I've meditated for as long as I can remember - on and off, but lately it's been more on.
Meditating definitely makes me feel good, and I find it easy, which pleases me as during my waking hours my mind is always racing. I'm a serious overthinker.
That's why I meditate, it stops the noise in my head. It makes me feel clean, calm, relaxed, happy, and of course there are the proven scientific benefits of meditating.
I had written a long list of the reported health benefits of meditation, but then I highlighted the text, and hit the delete button.
I'm not here to tell you about that. This is just a lighthearted blog post about my enjoyment of meditation, and I'm way too tired to add the appropriate links to the medical research papers that would supposedly prove what I'd written.
And I'm sure we are all aware, that most people have an agenda, so even research papers from the most respected source may not be telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.......
Crikey! That all felt a bit too much for me.
I only wanted to post a photo, and already I've written far more than I planned.
So, anyway, meditation - I love it!
Lately I've seen several articles about meditating, usually with titles such as 'How to Meditate' followed by a list of things you need to do in order to be able to mediate successfully.
Often these articles are accompanied by comments from people saying they can't meditate. They say they've tried but it's sooooo hard, they just can't do it.
I don't know what they're talking about.
Meditating is not hard. It is not difficult.
Meditation is incredibly straightforward, and easy.
I think the main reason a lot of people say they have trouble when they try to meditate is because they've read lots of nonsense about How to Meditate etc.
They are over-thinking it. They have unnecessary expectations of what meditating is going to be like.
They think, incorrectly, that to mediate takes a lot of effort, that you must clear your mind of every single thought, that the mind must be absolutely quiet.
They think you must sit on the floor, with your legs crossed in a lotus position, a perfectly straight back, with their fingers forming a mudra.
That may work for some people, and if so that's good - for them. But it doesn't have to be the same for everyone.
If adopting a seated lotus....... blah blah blah....... is something you find comfortable then that's fair enough.
But I think a lot of people are put-off of even attempting to meditate simply because they think there's only one correct way to do it.
And they also think, incorrectly, that you have to meditate for a long time, or for a set amount of time.
Wrong!
Meditation, meditating is whatever works for you.
If you only want to, or only have the time to meditate for a few breaths, then so be it. That's enough.
I dont know! Correct position to meditate, set a timer to meditate...........
They make it complicated. When in fact, the opposite is true, it is uncomplicated, it's simple, it's childs play.
Meditation is not about doing anything. It is about doing nothing.
Doing nothing, for as little or long a time as you want, in any comfortable position you choose.
What could be easier than doing nothing? Nothing, that's what.
Meditation. It's not rocket science.
Simply get yourself into a position that is comfortable for you.
Then just focus on your breath. If you are truly fully focused on your breath your mind won't be wandering off thinking about whatever else it is you like to think about.
I've read many things about meditating that say when your mind wanders, just let the thought come and go, and then go back to concentrating on your breathing again.
I don't think that advice is helpful, it's planting the negative thought in your mind that when you're meditating your mind will definitely wander off somewhere.
I've never experienced this. Once I'm meditating, breathing in and out....... that's it, I'm there.
My mind does not wander anywhere at all.
I am meditating.
I am.
I. Am.
So, to meditate - Just breathe. And be.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Inhale...........
That's it.
You're meditation. You're doing it. Congratulations!
Ha! As often happens with me, and as I've already mentioned I only intended to post a photo on this blog post, with just once sentence - literally one sentence, a few words only. And yet I have rambled on and on about God knows what.
I feel I have oversold the photo I originally intended to post; the top one if you're interested. I decided to add the two other photos of my doodles, to break up my writing.
Oh well, maybe someone out there on the World Wide Web will find it, read it, and who knows - they may even get comfy and meditate.
Namaste!
Do you enjoy meditation? Do you find it easy to meditate?
What are your thoughts on meditating?
I'd love to hear your opinions.
