Recently, we spoke more with our members about mediation and its different forms. It made me realize that we often overcomplicate it. One of our members shared that she has tried what she believed to be true meditation more times than she can count, each time resigning herself to the fact that she sucks at it. But does she? Or was that style of meditation just not for her?
She has downloaded multiple apps where some peaceful-sounding gentleman talks you through a practice, reminding you to let go of your thoughts and focus on your breathing. For her, this usually works for 10 seconds before the hamster wheel starts turning again—at max speed. It’s not that her mind races with negative thoughts; quite often, it’s the opposite, but she has an overactive mind, and IT NEVER STOPS—apart from when she comes to work out at the gym.
When she works out, she thinks of nothing else.
“I think of movement, how my body feels, how heavy my breathing is, how many reps I have left, or how every second on the a$&bike is a nightmare. I am 100 percent invested in that particular workout. And so maybe this is my form of meditation. I love that for one hour, my mind is focused on the task and not racing with thoughts and ideas. Isn’t this, after all, the idea behind meditation?”
Wikipedia says this about meditation:
“Meditation is a practice where an individual uses a technique, such as focusing their mind on a particular object, thought or activity, to achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm state.”
BOOM!
Defined like that, meditation doesn’t seem so complicated. Find something, ANYTHING, that you enjoy, that engages your mind and takes your focus away from the hustle of everyday life. Breathe and fully immerse in whatever it is, even it if is only for a few moments each day.
