Close your eyes and notice your breath. Feel the rise of the inhale, the softening of the exhale. When you’re ready, invite your eyes to open again.
In that brief moment, where did your mind go?
Was there a thought loop playing out in your mind from an earlier conversation? Or maybe this was the first time you noticed how your body felt today. Whatever came up for you, there is no need to judge. Instead, this is an opportunity to acknowledge the gift of meditation you offered yourself.
I know what you’re thinking. I wasn’t sitting on a stylish cushion, legs crossed, with my journal for thirty minutes; how could I have just meditated when all I did was notice my breath and my thoughts? The truth is that meditation is truly that simple and accessible. After all, meditation is the practice of paying attention on purpose. It consists of choosing to practice presence and neutrality while learning how to navigate the caverns of our minds and the fluctuations of our thoughts and emotions that inevitably arise.
the practice of presence
Let’s be honest. When you thought about mediation for the first time, there was most likely a stock image attached to it. You saw someone who is totally blissed out, sitting cross-legged with other relaxed-looking people, and they are floating around in a ball of light. Right? Well, maybe not that exactly, but a variation close to this is often what we associate mediation and mindfulness practices within our current day and age.
The tricky thing about this stock image is that it doesn’t provide us with the whole picture. After all, what we are seeing is a result of one session. We don’t hear about what is occurring during that mediation process or see how the practice is utilized throughout one’s day or the benefits that develop over time. All we see is that one blissful moment. For some of us who are in the depths of a stressful episode, that can feel unobtainable.
When we approach meditation from the perspective that it is an ever-unfolding practice that is centered around paying attention on purpose, rather than clearing our mind of any thoughts or for those that are already ‘blissed-out,’ we open up to a practice that is accessible for all. Because that is what meditation and mindfulness are, a practice. It isn’t a one-moment cure-all or a quick fix. It is a progressive practice that produces results way beyond that single moment.
When we can learn how to sit with ourselves in the simplicity of our breath, the non-judgmental guidance of our thoughts, and the truth of the moment, we begin to cultivate a practice that can aid us in navigating the trickier moments of life. You know, those moments you can’t control anything that is going on externally? Yeah, those moments. That is when the magic of your mediation comes into play. It reminds us that while we cannot control the external, we can control how we show up in it and how we want to react or respond to the situation.
pathway to satisfaction
Are you familiar with that song by The Rolling Stones, Satisfaction (I Can’t Get No), where the band sings about how the man on the radio or television is telling you about all the useless things you need? Yet the more they tell you and the more they try, they just can’t seem to get that inspiration or satisfaction we are told we will receive from the external? I wonder what would happen if The Stones or all of us were to meditate a little more to see how our overall satisfaction would shift?
Well, since we are all wondering, according to various scientific studies (referenced below), consistent meditation practice has the ability to improve immune quality function, sleep imbalances, boost creativity and problem-solving abilities, enhance memory functions, reduce anxiety and depression in most studies, improve digestive processes, reduce chronic inflammation, and improve overall satisfaction and well-being.
While new research on meditation is continuously uncovered, it is easy to say that meditation and mindfulness that have been around for hundreds of years are only proving to be more and more effective as we evolve and our daily stressors seemingly increase. This is also why in about 90% of stress-related cases, more and more doctors are recommending mindfulness-based practices to their patients to reduce the harmful impacts that daily and unaddressed stress creates both mentally and physically. Not to mention the way stress impacts our relationships and views of self.
When we practice a consistent mindfulness or meditation practice, we open up to the possibility of lasting change. As we can see from the above, we can change our physical body, mental state, and how we interact with the world around us all from a simple meditation practice. Like anything in life, the more we practice something, the more improvements we come to see. Similarly to exercise, the impacts of a mindfulness-based practice aren’t shown in that specific moment. They are shown the more we exercise our’ “mindfulness muscles.”
The more we intentionally carve out time to observe our thoughts, tune into our bodies, and feel our breath, the stronger our capacities to handle challenges become, and our ability to change how we view ourselves and the world around us begins to shift. This isn’t to say that we see the world through rose-colored glasses or bypass the realities of struggle that are present. Instead, meditation is about opening us up to what is—seeing the moment in its truth, before the knee-jerk judgments and fears. With this, it offers us a way to slow down and move beyond our biases to witness the moment as it is. In some moments, it can open us up to engage in deeper appreciation and satisfaction of what is available to us. For what is satisfaction without surrender, awareness, and observation?
ingredients for a meditation practice
While there are many ways to meditate, it all comes down to accessibility and simplicity. I know what you’re thinking. Don’t I need a quiet room with low lighting and soothing music to “successfully” meditate? To answer truthfully, no.
In life, it is a natural inclination of being human that we need to set up everything in the most efficient and easeful way. Essentially that is a gentle way of saying we like to control most things to fit the ideal expectation of our desired outcome. No need to judge. We all do it, myself included. As humans, we are hardwired to problem solve, and at our core, it comes down to survival. Survival is a primal characteristic that has been passed down over the years, and because of this, we use it to set ourselves up for the necessary comforts we need to thrive in our environments. While we could explore our need for survival and control more deeply, for this blog, I want to highlight how this may prevent us from being fully present in our meditation practices.
When we start to overcomplicate something, we begin to create a narrative in our mind as to why something either “isn’t possible” or why it “wouldn’t be beneficial.” For example, if we were to tell ourselves, ah man, there is no way I can meditate today. The dogs are barking. I can’t find the music that fits the right vibe, then of course to us, that will seem both undesirable and like too much work and no loner enjoyable! So what we want to ask ourselves is how can we create a mindfulness practice that is simple and accessible, no matter the day?
We do this by first releasing our expectations and judgments. When we expect that all meditations have to be blissful, we begin to judge every meditation that now follows. We start to compare every meditation experience to that one experience, and then we begin to try to control our external environment to achieve that desired experience. While it is seemingly easier to meditate when the room is silent, at a neutral temperature, and our body feels at ease, it also isn’t where we will feel the potency of our practice. The power of our meditation practice comes to us when there are a variety of distractions, in the thick of challenging conversation, and in the moments we feel the least in control. When we release our judgments and expectations of how our meditation “has to be,” we are priming ourselves to navigate life more curiously and intentionally. Because like life, every mediation will feel different, and all that matters is how we meet ourselves at that moment.
From here, I encourage you to explore a wide variety of mediation styles. Though we all share the same basic core needs, we are all unique, and because of this, the style in which we meet ourselves in our mindfulness practice will also vary. This may also be the case for the different seasons of your life. For example, I came into my mindfulness practice through a Japa Meditation practice, where I recited a mantra 108 times with a mala. When I was in the thick of my anxiety, this was the most helpful tool to guide my thoughts intentionally and find an even cadence for my breath. Following this, I started exploring silent meditations, mediations with audio guidance, walking meditations, moving meditations, and so on.
While I may currently practice a seated and guided mediation practice, I have also come to uncover that mediation can be available to us at any moment. When we see there are so many ways to meditate, it can be easy to complicate the practice yet again. So my reminder for you is to come back to simplicity. At the basic level, mediation is about feeling the moment, observing our thoughts and feelings without judgment and presence. Meaning you can do this right now or when washing your dishes. If mediation is about paying attention on purpose and being immersed in the moment, we can see how it is possible to do it at any time, for any length, in any setting.
Lastly, whatever style of meditation that you decide to do, it is always beneficial if we can find a level of comfort in our bodies. Now again, some days, our bodies may be going through more things than others. That isn’t to say we can’t meditate when we are feeling some aches and pains. On the contrary, my dear friend! Knowing how a mediation practice can reduce inflammation could benefit during those times. However, finding a consistent placement for our body that feels comfortable starts to create a memory in our bodies that when we sit like this, we are ready to mediate! It creates muscle memory in both our bodies and minds. Finding a comfortable placement of our body also allows us to potentially reduce other distractions that could repetitively pull our attention toward it.
Now, various styles will speak to how you should or should not engage with your body when you are meditating. Meaning, some will say not to adjust or engage in the “distraction” of your body. While others suggest that you honor and listen to the intuitive messages of your body and adjust as you need. While I have my experiences and perspective on this, I encourage you to uncover what the best practice is for you!
recap + closings
We can see how simple mediation and mindfulness truly are from all that we have explored above. It doesn’t require any items or a specific place to practice it. It can be done just about anywhere, at any time. All it asks is for us to meet ourselves without judgment and with openness to the moment.
The benefits of mediation are priceless. The more research that is done, the more we scientifically come to know that the impacts of a mindfulness-based practice are lasting and can enhance our overall well-being and satisfaction. However, like most things, not everything is for everyone. If you are working with a counselor or doctor, it may be in your best interest to consult with them before beginning a new practice or changing your current wellness plans.
So whether you are new to mediation or a seasoned practitioner, my reminder to you all is to keep it simple. Feel your breath, soften your body, release the judgmental thoughts you have, and come back into your breathing. That’s it, my friends!
We only scratched the surface with this one! I would love to hear from you all below your thoughts on mediation!
- Have you been thinking about starting?
- If so, what’s been preventing you?
- Are you a seasoned practitioner?
- If so, what are your go-to styles or advice?
- What else do you want to know about meditation and mindfulness-based practices?
- Psst, we didn’t even dive into one of the other key components, aka the breath!
Looking for more guidance to start your meditation practice? Check out my recommendations below! (psst this contains affiliate links)
Books to support your mediation journey:
How to Meditate: A Practical Guide to Making Friends with Your Mind
Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art
My fav journal to use post-meditation:
more insights on mediations + mindfulness
seven ways mediation can actually change the brain
well + integrated 
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