An Approachable Guide to Meditation
So by now you’ve eliminated your misconceptions about meditation and learned what exactly meditation is for. Now you are ready to begin the practice and (hopefully) make it a part of your regular routine. Before I share the steps you would adopt for a meditation practice, one thing must first be stated and understood:
Why do you want to incorporate meditation into your life?
Really ponder this question, for it will directly dictate the consistency, quality, quantity, and attitude of your mental state while meditating. Jon Kabat-Zinn, author of Wherever You Go, There You Are (whose link to purchase I will include in the “Additional Resources” field at end of this newsletter), says that intention is key towards establishing an impactful meditation practice. It is not enough, he says, to merely meditate because I am telling you to, or because the Internet is romanticizing it. No, it is something personal that you need to decide for yourself.
What are you hoping to reap from becoming more aware? Is it compassion? Calmness? Coming to terms with inner turmoil? Or do you simply just want to exist in the world with more clarity and peace? Whatever it may be, go ahead and truly reflect on why meditation might help you. Please do not just take my word for it.
On to the guide.
Establish which type of meditation you would like to engage in.
Meditation can go far beyond sitting straight and chanting “om”. In fact, there are countless varieties of meditation. Some common ones include being mindful of the breath (for awareness), deeply focusing on an object of your choosing (for observing the impermanent essence of all things), and becoming aware of the present thoughts and emotions (for a richer understanding of why you feel the way you feel).
Find an environment that works for you.
This can be on a cushion in your room, in the forest, on the shores of a beach- anywhere, really. I find that a quiet surrounding is more conducive towards a “deeper” meditation session, but the truth is that it can be done even in the midst of a busy construction site.
Make yourself comfortable.
Ideally, you want to keep your spine erect (but not stiff) to keep you aware at all times. Most of us are used to slouching a least a little, so by putting in some mindful effort to regulate our posture it can help us bring back our awareness to the present moment. If you are unable to sit cross-legged like me, that’s perfectly fine; you can always choose to stick your legs out in front of you.
You also want to avoid lying down, for it is very easy to fall asleep this way. A meditation practice should not be overly rigid but not too relaxed, either. Remember that the objective is to bring the attention back to the present, to be aware.
Engage, with deep intention, in the style that you chose.
In step 1, you established which type of meditation you wished to engage in. I cannot give step-by-step instructions on every style out there, but the same principle applies to them all: intention. If you are engaging in metta meditation, cultivate a deep sense of love and kindness toward all beings that exist. If it is an awareness meditation, really feel every sensation that arises, both bodily and mental ones. The key is intention. Go into the mindstate with a commitment to remain as aware as you possibly can.
Another crucial point to remember is to approach arising thoughts from the perspective of an outsider. If you treat your thoughts like you would cars driving by, it creates a distinction between you and them. This, in turn, serves to remind you that you are not your thoughts, judgments, opinions, nor any other false mental precepts. Keeping this in mind will help you avoid beating yourself up when intrusive thoughts take hold.
Be prepared to accept that not every session will go as you desire.
Some days your attention will be so turbulent that you will begin to doubt yourself and wonder if you are doing something wrong. Other days you will experience a deep sense of peace and calmness. Yet other times the voice will be so incessant that you will feel like quitting and dropping the practice altogether.
As I’ve said before, meditation, as a practice, mirrors life; it is a constant cycle of ups and downs. It will not always go how you want it to, and that is perfectly fine; you need only to accept the present situation and move on. If you get familiar with this on your own time then it will make navigating life much less challenging.
Photo by Alex Conchillos on Pexels
The practice of meditation should not be a daunting one. The act of being present should be the easiest thing you ever do. It is simply tethering yourself back to now.
Remember, there is no such thing as failing in mediation; all there is is being aware and remembering to be aware.
Additional Resources
A guide to 23 types of meditation. Perfect if there is a particular area of yourself that you want to work on. A PDF is even available!
A really great article that goes over a little bit of everything you would want to know about meditation. MP3 files of guided meditations are included.
How to Meditate, by Pema Chödrön is an excellent book for meditators of all experience levels. Pema is so great at making a topic understandable and relevant.
Wherever You Go, There You Are, by Jon Kabat-Zinn has made its way to the “Additional Resources” section of the newsletter three times now. If that isn’t enough to convince you to read the book, I don’t know what is.
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