the right way to meditate?
Do I think meditation has to look like sitting cross-legged in silence? No.
I think meditation can look, quite literally, however you want it to.
Some of my most meditative moments have been while going for a walk, or sitting in nature looking at the trees (scientifically proven to support your nervous system to relax)
as well as while driving my car (your brain goes into a hypnotic state when doing activities you’re used to, like driving).
Art / creativity is another great example of a meditative practice that i enjoy, as well as mindful movement such as Yoga or dancing 💃
So for me, meditation is actually easier / happens more naturally when I’m occupied with a simple task.
With that said, i also enjoy a guided meditation of course
and, though I’m not in the practice of it right now, silent seated meditations can be so powerful too ✨
I’ll briefly share my most prominent experience with silent seated meditations (anapana/vipassana)
I did a weeklong silent meditation course in which I STRUGGLED to sit still and skipped many of the meditations…. It was one of the most uncomfortable experiences of my life, trying to sit still for multiple hours at a time… I could hardly get through 5 minutes!
I endured and gradually built up my ability, eventually being able to comfortably meditate for half an hour, sometimes up to one hour before getting restless / moving.
Afterwards I’d gained SO much from the few meditations i was able to sit through.
My mind was clearer. I had a tangible practice to lean upon (focus on the breath). I felt confident & HAPPIER.
Is it powerful? Yes. Can it be hard? Fuck. Yes. Is it the only way? Definitely not!
But I will say: most of my biggest transformations have been on the other side of discomfort^. its valuable to go beyond ur comfort zone, even if it’s hard✨
So if I want you to take anything from this post, I guess it’s not to be too restrictive with how we’re thinking about things.
We can honour both the traditional way and the creative/alternative options✨
We can explore, staying open to trying different things, till we find what works for us
And for me, that makes it all the more freeing 🦋