I have been meditating for approximately 11 weeks consecutively and goodness am I grateful for this practice. It has been such a great transition from sporadic meditation to a consistent practice and a amazing way to get into a meditation routine, especially during a stressful, busy semester. It does seem a little counterintuitive to take time to do nothing when you have everything to do.
our minds are not in the moment 47% of the time
Andy Puddicombe talks about the benefits of doing nothing in his Ted Talk. Andy became a monk in his early 20’s in response to a high degree of stress he was facing. Andy is a mindfulness and mediation coach and the co-founder of Headspace, a popular meditation app. Andy so eloquently (and with an accent I do not have) lays out the benefits of meditation in our busy society. Andy says that all meditation is, is familiarizing ourselves with the present moment. Meditation is not about stopping thoughts, getting rid of emotions, controlling the mind but stepping back and witnessing our internal landscape, without judgement.
When being mindful we look for focused relaxation – not my consistent state of overthinking- in this focused relaxation we can observe our thoughts step back, get a new side of the story, without ego, without judgment. It allows us to change how we experience our thoughts and eventually our world.
I am slowly getting to a point where my weekly meditation feels routine and I am noticing that when I take that time for myself, I am a more relaxed person. When I feel the urge to sit down and look at Instagram, I meditate instead (ok maybe not all the time, I’m not perfect). Taking the time and space for me is so worth it, and I am looking forward to keeping my practice going and seeing future positive effects.
