Before I left India, I began doing a Purashcharana practice; I'm hoping to say my mantra, as I roll my mala beads, counting each time I complete a circle of the 108 beads. My goal is to reach 40,000 times. I'm now up to 700+. But I have encountered a few struggles.
The main one is that rolling through my mala beads, repeating my mantra silently over and over, and counting, churned up my Parkinson's Disease response. My dyskinesia, a kind of writhing movements, kicked in, and I also stiffened up involuntarily. I kept at it, wondering how I could make it better and more peaceful. After all, I'm used to meditating silently and I normally find it very peaceful--this was not!
Someone suggested I buy a "clicker," like one would use to count golf strokes. I did. I bought a nifty little clicker that does the counting for me. (I look at the tabulation after I am through meditating.) It works! I can now meditate more swiftly and peacefully.
Thank you Jordan and Chad!
A clicker. What a wonderful idea. I'm so happy for you, Catharine, that you found an adaptation that allows you to continue the practice that is so important to you! I admire your graceful determination.
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