If you’ve been practicing yoga and/or meditation for any period of time, you may have noticed that every single practice is a different experience, and I think that’s worth mentioning. Even practitioners who’ve been meditating for decades will tell you that meditation is not linear, it’s a dance. And even though meditation isn’t about ‘going anywhere’ you can’t help but feel that you take a step forward and a step or two back, and repeat like a meditation Cha-cha.
In life, progress is often arduous. Like climbing a sand dune, we may find ourselves exerting great effort to reach our destination sinking step after step into the sand, sometimes sliding backwards a little but still moving forward. Meditation is similar in that while we’re not really climbing toward a destination, we are allowing healing to take place so that we may come to the realization that we’ve been at our destination all along.
Healing of any kind is almost never smooth and orderly. Think of the last time you got a cold. Did you start to feel better only to ‘slide backwards’ a little before that final leap forward into wellness? When we meditate, we’re allowing healing to happen by letting suppressed feelings, thoughts and emotions arise and dissipate. Some days after meditation we feel awesome. Other days we may feel as if a fire hose of thought was turned on full blast leaving us tired and questioning if it’s ‘working.’ Meditation is definitely something that we dedicate ourselves to forever as a means to allow all of that ‘stuff’ to come up and out, allowing us to notice the silence underneath — a silence that leaches it’s peace into the rest of our life.
Meditation, like anything else, requires ‘practice.’ The more time you dedicate to allowing your mind to uncover the stillness within, the more peace you will bring to your life and those around you. The people in your life may even notice subtle changes before you do (it happened to me). But meditation isn’t something you’re ever done with because life is always changing and minds have habitual attachments they like to cling to.
If you find yourself frustrated that you aren’t ‘going anywhere’ realize you’re already there, and that you’ve been drawn to meditation because you already know it. Be patient, be committed, be still.
Namaste.
– Your Charmed Yogi
Related posts:
- Transcendental meditation is like Alka-seltzer
- 11 Easy ways to meditate or there’s no such thing as being bad at meditation
- Drain the dirty bathwater with meditation
(Photo: Pinterest)
A Charmed Yogi 
Great piece! The main part I’m struggling with right now is finding the time each week. I’m learning to dive deep once I sit down and do it, but fitting meditation in as much as I want is a challenge.
Britt- For me I had to make the commitment to get up earlier. Meditation is best before dawn when the mind is fresh and clear. So, I changed my schedule. Started to go to bed an hour earlier, get up a half hour early, and meditate as soon as I awake or right after asana. Good luck, I know you’ll find your pace!
That’s a good idea! I keep trying at night, but other things sneak in the way. Thanks for the suggestion!
This is such a beautiful post. I just love your blog, thank you for sharing.
Thank you!!! Happy Election Day!
One of my teachers uses a beautiful analogy that meditation is like putting money away in a bank, and one day you can cash out in on all that time you spent ‘trying’ to meditate. I just love this idea, like you said Lisa, even if your monkey mind wont calm down, “be patient, be committed, be still” because the benefits are happening without you noticing.
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Love this! So, so true.
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