—
I haven’t always been into meditation. I didn’t grow up in a Buddhist temple and I haven’t spent my adult life chasing the legendary masters of the Far East in search of Nirvana or Satori. I didn’t study Zen, and I didn’t have the meditation version of Mr. Miyagi move in next door, secretly training me to clear my mind and focus on the Void.
I grew up in the West with no Eastern influence on my life, save for some kids I went to school with. That hardly counts, though; they were more Westernized than I was. It wasn’t until I left college that I became interested in meditation.
It started with a presentation at a bookstore.
I attended a presentation at a local bookshop where a semi-known author spoke about his life as a Sannyasi – a Hindu monk. My impression of monks at that point was that they sat around in caves all day, secluded from the rest of the world, meditating, counting beads, walking on fire, and chanting until they died. That was far from the truth.
This author clarified my misconceptions. His day as a monk began at 3:30 am with specific rituals, with special attention given to personal cleansing – more than just hygiene. There was an hour of yoga, followed by an hour of Satsang.
After that, each Sannyasi headed off to their department to work for the rest of the day. The work people performed included anything and everything necessary to keep the sangha running smoothly: cooking, cleaning, gardening, construction, organizing, transcribing, and various tech work like website updates and even posting to social media. Unlike the movies, nobody sat under the Banyan tree meditating all day.
When work isn’t really work
He shared that his usual bedtime was between 11 pm and 1 am, and still, he never missed a 3:30 am wakeup call. When he shared this, the audience grumbled a bit, as if to say they could never do such a thing. He responded by confirming my original suspicions (with a twist). He said, “There is no such thing as work. Everything we do is meditation.”
That was all it took to get my attention. How could performing hard work with no sleep be considered meditation? Listening to the rest of his talk explained everything. I was confused because I didn’t have the right understanding of meditation to start with. It isn’t about sitting still, clearing your mind, and having no thoughts. That’s not meditation – that’s insanity.
Mindfulness is true meditation
Meditation is about being mindful; observing your thoughts and allowing them to be without trying to wrestle them into oblivion (which is impossible anyway). It’s about being fully present with everything you do, no matter what it is. This sounds too simple, but the result is profound. When you’re fully present with what you’re doing – even if it’s taking out the trash – it’s impossible for resistance or fear to creep in, and you end up with a job well done.
Since that day, I’ve been practicing mindful meditation in everything I do. Tasks like washing dishes, doing the laundry, and picking up eggs from the store. It sounds cliché, but the truth is, when even the simplest of tasks are done with full presence, they’re no longer chores. They’re enjoyable, and no matter how often you need to repeat them, the experience doesn’t become repetitive. It’s an entirely new way to experience life.
Thankfully, mindfulness meditation is mainstream enough that it doesn’t sound as esoteric as it once did. It’s mainstream enough that it’s being adopted by professionals in high-stress jobs. Not just to relax, but to be better at what they do. Even Ray Dalio, a trader with a net worth of $17 billion, incorporates mindfulness into his work. According to Netpicks, Dalio actually credits meditation as a key factor in his success. It makes sense because mindfulness leads to objectivity, and “being objective is a skill you must have as a trader.”
You can’t reach the goal by setting the goal.
Setting goals or intentions before a meditation session is engaging in more of the residual busyness meditation is designed to leave behind. Don’t do it – it’s a trap! Meditation is about releasing your grip, letting go of control, and simply being present.
Though not a means to an end, there are many benefits. For one, it can help you learn to decipher when your mind is running on autopilot so you can release your grip on any stories causing you pain. And, according to neuroscientists, mindfulness plays an active role in enhancing our quality of life since the brain stops processing so much information. These two benefits are worth their weight in gold. I, for one, no longer meditate for a purpose. I allow my brain to relax and unwind. And in that space is where the magic happens.
—
—
Photo credit: Getty Images