When my kids were young (they are now 28, 27, and 23), I would lose my mind when they would say to me, “I can’t.” I can’t ride a bike. I can’t do the math. I can’t parallel park….etc, etc, etc. Each of them is of able body and mind to do and they did much. But when they wouldn’t, I couldn’t deal with whatever was in their way. And that was not cool.
ALERT: I am now transitioning to talk about meditation…you will likely be very interested or eyeroll and leave. How about eyeroll, be curious, and stay?? Back to the post…
About 10 years ago, I started practicing yoga and “meditating.” I am putting meditating in quotes to make a point that through a whole host of misinformation and misconceptions, meditation can be considered an undoable thing and folks don’t even try…they just can’t. And when I hear this response, I notice the voice of the old me (the today me is very chill…because of the meditation) emerging, “You can’t!! or You won’t!! Now, I don’t really say these judgements out loud. I notice them happening in my head and summarily let them go (again…thank you meditation). I do find it interesting that I have this very frustrated response. Why do I care so much about what others may or may not be doing? Well, I think I have an idea.
Recently, someone asked me if I thought meditation was “the answer.” Hmmm…well…3-5 thousand years ago, Patanjali wrote the Yoga Sutras. At the very beginning, he basically declares that what messes us up as human beings is the voice that is constantly yapping in our heads (yes!!) and that yoga (consider more than the “workouts”) is the prescription for quieting that head noise so we can live as our true self. Same with the Buddha. He suggested that meditation was a big factor in alleviating suffering and craving. These guys made sense to me. So, is meditation the answer?
I don’t think meditation in and of itself is a magic cure-all. I consider my meditation practice like I do hitting golf balls at the driving range. If I hit balls on a regular basis, my scores inevitably go down when I play a round. Likewise, if I meditate regularly, when I leave the seat and go into my life, I live it more aware, more relaxed, more simply and more joyfully. I am playing a better “round.” So, is meditation the answer?
For me, yes. Do I think it could be the answer for you? I do and I think that is why I have such a bad reaction when folks don’t try. 🤷♂️ I just want what’s best for you! But that’s up to you… I just ask, please don’t let me hear you say, you can’t.
PS…If you want to give a try or do something different with your practice, every Tuesday, Tony Schmidt and I host a guided meditation session at 7AM CT. Very simply, one of us guides a 15 minute meditation and then we leave time for each participant to reflect on their sit if they wish. We would love to have you.
