Thanks for sharing this! Your new bowl sounds a lot like mine, I found it in a yoga shop when looking for a new mat. The mat didn't last but the bowl is still one of my favorite things. My hammer also has felt on it and I agree it makes a much nicer sound than just the wood. I also know exactly what you mean with the posture, I very quickly found that sitting on a meditation cushion was much better for meditating for me. I can't get my knees on the floor though so I've added some support (a yoga block and a couple of folded blankets) to steady my position and make sure my legs don't start to ache during meditation. I've had a meditation space in the middle of my craft studio but lately I've felt the craft supplies really distracting so I'm now reorganizing the room so I will have a dedicated corner for meditating.
A journal during Meditation kept me in "the mind" and seemed much harder to move beyond the mind & the body. If I do journal, a given time in the day during a break to relax (at lunch) worked for me, others do in bed just before sleep, lol, for myself that didnt help.
