Recently I’ve realized how important meditation is to my personal balance and it got me wondering how others have been affected by incorporating meditation into their lives.
My relationship with meditation actually started before I even knew what meditation was. I remember I was in 6<sup>th</sup> grade when the whole 6<sup>th</sup> grade class went to camp for a week. On the first night there when it was time for bed, the guy in charge of my cabin gave all the boys in my cabin some sleep advice. He said some of you might have trouble going to sleep and if you do here’s a little trick to help you relax and go to sleep. He said to breathe normally but deeply and to focus on each breath, then to imagine all the tension in your body and to even contract every muscle. He said to gradually, with each exhale, to release all the tension we had found. He said to sink deeper into our mattress with each relaxing exhale of our breath. Needless to say, it worked nicely that night.
I used that same method for years from time to time whenever I was having trouble sleeping. At age 23 I suddenly developed an intense curiosity with meditation and different mental states of being. I read a few books and listened to a few guided meditations. I could hardly believe that I had been meditating in a way since childhood. Since that time I’ve gradually developed a more consistent relationship with meditation and like I said I’ve just recently understood how it positively affects my life.
Most recently I’ve had this picture in my head which helps me relate meditations effect on my mind.
I see myself sliding through a tunnel through outer space (think of an enclosed slide at a water park). The inside of this tunnel is lined with video screens on which my thoughts are displayed. Normally I’m sliding down this tunnel at a pretty rapid speed and therefore only see these thoughts as I fly by. As I meditate, I begin slowing down so that now I have a much more clear view of these screens which contain my thoughts. Eventually I exit the tunnel and all I’m left with the empty darkness of outer space. Here I can just float peacefully and not be bothered by the thoughts of my mind.
The most important part is how this translates to the everyday world. I find that for me as I gain a deeper relationship with the stillness of my mind I have a clearer outlook on the external world. Rather than seeing the world through the filter of my pre-conceived thoughts I see it as it truly is.
For example: When having a conversation I can listen to what is actually being conveyed rather than make up my opinion on what is being conveyed. Or when faced with a rude person I can see past my hurt ego and try to understand why the person is in a bad mood. An interesting example happened only about two weeks ago. I was at the basketball courts playing some ball and frankly I wasn’t playing my best. My outside shot wasn’t going down and I just felt a bit off my game. I became aware of my mounting frustration and began simplifying my game. Defense, rebounding, passing, posting up, all of a sudden I was in the flow of the game and after a few easy post up buckets my outside shot starting coming back.
As of now this heightened awareness comes in spurts but as time goes on I’m becoming aware of the lack of awareness quicker.
I’d love to hear how meditation has affected those who partake in it.
My relationship with meditation actually started before I even knew what meditation was. I remember I was in 6<sup>th</sup> grade when the whole 6<sup>th</sup> grade class went to camp for a week. On the first night there when it was time for bed, the guy in charge of my cabin gave all the boys in my cabin some sleep advice. He said some of you might have trouble going to sleep and if you do here’s a little trick to help you relax and go to sleep. He said to breathe normally but deeply and to focus on each breath, then to imagine all the tension in your body and to even contract every muscle. He said to gradually, with each exhale, to release all the tension we had found. He said to sink deeper into our mattress with each relaxing exhale of our breath. Needless to say, it worked nicely that night.
I used that same method for years from time to time whenever I was having trouble sleeping. At age 23 I suddenly developed an intense curiosity with meditation and different mental states of being. I read a few books and listened to a few guided meditations. I could hardly believe that I had been meditating in a way since childhood. Since that time I’ve gradually developed a more consistent relationship with meditation and like I said I’ve just recently understood how it positively affects my life.
Most recently I’ve had this picture in my head which helps me relate meditations effect on my mind.
I see myself sliding through a tunnel through outer space (think of an enclosed slide at a water park). The inside of this tunnel is lined with video screens on which my thoughts are displayed. Normally I’m sliding down this tunnel at a pretty rapid speed and therefore only see these thoughts as I fly by. As I meditate, I begin slowing down so that now I have a much more clear view of these screens which contain my thoughts. Eventually I exit the tunnel and all I’m left with the empty darkness of outer space. Here I can just float peacefully and not be bothered by the thoughts of my mind.
The most important part is how this translates to the everyday world. I find that for me as I gain a deeper relationship with the stillness of my mind I have a clearer outlook on the external world. Rather than seeing the world through the filter of my pre-conceived thoughts I see it as it truly is.
For example: When having a conversation I can listen to what is actually being conveyed rather than make up my opinion on what is being conveyed. Or when faced with a rude person I can see past my hurt ego and try to understand why the person is in a bad mood. An interesting example happened only about two weeks ago. I was at the basketball courts playing some ball and frankly I wasn’t playing my best. My outside shot wasn’t going down and I just felt a bit off my game. I became aware of my mounting frustration and began simplifying my game. Defense, rebounding, passing, posting up, all of a sudden I was in the flow of the game and after a few easy post up buckets my outside shot starting coming back.
As of now this heightened awareness comes in spurts but as time goes on I’m becoming aware of the lack of awareness quicker.
I’d love to hear how meditation has affected those who partake in it.
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