenge is to write a 20-word story, using the words, ‘fairy’, ‘tomato’, ‘stroppy’, ‘nuzzling’ and ‘astronaut’. 

alien Stroppy by j

My 20-word story:

Nuzzling the alien Stroppy, the lonely astronaut watched the tomato-earth rise. Stroppy comforted him. It’s no fairy-tale in space.

Try mindfully amusing yourself – having your own Stroppy is optional.

*”A practice of concentrated focus upon a sound, object, visualization, the breath, movement, or attention itself in order to increase awareness of the present moment, reduce stress, promote relaxation, and enhance personal and spiritual growth.”