"Meditation is not a way of making your mind quiet. It’s a way of entering into the quiet that’s already there—buried under the 50,000 thoughts the average person thinks every day."—Deepak ChopraI don't know where I'd be without all the meditation I've had in my life. I'm very grateful for it and have written many, many posts on it. You can find them all here.
I practice Vipassana Meditation in the tradition of S.N. Goenka from India. Read my posts on meditation above to find out more about it. I started my practice in this tradition in 1996 in Nepal with my then-monk-now-husband.
I was a 20-something, vagabond on a quest for the meaning of life when I arrived at the footsteps of a remote meditation center near Kathmandu. Boy was I in for a rude awakening! I didn't realize how much baggage I had been carrying around, and I'm not talking about my backpack!
Through continuous practice, it was easier for me to make clear choices and even be in a space of unknown when there wasn't a clear choice to be found. I was much more able to experience things as they were and not as I wanted them to be.
Meditation streamlined my life and made me happier with simple things. In fact, it made me appreciate the beauty of all people, places and things.
I have gone through periods where I have abandoned my practice for a bit, but somehow I always return to it and am always grateful when I do.
Today I had a large gap between my classes at the college (I'm an ESL teacher). What did I do? I came home and meditated! I feel very refreshed now. My goal is to keep this up throughout the year. It makes such a difference in my life!
Do you meditate or have you ever practiced meditation before?
I really want to work on meditation and bringing it into my life. Wonderful post as always :)
ReplyDeletep.s. great choice of picture too!
Thanks Optimistic Existentialist! I think it's worth the effort to make room for it. For me, it's like filling my inner tank with gas. Without meditation, my life is very external and am responding to hundreds of things on the outside, but no time for what is inside. It's been very beneficial to my life!
DeleteI'm fairly new to any type of regular meditation. I started mindful meditation last year after reading Jon Kabet-Zinn's "Wherever You Go, There You Are." It has helped me tremendously to slow down and appreciate what is in front of me. I loved learning that I didn't need to try to stop thinking to meditate.
ReplyDeleteI've been away from regular practice for a while, but I can tell that I need to get back to it!
That book is great! I think even reading books on meditation can help ready the mind for slowing down and finally sitting down ^_^! Good luck with getting back to your practice!
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