The Practice of Meditation
- Jun 2
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 23
What I hear a lot around the topic of mediation is “I can’t”, “I can’t sit still”, “I can’t clear my mind”. People try it, get frustrated, and give up or maybe focus on other things.
I’ll let you in a little secret. Most people that meditate are practicing meditation. Most people are not getting into that state of clearing the mind. And actually, that’s ok because that’s not what meditation is all about.
If you follow yoga philosophy, meditation is also known as Dhyāna. It is the seventh limb in Patanjali’s Raya Yoga. It is described as the state were there is uninterrupted flow of energy toward an object or focus. After this limb comes bliss, which is called Samadhi and is the last limb. So don’t stress out if you’re just starting and hitting a wall. You’re not meant to achieve it overnight.
Anyway, what does uninterrupted flow of energy towards an object or focus mean? I’ll explain it by giving you an example. Have you ever been doing something that has you completely absorbed? Something that while you’re doing it, you are completely focused, you can’t hear people talking, you don’t even notice time going by because you are so utterly absorbed. It could be anything: cooking, working on a project, painting, writing, music, looking at a beautiful sunset, running or some sort of exercise.
If you’ve ever had this experience, then congratulations! You were meditating. There was a complete uninterrupted flow of energy between you and the thing that you were doing or focusing on. If you think back on those experiences, your mind was clear, the voices in your head were inaudible, there was no running mental checklist of should’s and have to’s. That moment, even if it was fleeting, was meditation.
Meditation is a wonderful tool that has been used for thousands of years in the East. Yoga philosophy teaches that sustained meditation can eventually lead us toward deeper states of peace, contentment, and absorption. We still see lives ups and downs, both in our inner and outer worlds, but we become less easily swept away by them. In recent decades, western researchers have begun understanding what practitioners have observed for centuries. Scientifically, meditation is strongly associated with stress and anxiety reduction, improved mood and regulation, better attention, improved sleep, and it can help with physical stress support. Whichever lens speaks to you.
“I want all of that”, you might be thinking. Let’s get into it.
If you want to begin a more traditional meditation practice, my suggestion is to start simply. Sit with your legs crossed on some sort of cushion, maybe you sit on a chair, or maybe you’re lying down. The idea is that your back is straight, but you feel comfortable. Begin noticing what is. Notice your body, notice your mind, notice your breath. No need to change anything, no need to have a conversation with your thoughts or make a mental to do list based on what you notice. Just observe. Then, start putting your attention on your breath. Listen to the breath, feel how it comes in and out of your body; become accustomed to its rhythm. Then slowly start deepening and lengthening the breath. Allow your breath to become slower and steadier.
If thoughts come, let them. Notice that it’s taken you out of the breath and gently bring yourself back to the body. Do a scan of your body and feel into the torso’s movement. Maybe even start a mental count of the breath, let your inhales and exhales be the same count. Give your mind that count to focus on.
Stay with it for as long as it is possible. If it’s 30 seconds, then it’s 30 seconds. This is a practice. Returning to it is the key. Returning over and over again to our bodies, our minds, and the moment. Some days it will be easier than others. Somedays you’ll feel like you’ve achieved a breakthrough and somedays you will feel like you’re starting from zero. It all part of the process and it’s all ok.
Over time, you’ll start noticing the effects of the practice in your life. Maybe you notice that you are not so quick to judge; you’re kinder to yourself and others. Maybe you sleep better. Maybe something that once felt like overwhelming begins to feel more manageable. Perhaps you start noticing that your body is asking for the practice and you return.
So, whether you are sitting or walking and absorbed with the scenery, there are many ways to get into a meditative state and they are all valid. Many times, we know of things by only one definition and it can become inaccessible. But in yoga, we believe that there are many doorways to the path. The way you arrive is the way you are meant to arrive. Expand your definition of what it means to meditate. Try different ways. Let meditation become a ritual that brings you back to yourself and elevates the way you move through life.
Join us in our Move & Meditate class or explore Meditation through our Private Practices.
