It’s a holiday here in Canada today, and after a busy week and a lot of “doing” over the weekend, I’ve spent most of today with my active intention to just “be.” And that got me thinking (uh oh. lol) about the “point” of meditation, which to me is the ultimate “just being” activity.
I think it’s easy to forget sometimes why we meditate, practice yoga, do other spiritual practices, or spend time in our creative flow state of choice. The momentum of life and trying to “get” somewhere or accomplish our goals can easily just roll on, and leave our “why” in the dust.
I found myself feeling this way in my morning meditation practice today.
I was trying to “get” somewhere, to get a specific result (into a state of more chill and flow, away from some stressful thoughts. lol)
I had to laugh when I realized what I was doing because how I see it, that moment of noticing that I was trying to “use” meditation to “get” what I “think” the “benefits” of meditation are…THAT moment is the true practice. Not whatever I was doing before I noticed I was doing it.
I know that’s a lot of quotations, and I hope it makes sense. I think the nature of a practice that is experiential is that it can be a challenge to talk or “think” about it, because then we’re trying to understand something that has to be practiced and experienced! Whew!!
Which brings me to: what do we think the “point” of meditation is?
Here’s what I think: the real “point” of meditation is to remind yourself that you are not your thoughts. Or your feelings. Or the physical experience of your life that you’re having right now. That in you there’s this silent, observing consciousness that observes all those experiences…and is basically always just fine and totally neutral in any given moment despite external changing circumstances.
The byproduct of regularly reminding yourself of that, and being able to tap into that state of pure observing naturally results in a change in your actual brain waves, thought patterns, stress reduction, ability to choose your reaction to something, and create with intention.
That’s the “practice” of meditation.
And those are some of the “benefits” of meditation, the things we tend to spend more time talking about, and definitely the “gateway” to practice for most people.
That is “the point” of meditation for most of us.
But I find focusing on those things as “the point” of meditation can actually take away from the likeliness of them happening. Because then you’re trying or hoping that some result in particular will happen. Instead of just being, just observing. Which is when the magic actually happens.
Like I said before, this is one of those “I hope that makes sense” moments because letting go of what you want happen is what will make it “happen,” even though that sounds totally counterintuitive and not how we’re used to our brains working.
Buuuuuut the whole “point” of meditation is to spend some time without your brain actively “working” on something!
That’s what I’m contemplating and practicing with today.
How can I do my practices without hoping or expecting to get any “result” from them?
What happens then? Is the experience different?
I’d love to hear your thoughts AND your experiences around this! Does it make sense? Have you considered this before? Why do you meditate (or yoga, or whatever your “just being” practice is)? Is there a particular “benefit” you’re after?
Leave a comment and let me know!!