Is There a Correct Way to Meditate?
Practical tips to mindfulness meditation
According to CDC, meditation is now the fastest growing complementary health approach in the U.S., with a threefold increase from 2012 to 2017. More and more people start to realize the research-proven health benefits of meditation, such as stress reduction, decreased anxiety, decreased depression, reduction in pain, improved memory, reduced blood pressure, and other mental and physiological benefits.
Meditation is originated in the ancient Vedic texts from India. Its benefits and the true purpose (connecting oneself to the deep inner-self) are described in Vedic science tracing back to thousands of years ago. Since then, different forms of meditation techniques have been developed, such as mantra meditation, mindfulness meditation, spiritual meditation, clinically standardized meditation. These meditation practices are to engage in mental exercise to reach a heightened level of awareness or mindfulness.
Now that we know meditation has amazing benefits to our mind and body. How do we actually meditate to receive these benefits? What do meditators think during meditations? How do they keep stillness for minutes to hours? Should I listen to guided meditation recordings, music, or sit in complete silence?
It has been a long journey for me. It took me a lot of reading, learning, and practicing to finally understand the practice of mindfulness meditation.
Is There a Correct Way to Meditate?
When I first started practicing meditation, I always had this doubt, the doubt of whether I am doing it right.
I asked my yoga teacher, “What am I supposed to think during meditation?” My yoga teacher replied, “No. You are not supposed to think of anything!”
So I tried. I tried to get into the zone of “nothingness”. But something always slipped into my mind—past stories, future plans, and internal drama. I was disappointed in myself with the question of whether I was even “capable” to meditate.
I became obsessed with finding the “correct” way to meditate — YouTube videos, Google search, meditation books, yoga gurus… I asked my yogi friends, “What do you see or feel during meditation?” The answers I got varied — “nothingness”, “blissfulness”, “awareness”, “peacefulness”, “concentration”, etc.
It turned out that there is no one correct way to meditate. First, there are many forms of meditation to help you achieve different goals. In addition, attaching to the idea of “correctness” or “nothingness” is counteractive in the act of meditating.
So let go of the obsession with the “correct” way to meditate. The following tips are just suggestions when you feel lost in your own meditation practice.
Meditation for Mindfulness or Awareness
There are different meditations serving various mental and spiritual purposes. The type of mediation discussed here is mindfulness meditation.
Mindfulness meditation is a means to encounter the world in order to understand the world we live in as well as ourselves. The purpose of meditation is not to create a calming retreat experience escaping from our daily lives, but to carry the awareness and mindfulness from this stillness practice to our chaotic reality.
Personally, the benefits of mindfulness meditation extend beyond the practice of yoga and meditation to my daily thoughts, speech, and action. The bliss and peacefulness I experience during meditation become sustained awareness and happiness in life.
How to Meditate?
As there is no one way to meditate, when you meditate, focus on the intention rather than actions.
It does not matter what actions you take during meditation — whether you meditate in a lotus position or lie down on the ground. You can also listen to music, a guiding voice, or sit in complete silence.
The first step of meditation is intention setting. The intention is the “why” — why do you show up to meditate today? Why do you want to be mindful? What does it mean to be mindful?
In Yogic philosophy, an intention is referred to as a Sankalpa. This term comes from the Sanskrit roots san, meaning “a connection with the highest truth,” and Kalpa, meaning “vow.” An intention, or Sankalpa, then, is a solemn vow and commitment we make with ourselves to support our highest truth.
Your intention will guide your actions during the meditation. Each day, you may meditate in different positions with various tools or guides because you have distinctive intentions. For example, you may want to lie down in bed if the intention of meditation is to calm down the mind and have a peaceful night of sleep. If your intention is to cultivate an awareness of sensations, you may take an easy sit or lotus position. But it is absolutely your choice.
Mindfulness
Understanding what it means to be mindful is the first step to our mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness and awareness can be manifested in different ways and in various actions. But if we don’t understand the concept of mindfulness, meditation is simply sitting there battling with our thoughts. Mindfulness is defined as,
… a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique. — Oxford Languages
The goal of mindfulness meditation is to develop an awareness of the sensations throughout the body and maintain equanimity towards them.
Being mindful means being aware of the self and the surrounding environment at the present moment.
During meditation, you should think of nothing. But it does not mean that your brain is empty of thoughts. On the contrary, when I am not actively thinking of something, everything comes up in my mind.
Instead of attempting to empty the minds or evaluating the thoughts, simply observe them as if you are looking/hearing the thoughts of someone else. Be aware without evaluating or reacting to the thoughts.
Do not try to fight or stop the thoughts. If you tell yourself, “Stop thinking about monkeys!” Then all you can think of is the “monkey” that you shouldn’t be thinking about. Instead, just let the thoughts flow without emotionally reacting to them.
Thoughts are simply the mental firings in your brain, objectify them without emotional attachment, reactions, or evaluations. There are no evil thoughts or good thinking. Just let them flow through your mind like water. Water is clear, plain, tasteless, neither good nor bad, and is part of our body and the planet. So as our thoughts. Just be aware they are there.
Breaths
The only essential action in mindfulness meditation is breathing. Breath awareness is called pranayama, or prana. Prana is what moves our energy in the body and helps the body relax.
Breathing is a self-regulated process that connects the conscious with the unconscious. Breathing is wholesome. It is neither craving nor aversion. To breathe is to live, with or without consciousness.
Breathing is also a reflection of your current state of mind and body. Reports linking breathing and emotions can be traced to the 16th century, as emotions can be expressed through changes of breaths in rhythm, depth, location, or regularity. In terms of physical therapy, breathing is also an important factor when screening and planning treatment for patients with musculoskeletal problems.
Given the importance of breaths, conscious breathing brings us awareness of our sensations, our mental and physical states. When we are aware of our breaths, we become mindful of our emotions, examine our bodies, and come into the awareness of our thought patterns, and remove the conditioning of our minds.
In mindfulness meditation, you don’t need a mantra or affirmation. Instead, focus only on respiration — your breathing. Your breaths will carry your mindfulness beyond your meditation into your daily lives.
Awareness and Equanimity
Mindfulness meditation is not to empty your mind. Instead, it is to be aware of your mind. Remember, to be mindful means to calmly acknowledge and accept one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.
In yogic philosophy, wisdom arises when one observes reality as it is while remaining aware and balanced. Oftentimes, we rely on our past experience as a reference to evaluate and judge new situations. While it may protect us from potential harm, it also prevents us from potential growth. To be mindful means to be present, to let go of the reactions or evaluations on the basis of the past, and to be aware without evaluating or reacting.
Equanimity is defined as “mental calmness, composure, and evenness of temper, especially in a difficult situation” — Oxford Languages
During meditation, thoughts may appear in your mind. Each thought is attached with some sort of emotions — excitement, joy, frustration, doubt, anger, anticipation, shame, etc. The challenge here is to observe these thoughts while detaching the emotional reactions. To remain equanimity no matter how difficult the situation is.
In life, we often emotionally react to sensations and events without being mindful of our reactions. We immediately scream out pain when feeling uncomfortable, scold people when feeling bothered, cry aloud when things take place different from the original expectations. But what is the point of emotionally charging these situations? How does it benefit us? Why do we hurt the people we love without being aware of the damages of our words or actions?
Mindfulness meditation helps me to stop reacting and start acting mindfully. To remain calm in different situations while figuring out solutions that are beneficial for me and others.
No, You Don’t Have to Meditate for Hours
When I first started practicing meditation, I struggled a lot with stillness. I simply could not sit still for more than ten minutes. So I always ended my meditation sessions feeling defeated.
But meditation is never about competing who can sit still for a longer time. Nor do you have to sit for hours to benefit from this practice.
If you have the time to meditate longer, I certainly encourage you to do so, as it allows you to be aware of every sensation of the whole body and sustain the mindfulness practice beyond meditation.
But don’t let the excuse of “not having enough time” prevent you from this mindful practice. You can simply close your eyes and sit still for ten minutes a day to mentally examine your body, observe the sensations and thoughts and reach a place of awareness and equanimity. Although sometimes it does take longer for me to get to that place, you still benefit from short meditation sessions and carry that awareness and equanimity to your life.
Meditation is easier than you think. It is simply a process of understanding yourself, your experience with the world, and the ultimate truth of liberation.
Thanks for reading my perspective~
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