'Meditation' can be a mystical, loaded word full of expectation or intrigue. As such, it can feel out of reach, unattainable, inaccessible. There's a lot of perception of what it is, or should be; who it's for, what it looks like, how it should feel. I myself have grappled with trying to pin down what exactly meditation is. But really, much like the experience of love, its hard to intellectually define with words, and its subjective to each of us. Our human brain wants to be able to label and categorise and understand. And in our desperation to try to pin this down, I think this is where alot of the myths and expectations come from.
Starting my 60 hour CPD in Meditation and Mindfulness last weekend, I realised that my whole practice and how I seek to live my life, is based on meditation.
For me, meditation is about slowing down and creating space. To be with ourselves, to reconnect with the world around us, and to move away from the busy, chatting, constantly demanding mind. It's about coming back to being and noticing, rather than constantly doing. Its about feeling a sense of connection and awe. Its gaining perspective and calm. Its giving space to be with and process what's coming up for us. Its finding the ability to reflect and respond rather than react. It's holding ourselves with love and compassion during the lows as well as the highs. Noticing why the tears need to fall, or what being anxious feels like in the body.
In this way, its not always about bliss and peace and joy, or sitting perfectly still. For me, its about finding ways to weave this enquiry into various moments throughout my days. Becoming aware of the thinking mind, remembering to pause for just a moment, taking myself off for a walk. And for me, beauty, nature, creating pretty sacred space, writing, connecting to reiki, stretching, dancing, admiring a crystal, taking a bath, planting a seed, playing with flowers, lighting a candle, pulling an oracle card, sipping tea, listening to music, walking bare foot on the ground, exploring a new place... - all the things I love to do - are all ways that I move into a meditation and mindful place.
We can bring awareness, reflection, self investigation into everything we do. We can remember to pause and stop and find a little space within the busyness of our days. We can notice how we feel or what we need in any given moment.
For me, all of this is the meditation and mindfulness practice - being able to tune in and notice, getting to know ourselves a whole lot better, finding gratitude and appreciation for what's around us. In this way, life itself becomes the meditation, the practice.
So be kind to yourself, explore, be open. Because you definitely don't need to sit perfectly still on a yoga mat, chanting or burning incense to be practicing meditation! (Of course, you can, but there are other ways too). And remember - meditation isn't about not having thoughts or having 'a clear mind' - its about becoming aware to notice those thoughts coming up, and practicing letting them go rather than attaching to their stories.
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