Meditation is nothing new, but it’s become a lot more popular these days. And that’s a good thing.
I used to think that meditation meant sitting for a long period of time and having a blank mind. I’d meet people who told me they meditate for a half hour each morning and I felt like they were some kind of meditation superstar, on a level that I could never reach, and that they had some special power to make their mind not think of anything else except their breath.
But then one day, I decided to try meditating for thirty seconds. Using an app called Omvana (I have no personal stake in the company), I picked a free meditation download and decided to give it a shot. I was nervous that I wasn’t meditating “right”, wasn’t thinking the right thoughts, and I kept struggling with outside thoughts intruding. But the guided meditation validated all those as being very normal and common to face when meditating. As time went on, I began meditating more often—sometimes every day, sometimes once a week—and with varying duration.
I’ve come to appreciate the ability to slow down, get present, be aware of my mind and body, and have a few moments where it’s not about doing but about being. I don’t have a special meditation room with scented candles and mantras hanging; obviously that would be nice but what’s great about meditation is that it’s not about what’s happening around me– it’s about what’s happening inside of me and my ability to connect with it in a gentle, welcoming way.