How to Meditate the Right Way
Meditating the right way is not a “one size fits all.” Whether sitting on a zafu and meditating with your eyes closed or doing some form of exercise while feeling every step, you’re doing it right.
Usually, when I speak about meditation with friends or family, there is one thing that continues to be a discussion. It’s when I hear, “You’re not supposed to think about anything when you meditate.” Instead of judging(because I have been guilty of having this mindset, too), I explain why thoughts are welcome during their practice.
Let’s take a moment to look at the definition of the verb, meditate. According to Merriam-Webster, it means “to engage in mental exercise (such as concentration on one’s breathing or repetition of a mantra) for the purpose of reaching a heightened level of spiritual awareness.”
Truthfully, I don’t know where we all got the idea that our minds have to be blank, but I think we can collectively say that it’s false. Anyone who can achieve a blank mind during practice must not be human.
As thoughts go back and forth during meditation, remember that it is completely normal and part of the process.
Here are two things you can do when thoughts pop up:
- Return to your breath or an “anchor” that allows you to stay in the present
- Label each one as “thought.” Could you give it a name and let it go?
Allow yourself to be with whatever is going on inside your head. Don’t be spooked by thoughts; accept them as they come and go. Although you are thinking about them, you are not your thoughts.
“We can’t always change what’s happening around us, but we can change what happens within us.” — Andy Puddicombe, Headspace co-founder
