Meditation is not just about sitting in stillness; it’s about preparing yourself to be in that state of stillness. In the beginning, I struggled with cultivating a disciplined meditation practice because I skipped the essential steps that would have prepared my mind and body to be quiet. I would jump right into a seated meditation, hoping that I could just drop into peace, but it didn’t work that way for me.
Looking back, I see how I overlooked the importance of moving energy through my body beforehand. I carried an unbelievable amount of energy, and without properly expanding and tiring my body, I found it almost impossible to sit still. My body would twitch, and my mind would race. I didn’t realize that the first step in my practice wasn’t the meditation itself but preparing my body to be calm and present.
Another significant gap in my practice was my understanding of breath. I hadn’t found the right teachers who emphasized that connecting with the breath is the entire practice. More oxygen brings more intelligence, lowers the heart rate, and relaxes the central nervous system. Only when I began to understand the breath did I start to experience the meditative state – a shift to a slower, more mindful brain. In my youth, I couldn’t access that state. My body was fueled by protein, caffeine, and adrenaline, moving faster than my mind could keep up.
Meditation is not something isolated from the rest of life. It’s a culmination of everything we practice throughout the day. We build up to it by how we move, breathe, think, and act. We create the conditions to sit quietly and reach a centered state – where the mind and body are aligned and the breath is effortless. Letting go of expectations is vital. Awakening the mind can happen slowly over time or suddenly, even explosively. It’s unpredictable, and it varies from day to day as we move in and out of consciousness and back into the habitual suffering of over-identification with the ego.
To prepare for meditation, we must also align our daily actions. Perform good deeds, fulfill responsibilities, take care of what we’ve created, and do no harm. These practices ground us and reduce the noise within. It’s challenging when addiction or racing thoughts dominate, or when success and comfort create a false sense of stability that keeps us from facing ourselves. Sometimes, prayer can be a way to calm the mind when we’re lost in stress, unable to pinpoint its cause. Sometimes, our chemistry or the pull of cosmic forces overwhelms us.
The challenge is to look deep within and recognize the connection between ourselves and the universe. Everything moves, and we can sense it when we are not consumed by our inner turmoil. Years of attachments, traumas, and protective habits can block that connection. When meditation begins to work, it often feels like moving through those blockages – pushing stagnant energy out through breathing, through surrender, through tears, laughter, exhaustion, gratitude, or mindful movement.
Honor the process. Pay homage to the creator, whether that creator is a higher power or the essence within you. When you sit in meditation, you’re not just seeking peace; you’re breaking through the layers of what keeps you disconnected from yourself and the world. Be patient. Trust the practice. You are the creator of your calm.