Oh, cmon artchick, something tells me you are awesome! That guy, what a turkey!

I'm ASD myself have a slew of other labels too! I started therapy at age 8 and went on and off till I was 17. Then at 32-34. I'm now 51.

I was lucky, at age 9 I started meditating through Judo. I went to class 4 days a week and at the end we would meditate.

Meditation is whatever you want it to be. You can do it lying down, sitting on a chair, sitting cross legged, waiting for a bus, etc.

Ever see something beautiful and were just in awe? Like a sunset? Rays of sunlight peaking through the trees? Watching and listening to the power of the ocean? Being on a mountain top and seeing all the beauty?

Well, if yes, you have sort of meditated. All the chatter in your head stops and you observe the moment. No commentary, no dialog in your head. In short you are "in the moment."

That is all meditation is. The practice of quieting the mind. Often when we go into nature we feel this "stillness." The opposite is the egoic mind taking over and the chatter becomes who we are, our identity. Chatter is always a projection of the future or ghosts of our past f-ing with us. But all there really is, is now, this moment.

Meditation helps us live in the moment by training our mind to be still. The more stillness we create the negative chatter slowly dies. And it gives us room to become who we really are.

Youtube has thousands of guided meditations. Just click around till you find one that feels right. Close your eyes and just focus on whatever the person is saying. Sit back and just observe your thoughts, no need to judge them or even feel them, just observe them. Notice that you are "observing" and the thoughts are not you, they are just thoughts.

Since you have such a affinity for animals. You may want to do some research about empaths. I know, another label. Empaths tend to feel close to animals. Bu the main thing is that as an Empath you create boundaries for yourself. Once you activate the observer in you you will be able to catch yourself in negative patterns and then you can redirect them. Furthermore, once you start noticing your patterns you can put a boundary on yourself, in order to protect yourself.

You might want to lurk around here.

The Empath Community - Are you an Empath?

This one is to cheer you up!



It's edited from this:



Here's a guided meditation I am doing now. Hope it brings you some peace.



LOVE!