Neuro Week 4 Assginment: Why do we Dream? Discussion

How does a person stay centered within 15 minutes without moving, not even an eyelash? This was the question that entered my mind as soon as I read this week’s assignment. Should I keep my eyes open or closed? I decided to keep my eyes open first, and in just a few seconds, my eyes blinked, and so I failed the first try. I decided to try it once again, this time with my eyes closed. A minute into the meditation I realized that my chest has been moving the entire time. And so I failed the second time, but I decided to let it go and factor in these involuntary movements in the 15 minutes of meditation. A few minutes have passed, but it feels like I’ve been sitting for days. When will this end? Why did I agree to do this in the first place? What is this for anyway? Should I open my eyes now? Is it time? And then I remembered: it’s not. The alarm hasn’t gone off yet. So I continue to sit silently, observing my body, observing the questions that run through my head.
To say that the exercise was difficult is an understatement. It was grueling at best. But I know that I feel this way simply because I have been so distracted lately and I have really been having trouble keeping still. I have gotten used to the noise, the activity and the movement that silence is alien. I also realized is that I have assumed a defensive posture, with my back hunched, and my shoulders tightened. No wonder I have a terrible backache every night.