Why it is Called a Meditation “Practice”
Like writing, you need to put in the work to get better.
Starting Out
I first experimented with meditating about 15 years ago. I was looking for a way to deal with anxiety, so I went to the bookstore and bought some cassette tapes by Jon Kabat-Zinn. I liked his voice, so I would sit on my deck in the backyard, load up my Sony Walkman, and relax.
While I always enjoyed the experience, I never knew if I was doing it right. I wasn’t sure how to measure the results. I had thought that my mind would stop wandering eventually. Then I would be able to focus on my breath with ease.
That never happened. I was always catching myself becoming distracted by thoughts of what to fix for dinner, etc. But while in those thoughts, I often came up with some great ideas and creative answers to issues.
The gaps between thoughts could often be insightful, much like the revelations you would have when drifting off to sleep.
But, there was no dramatic change in my life; no enlightened moments that I could contribute to meditating. Doubting that I was meditating correctly, I would often slide and skip it on busy days. Then days would often turn into weeks.
Not Giving Up
For years, I kept it in mind and would come back to meditating, but with no real staying power. Then, with getting older, I was feeling a more urgent need to control my focus and support the cognitive function of my brain.
Upon returning to my meditation practice, I was finding it harder and harder to focus on my breath; more difficult than it had been in the past. The increased usage of screened devices had taken its toll.
But it made me make an even stronger commitment to meditation and making it a priority in my daily routine.
Learning Curve
I thought the goal of meditation was to clear your mind of all thoughts except your focal point. But I later learned that it was impossible to ever stop them completely. Your brain is composed of electrical impulses that form connections and generate thoughts. If that would ever end, you would be dead.
The value of meditation comes from developing your ability to identify when you have strayed from focus and coming back time and time again.
That is why it is called a meditation practice.
The brain is a muscle that requires exercise. The more you practice, the more adept you become at applying focus in meditation and your everyday life. The strength and understanding you gain make you better able to identify negative voices and thoughts in your head. Then you can return your attention back to what matters.
Finding Your Style
Meditation styles are unique to the individual. Some you will want to adopt for your own practice and some you may find annoying.
The length of each session and whether they are guided or silent are all options to be explored to inform what works for you. How you do it is not as important as the frequency you maintain in your practice. Keeping a daily practice significantly increases your chances of success.
I started out using a guided meditation for a half-hour every day, then I tried several of Oprah and Deepak Chopra’s meditations. They can be a nice change of pace. I have also done silent meditations except for a starting and ending bell.
But what I have ended up using the most is the app Headspace. It starts with a positive message and is minimally invasive during the session. You also get to pick how long you want the session to be. This is particularly helpful if you don’t have a lot of time. Better to do a shortened version than not at all.
Benefits
I have been meditating for 15 or more minutes a day for several years. It has made very subtle, but valuable changes in my life. I have much less anxiety and better control over my negative emotions like doubt and anger.
It may manifest differently for you, but meditation has given me the ability to evaluate a feeling or thought when it appears. Then, if need be, I can re-focus my energy more positively and in the present.
Today, I have almost no trouble making time for meditation. If I skip a day or so, I can tell my objectivity and coping skills start to slide. That motivates me to be sure and get it in the next day.
Meditation practice is a self-improvement tool whose only cost is your time. Well worth it, in my opinion.
