160. How To Meditate
Even as someone who has had a rapid spiritual evolvement, I admit I’ve made several jokes in the past about how much I hate meditating. But hear me out…
For me, at a certain point of time, meditation was incredibly stressful. I felt bombarded by spirits, other peoples’ energies, my own energy, etc. In a way, I was in a deep sense of denial. But aren’t we all?
Essentially, I avoided any and all meditative practices that were too quiet, too still, or especially out of the comfort of my own home where I felt more vulnerable to energies. However in some ways, I felt I was just postponing the inevitable. And I was shutting out the world. It was… unhelpful.
I also felt that I truly didn’t want to know. I didn’t want to know too much about myself or my future. Or more importantly, what I was doing “wrong” or inauthentically in the current moment. What if my truest self needed to be living a totally different life. Would I be able to handle that dissonance? I still don’t know.
I suppose that one could only define meditation as moments of stillness, calm, peace or reflection. Or perhaps simply one adjective. Many people experience meditation which isn’t peaceful or calm. Or more interestingly, not still and not reflecting. Perhaps one could argue that meditation is simply an intention of some way shape or form to be in a meditative space. But that physical manifestation may look different for everyone.
Personally, I find myself meditating when I drive (not recommended for beginners, lol), hanging out, doing chores, etc. There’s something about the flow of energy and the intended focus which makes things clearer and more to the point. Sometimes when I’m meditating, I simply feel like a sitting duck. I would imagine that many people may struggle with anxieties, stresses or intrusive thoughts. And therefore, it may also become unhelpful. When we “zone out” on an activity, we’re still in a spiritual space, but there’s more focus and less distractions. And I still feel that we are relatively receptive for information to come in. I would recommend these “zone out” activities for beginners, for sure.
If you feel frustrated that you don’t feel that you’re meditating, perhaps refine the activity. Ensure that it’s not too overwhelming or stressful. And if you feel like you haven’t had interjections of subconscious awareness, consider simply setting the intention beforehand. You can also always ask your spirit guides to lead you to activities which are more beneficial, therapeutic and meditative.
There’s certainly no wrong way to meditate. And although there are lots of different options and opportunities, consider why you may be avoiding meditating, or why you may be avoiding experiencing subconscious thoughts while meditating. Are you “afraid” of what may come through? Or “answers” that you may not be looking for? Perhaps the issue isn’t meditation, but simply the block that you’re putting on meditation as a whole.
I realize that there’s a whole industry related to different types of meditation practices. Is one better than the other? or any of them really good? I find that it’s the person, not the place, to be honest. It’s really wherever you feel connected to, or at home. And we know that physically, we can be “home” in any sort of place, not just our physical home. And sometimes, in the least expected places. Home is where you make it. And likelihood is, the safer you feel, the more aligned you will be during said meditation.
It’s a good reminder that you can choose to have any intention that you wish. perhaps in some ways, it can feel “safe” to set a boundary before you get into said meditation. You can ask not to see things which scare you, or limit messages to be regarding a certain category.
Maybe meditation is really specific to the individual. Perhaps we can just label it as a “moment with oneself”, while still being open and receptive to the universe. We tend to live with so many distractions, and I am truly the worst offender. What happens when you are still, all alone, and with your own thoughts? If it scares you in some way, there may be things you need to work on in the future. When I first started my journey, I aimed on providing people with the necessary tools to be okay with being alone in a room with only their thoughts. I’m not sure I have a precise outline for what that looks like, but I certainly know it starts with feeling a connection to not just oneself, but the universe at large.
If you’re struggling with meditation, keep trying. If you have a huge block to not “receive”, then it may take some time to get used to. But remember, time’s best friend is intention. Be sure to be clear with yourself and the universe what you’re looking to achieve, even if it’s open-ended.
