Meat suit lesson #95: Practice. Patience. Persistence. OR "Why you CAN and NEED Meditation"

Meat suit lesson #95: Several years ago I started to realize how desperate I was for healing. I opened up to anything that I thought would help. Pharmaceuticals, therapy, journaling, gurus, psychics, hypnosis, books, YouTube videos, retreats, groups, communities, herbs, remedies, diet, exercise, art therapy, kundalini, qi gong, the list goes on.

I also started practicing meditation. Quite honestly it was tough. I didn’t know what I was doing if I was doing it “right”, what I was supposed to feel, and if or when it was ever going to feel like it was changing me or my life. It was uncomfortable, painful even to sit in anxiety and depression and what I now know was undiagnosed and unaddressed trauma.

A few summers ago, dealing with particular hardship, I headed to the cottage for a couple of weeks. I sat on this dock and forced myself to meditate for as much of the day as I could. It truly was PRACTICE. By the end, I found I could sit with myself in silence for nearly 8 hours. The more astonishing part is the sense of calm, peace, and confidence I walked away with. I finally realized that the answers I so desperately searched for were not in the external world, but instead easily tapped into through finding my own quiet space.

I find there are a lot of misconceptions about meditation. That it is only for certain people, that you need classes or apps, that you can do it wrong, etc. There are some truths too. It can be unfamiliar and difficult at first, but just like ANYTHING else worth it that you want to see progress and returns on, it takes PRACTICE.

But I promise you it is SO worth it. Of all the things I’ve tried, meditation has been the most fruitful and genuine and why I have stuck with it and also why I am sharing this with you. Whether you are looking to de-stress, address mental health/trauma issues, gain better focus as an athlete/business person/partner/etc. or find answers to questions in your life; meditation addresses it all.

It is free, accessible, you can do it anywhere and literally anytime. (I make it a practice to meditate in my parked car for at least 10 minutes before I walk into any client meeting. Even if I am late! I know I will be so much better in my meeting and my day if I reset first). Meditation teaches you to observe your thoughts and feelings so that you can apply observance as a skill in real life. You don’t need to react to the driver who cut you off or the boss/partner/parent who is down your back.

Meditation is not just spiritual, it’s practical. Before you run a marathon, learn to walk. Many people get discouraged because they can’t meditate for 10 minutes. So start with a minute or even 30 seconds a day. Focus on creating a habit of practicing and show yourself compassion as you learn.

From someone who has pretty much tried it all, I feel an obligation to share this with you. It has helped me SO much and I PROMISE with practice, patience, and persistence it will do the same for you.