Meditation, Mindfulness, Mindful Awareness are terms we see a lot in mainstream media.  At this point, there is a large amount of research out there now which show these practices are positive for our minds and overall health and well being. Many apps are now accessible out for guided meditations because of how helpful mindfulness practices are for the mind. There are guided meditations for everything under the sun!  Most likely experienced some form of guided meditation at this point. But what about meditation on your own?

Trying to meditate without a guide feels much different and can present challenges that lead to doubt.  The mind may become active, wander all over the place.  Maybe thoughts of, “Am I even doing this right?” come into your mind. Many people will throw their hands up and state, “I can’t meditate because my mind just won’t stop thinking!”  You may believe there is something wrong with you because you’ve seen others just sitting there all ‘Zenned out.’ Or you may hear people proclaim how ‘wonderful’ their meditation practice was and your experience feels anything but ‘wonderful’.

WHAT IS YOGIC MEDITATION?

One important place to start your own personal, meditation practice is learning what meditation actually is! This does wonders to let go of expectations that are common but incorrect. Expectations that aren’t based in facts, end up fueling the belief that “I’m not good at meditation.” The truth is, no one is ‘good’ at meditation when they start.

My background is in yogic meditation, so this is the lens I will speaking from. Here are some other important bits of information about meditation to help your process:

1. The first step in yogic meditation is Dharana or single-minded focus, which actually means the practice

of concentration.  No one’s mind is still when they first start meditating!  The practice starts with deciding on one thing you will practice concentrating on.  It can be the breath, it can be a mantra, it can be body sensations, it can be an image…there are many things to choose from.  Deciding on one thing and then keep practicing it is what helps the process to still the mind.

2. Once you’ve choose your point of concentration, you will sit quietly focusing on it.  And GUESS WHAT?! Your mind WILL wander.  The mind’s job is to think. Expecting to just sit down, have the mind blissful clear in moments is just plain silly.  It’s like looking at a fish and getting upset that it can’t fly.  Really?!

Please, let that expectation go.  When you are AWARE the mind has wandered, then you can gently guide the mind back to the object of focus.  It’s a CELEBRATION that you realized the mind wandered! Now you can redirect the focus back to your point of concentration.  Getting upset the mind has wandered will not change the fact it wandered. Accept it, understand that is where your mind is at, and bring awareness back. There’s no need to judge yourself over it any longer.

FROM CONCENTRATION TO MEDITATION

3.  OVER TIME…let me say this again…over time. And with practice, practice, practice, the mind will be able to concentrate for longer and longer periods of time. When concentration lasts longer, all the sudden…

WOW, you become aware that the mind was ‘gone’ or rather melted with the point of concentration so there was no difference between you and that focus point.  Of course, with the awareness that you were in a meditative state,  you are back to practicing concentration again.😊

4. Dhyana is the happening of meditation.  The moments when you move from concentration to ‘being’ just happen. Sleep is a good analogy because we don’t do sleep, it just happens. The ‘doing’ of sleep is preparing for bed, getting comfortable, closing the eyes and then…you wake up. Sleep just happened. Same with meditation. We DO concentration and BEING happens (over time and with practice).

The more you practice, the more of these moments happen and for longer periods. But, remember…this is not a linear process. You will have periods where your mind is more focused. Then times where it’s really distracted. Often it correlates to what is happening in your daily life. More stress in daily life recently? Your meditation practice might be more concentration than meditation. This is normal.

TRY MEDITATION AGAIN

Now that you know that meditation is a process that happens over time and with practice, my hope is that if you have tried meditation before, you’ll try again. This time letting go of the expectation to sit down and be in a blissful state immediately. If you haven’t tried stillness meditation before, now you can start with a more realistic view of the process.

The very AWESOME thing about the practice of concentration (also known as mindfulness or mindful awareness) is that, when practiced regularly and consistently, it quickly helps the mind slow down and calm down much more easily in daily life. You don’t have to be in that ‘being’ state to see positive changes in your daily life.  Just start and keep a consistent practice.

I promise (and I don’t make many promises) that you will be amazed at the changes you experience in daily life. Changes like how you meet the world and challenges that come up.  I can vouch for a consistent practice as it’s profoundly changed my life. Even on the days where it’s harder to concentrate during my practice.

I have MANY more tips and tools to help with a personal, stillness meditation practice at home. If you are ready to experience more calm and peace in meeting life’s challenges so you can feel more content, compassionate and clarity every day…

Check out my 4 week, Learn To Meditate Course here.

Shanti.