What is Meditation?

Back in the mid '90s when I began my yoga journey, I was sharing my new interest with my dad. I was talking to him about meditation and my experience with it. He claimed he had tried it once and didn't really like it. As a brilliant thinker, he said he didn't like the idea of getting rid of his thoughts, he liked the thoughts running about in his head. He liked his ideas and how his mind worked. 

This is a common misconception that people have about meditation. The goal is not to get rid of the thoughts, although sometimes that happens; the goal is to notice what is happening in the present moment, without attachment.

What does that mean?

Sometimes in the course of the day our mind wanders and we go down this rabbit hole of thoughts, where one leads to another, and so on. Other times we are actively thinking, trying to figure out a solution to a problem, putting another item on our to-do list, rehashing an earlier conversation, worrying about a future one, etc. These types of thoughts are thoughts of attachment. These thoughts keep us in our head and out of what is actually happening in the moment. We are attached to the feeling these thoughts give us (even though the feeling may or may not be pleasant, like anxiety). Especially with anxiety, the thoughts and ruminations give us the false sense that we are doing something, even though nothing actually changes. Anxiety happens when we spend our energy thinking about something over which we have not control. The spinning thoughts give us a false sense of control, but never actually solve anything.

Meditation teaches us to notice our thoughts, so that we are not the thinker, per se, but the observer of the thinker. We are the awareness of the thoughts going through our mind. When you can take a step back and notice that you are thinking, that is meditation. Thinking is happening in this moment, the content of the thoughts is typically focused on the past or the future. When you can notice your thoughts, it creates a sense of space inside, room to breathe, a moment of stillness. It's in that space that meditation happens. You may notice that your thoughts are just spinning and not actually accomplishing anything. When you pause, it helps you get out of the spin and into the moment. In this moment, there is no anxiety, in this moment, there is only peace. When you can let go of your attachment to your anxiety, you can start to have control over it.

So how do we meditate?

Start simple. Sit comfortably and close your eyes. Begin by noticing your breath. The body breathes for us all day long, just pay attention for a moment. Notice where you feel the sensation of breathing in your body. Notice the alternating temperature of your breath. Can you notice your breath without talking about it inside your mind? Try to be a silent witness, letting go of the internal discussion or analysis.

The longer you sit and watch your breath, the more you may notice the thoughts turning on. The "talking" gets louder and more seductive in your head and will distract your attention away from your breath. When you notice your awareness has wandered, pause. Start again. Avoid criticizing yourself, just begin again by noticing your breath. You might have to start over 100 times over the course of a 5 minute meditation session. That is totally fine. Over time, with practice, your mind will wander less and there will be more space between the thoughts to find that touch of stillness.

Practice is what matters. Stopping the thoughts doesn't. 

Why would we want to do this?

Meditation can have many benefits, even if you don't feel like you "do it right." Just sitting and attempting to meditate can reduce stress and anxiety, lower your blood pressure, and give you an overall sense of well-being. Practicing meditation can make it easier for you to handle difficult situations at work, or difficult interactions with other people because it teaches you to pause. That moment of pause can be the difference between solving an issue or escalating a situation. Learning to pause allows you to respond, rather than react, and that can make all the difference.


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