When many people attempt meditation, they might sit for a few minutes, or even just a few seconds. Suddenly, they’re confronted with the inner workings of their own mind, which they might have tried to avoid for years or decades.
They jump up, startled, and run to do something that will distract from their own thoughts. “It’s just not for me,” they conclude.
What they might not realise is that almost every master meditator began the same way, with trepidation, impatience and uncertainty. And of course if you feel discomforted, alarmed, unsettled during meditation… That is the meditation. That is the practice.
Of course, perhaps people would be more determined to face those parts if they were aware of how much they had to gain. Many articles will tell you that meditation has benefits such as “reducing stress” and “lowers anxiety”.
It “reduces stress.” Great. It’s factually correct, but you may as well say that going to an art gallery or hiking in the mountains reduces stress. It does, but that is just one small aspect of the finest ways we can experience natural and human-made wonders.
As you move along in meditation, you might find self-love, faith, a connection to the Divine, the perception that there is no large difference between when “good” and “bad” things happen, happiness even in tough situations - or situations which you previously saw as tough.
For transcript and notes go to: Meditation for Beginners A Beautiful Thought
