Meditating sounds so dreamy and peaceful…until you try and do it. With all the thoughts of what happened, is happening, is going to happen, it’s impossible to feel zen.
When it’s so hard to meditate, why even bother?
Here are some words from Eckhart Tolle that sum up my experience with meditating…
“…It is a state of connectedness with something immeasurable and indestructible, something that, almost paradoxically, is essentially you and yet is much greater than you. It is finding your true nature beyond name and form…(and as the Buddha says) it is the end of suffering…”
There is so much suffering that comes from the thoughts in our mind, and since the job of the mind is to think, just like the job of the heart is to pump blood, it will never stop. The mind will keep on thinking.
However, meditation is called a practice, because over time you train your mind to focus. And your focus will allow you to experience small gaps between thoughts where the zen lies. Then with more practice the gaps get bigger and the zen moments last longer. And you feel relief from the suffering, big or small.
Those gaps between thoughts are what keep long time meditators coming back for more, daily. It’s that good. Meditation is a practice and it can feel like work, but the reward is like nothing you’ve ever experienced with your conscious mind in regular life.
If you are struggling to meditate because of the busy thoughts in your mind, just know that the only difference between you and a successful meditator, is they continued to practice.
Meditation has changed my life more than any other thing I have tried. I meditate every morning for around 20 minutes, because that’s a length that works for me. As a result of this practice, all other areas of my life benefit.
- My ability to laser focus has increased.
- I’m happier.
- I can close my eyes and get into that zen state almost instantly in any situation to feel relief.
- Throughout my day I feel grounded or connected to something bigger than me. I feel supported.
- I have more compassion for myself and others.
- I have more patience and tolerance.
There’s probably more, but those are the bigger effects I notice.
Hopefully this inspires you to start with 5 minutes of meditation today. Then maybe another 5 minutes tomorrow. They say 21-40 days makes it a habit. Challenge yourself, make it an adventure, see if it can be a thing for you. You never know until you try!
