Meditation is the easiest thing in the world, anyone can do it. If you can sit you can meditate. If you exist you can meditate! Meditation is just being. It’s ignoring anything that is not essential for you to know that you exist.
Meditation is experiencing your own beingness. That’s all. It’s a beautiful experience. Full of joy and freedom. In the beginning it's a temporary relief from anything that has ever bugged you.
I say temporary, but if you meditate regularly the bugs will drop away by themselves.
At first it can be hard to be still. The mind rebels. Then let it! Just observe what it does, how it’s trying to make you stop. The mind is extremely creative in trying to make you not meditate. I have no idea why. Actually, I know why. It’s because meditation shows the mind that it is not as almighty as it likes to think. There is another part of you that is far more powerful.
The part that is what you essentially ARE. The part that has nothing to do with any preferences or personality you may have. (I know, we have all learned that having a great personality is something to strive for. It can be. As long as you know that it's not you.)
Meditation gives you profound relaxation. It can also give you profound insights that will be sort of downloaded to your mind.
The first step of meditation is just trying to find your core. The second step is to experience that core and the third step is to live in that core always. This process can take years. But it’s not the goal that counts. It’s the search. The search never stops.
The sincerity of the search is everything.
Meditation is experiencing your own beingness. That’s all. It’s a beautiful experience. Full of joy and freedom. In the beginning it's a temporary relief from anything that has ever bugged you.
I say temporary, but if you meditate regularly the bugs will drop away by themselves.
At first it can be hard to be still. The mind rebels. Then let it! Just observe what it does, how it’s trying to make you stop. The mind is extremely creative in trying to make you not meditate. I have no idea why. Actually, I know why. It’s because meditation shows the mind that it is not as almighty as it likes to think. There is another part of you that is far more powerful.
The part that is what you essentially ARE. The part that has nothing to do with any preferences or personality you may have. (I know, we have all learned that having a great personality is something to strive for. It can be. As long as you know that it's not you.)
Meditation gives you profound relaxation. It can also give you profound insights that will be sort of downloaded to your mind.
The first step of meditation is just trying to find your core. The second step is to experience that core and the third step is to live in that core always. This process can take years. But it’s not the goal that counts. It’s the search. The search never stops.
The sincerity of the search is everything.
In some environments meditation occurs spontaneously...
A few years ago I used to have a very regular meditation practice. I was at stage two and was deeply experiencing my core. Nothing could disturb me. I was fully aware of my surroundings but also fully absorbed in my core. My kids were then around five and sometimes one of them used to come up to me and sit on my lap. They just sat there in silence, completely still, before running off to do more interesting things. It was as if they naturally tapped into my state. Those moments were intensely powerful, loving and sweet. They enhanced my meditation.
Other times they were more mischievous and would start poking me, pulling my arms or opening my eyelids. I just let them play with my meditating body, still in deep absorption. They soon got tired of teasing me and I felt as loving as when they were sitting in silence.
Meditation is not about being “gone”. It’s about being fully aware. So aware that there is nothing between you and your core. No words, no thoughts, no disturbing feelings. Just pure beingness, pure love, pure freedom - which is also a way of describing your core. I have no need to disappear into some oblivion. I remain in pure presence, fully open to the world. I love it when people talk to me while I meditate. Sometimes I even answer! :-D
These days I just flow in and out of meditation constantly. Almost anything can evoke a deep meditative state, two minutes and I'm in it. I’m always with my core, fully experiencing everything life throws my way; fully experiencing myself experiencing life. That way almost anything becomes interesting. Even boredom.
Another thing that meditation brings: you don't react anymore. You act. Automatic reaction is the hallmark of the smaller you. Deliberate action, or non-action, is the hallmark of the wiser you. Life just becomes easier, less complication.
Try a short, guided meditation below. It's just over six minutes long. You can use it as a short relaxation meditation or you can use it as a start to a longer meditation on your own. Remember, meditation is just sitting. It's being with what is.
Other times they were more mischievous and would start poking me, pulling my arms or opening my eyelids. I just let them play with my meditating body, still in deep absorption. They soon got tired of teasing me and I felt as loving as when they were sitting in silence.
Meditation is not about being “gone”. It’s about being fully aware. So aware that there is nothing between you and your core. No words, no thoughts, no disturbing feelings. Just pure beingness, pure love, pure freedom - which is also a way of describing your core. I have no need to disappear into some oblivion. I remain in pure presence, fully open to the world. I love it when people talk to me while I meditate. Sometimes I even answer! :-D
These days I just flow in and out of meditation constantly. Almost anything can evoke a deep meditative state, two minutes and I'm in it. I’m always with my core, fully experiencing everything life throws my way; fully experiencing myself experiencing life. That way almost anything becomes interesting. Even boredom.
Another thing that meditation brings: you don't react anymore. You act. Automatic reaction is the hallmark of the smaller you. Deliberate action, or non-action, is the hallmark of the wiser you. Life just becomes easier, less complication.
Try a short, guided meditation below. It's just over six minutes long. You can use it as a short relaxation meditation or you can use it as a start to a longer meditation on your own. Remember, meditation is just sitting. It's being with what is.
You might also be interested in reading a related blog post about breathing here and/or listen to a guided breathing exercise here.
Tips for setting up a meditation practice:
Tips for setting up a meditation practice:
- Choose a time and a place when you will not be disturbed (needed in the beginning)
- Sit or lie down in a position you can maintain for a while. Don't lie down if you have a tendency to fall asleep. No need for any particular position.
- Use a timer, set it for five minutes. (Set the bar low!) When you can meditate for five minutes, add five more gradually until you reach about 30 minutes.
- Don't fight your mind. Let it rebel while you watch it rebel and squirm. It will eventually get used to you being the boss.
- If it's impossible to still your mind from thoughts you can count your breaths, 1-5, and then start over again. Focusing on your breath in different ways is an excellent way of mastering a rebellious mind.
- You can also use a mantra; any word or words that make you feel good.
- Only use counting and mantra when you need it. The goal is to just sit and be. Sounds easy, right? With practice it will be.
- Try to meditate as regularly as possible. The same time every day is ideal.
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