My meditation journey in 2020
How I found a meditation practice to persevere in 2020
I am sharing my own journey towards a meditation practice. It was not simple. It had to fit alongside my philosophical, religious and spiritual beliefs. My own preferred meditation needs to bring relaxation, clarity of thought and mindfulness.
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2020 gave every reason to worry. My anxiety dragged me away from my own personal truths that would guide me for moving forward. We face excessive noise in life – including unhelpful thoughts, social media, opinions from loved ones and physical noise in surroundings. I need the mental quietness to think clearly and confidently make decisions. I need meditation.
A religious leader urged me to practice Biblical meditation. Although books were recommended, I felt more guided by multimedia resources with the spoken word. I returned to the Abide app. The language sounded reassuring but overly detailed. I would stay quiet, listening to the voice on my phone. This voice would tell a story, recite a quote and explain God. The actual tone of voice was calm. The words were aligned with my beliefs. However, the details brought me deep into a topic. My mind wanted to slow down and simplify.
Then I found a sound bowl meditation session on Instagram Live. There was occasional spoken guidance scattered with long moments of bowl sounds on their own. I felt stillness. I found mental space to welcome a thought and then return my focus to the bowls.
I believe meditation does not have to involve a continuous absence of thought. It can involve conscious awareness of thoughts for what they are. A thought is just a thought. I can step back and observe a thought. I can welcome a thought as it enters and then encourage it to move away. Thoughts can be like butterflies – fluttering in and out of the mental space.
There is something about sound bowls. The ongoing sound helps me to slow down and find this clarity. I now know a guided group setting is the best way for me to meditate with sound bowls.
Meditation can also help in reducing distractions. After I attended a recent virtual meditation group, I felt clarity. I found a determined perspective away from the clutter of concerns. My mind was freed from the numbing thoughts of ‘what if’ and ‘yes but’. I mentally stepped away from other people’s opinions. I felt able to move forward in a crucial decision.
I would encourage everyone to meditate in a way that feels right for the individual within shared beliefs and culture. We are all different. I found a meditation that makes a difference in my life. Hopefully everyone could learn about diverse forms of meditation and find a personal meditative practice.
Meditate on the beauty of the universe. The lotus is floating along. Image: Unsplash.
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