Meditation is difficult to define, with many different definitions existing within the literature on the topic. Speaking more generally, meditation is a practice which involves anchoring the focus of the mind into the present moment, instead of allowing it to become lost in thoughts about the past or future. We often spend a lot of our time living in the past (in our minds) or the future (planning, imagining, fantasising), when the only thing that is really real right now is the present moment. This practice of anchoring our attention into the present moment begins to cultivates a state of presence, awareness and higher consciousness over time, as well as calming the mind and body, and improving focus.
To me, meditation is a sanctuary or a respite from the constant ‘doing’. It is an opportunity to transcend the busyness of the mind and access the true essence of my being which lies beyond this - deeper and outside of the conditioning, the roles and responsibilities, and the thinking mind. This true essence is a state of blissful, joyful, peaceful, conscious awareness which is present inside of all of us all of the time, and can be accessed at any time if we know how.
Meditation is a practice that teaches me that I can control my inner state and therefore my experience of life, no matter what takes place externally. It is a way of feeling connected to all beings and a universal consciousness or energy, and letting go of needing certain things, relationships, etc. in order to feel worthy. This experience creates an enduring sense of inner peace, security and stability, making me less phased by life’s happenings. The yoga tradition refers to this state of being as ‘Sat Chit Ananda’.
Here are some definitions of mediation present in the literature on the topic:
"Meditation refers to a formal practice that involves cultivating a state of awareness by way of paying purposeful and non-judgmental attention to the present" (Jon Kabat-Zinn)
"Meditation refers to a conscious mental process that induces a set of integrated physiological changes termed the ‘relaxation response’" (Sara Lazar)
"Meditation is the uninterrupted flow of concentration on an object, idea, or concept" (Patanjali)
How much of your time to do spend either in the past or future in your mind? Wat helps to bring you into the present moment?
If you would like to learn how to develop a mediation practice, we run introduction to meditation courses at the studio. Have a look at our website or send us an email to check whether there are any dates for this course coming up.
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