For anyone who meditates, or who has ever tried to meditate, dealing with the thoughts, emotions and sensations that arise during one's mediation practice can be a real challenge. In fact, these temporary phenomena can be such a challenge that many people abandon their attempt to meditate because of them.
What you may find as you begin to meditate is that many of your habits of being distracted seem to get worse. You'll sit down to begin your daily practice of 20-minutes and before you know it, you've gotten up from your cushion or couch and are writing down your shopping list. Resistance happens because we're not used to just observing our usual mind, the normal mind that delights in being distracted with thoughts and emotions.
MEDITATION TIP OF THE WEEK MEDITATION TIP OF THE WEEK IS A WEEKLY SERIES OF VERY SHORT, EASY TO REMEMBER, AND BASIC TIPS ON MEDITATION. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK, IS IT HELPFUL? While definitions and attributes of meditation may vary between different schools of contemplative and meditative traditions, it's generally agreed that a key component of meditation, if not the defining characteristic of meditation, is a state of non-distraction. I often find that the greatest obstacle to a meditation practice isn't the distraction itself, but my reaction to the distraction that occurs. Does that make sense? While [...]
MEDITATION TIP OF THE WEEK MEDITATION TIP OF THE WEEK IS A WEEKLY SERIES OF VERY SHORT, EASY TO REMEMBER, AND BASIC TIPS ON MEDITATION. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK, IS IT HELPFUL? Where is your mind...right now? Here, right? Great. Where else? Where is it going to be in, say, a few minutes? What's next? I'm not asking you these questions because I'm curious...even if I am curious. I'm asking you this because this site is about meditation and because meditation is about knowing where your mind is. And integrating meditation into your life, living your [...]
MEDITATION TIP OF THE WEEK MEDITATION TIP OF THE WEEK IS A WEEKLY SERIES OF EASY TO REMEMBER, SHORT AND BASIC TIPS ON MEDITATION. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK, IS IT HELPFUL? Many people think that in order to meditate, we have to rid our mind of thoughts and of the things that distract it; that we have to shut out the world in order to come to really know our mind. Nothing could be further from the truth. Meditation isn’t about stopping thoughts or shutting anything out. It’s about being who we truly are in the midst [...]
It's time for Black Friday again. So, do you want to shop or meditate? How about both! Just don't go blank when it's time to shop, remember why you're there and don't get distracted.
Many people have problems learning to meditate because of their thoughts. What if thoughts aren't real? What if they're so unreal that they can't distract your meditation?
For many of us, when we begin to meditate (or even if we've meditated for a while), we can experience a certain amount of "failure" while trying to meditate. Even if we've been successful in the past, our efforts may be met with what we believe to be failure. But, what if failure weren't an option? What if there was no such thing as "failing" at meditation? What if meditation included failing to meditate?
What is most wonderful about this whole process is that even when you find yourself getting swept away and coming back to your meditation after what seems like hours, you can use that "coming back" as your meditation practice. That is, the practice of meditation means getting used to practicing even as your thoughts and emotions arise and you find yourself getting distracted.
t's funny but there are so many concepts and ideas about what meditation is that we can get caught up in the definition of it all while forgetting to practice. Does it matter what you call it if you're doing it? Or, do you need to have a word for it to understand what you're doing?