Recently I responded to a question posed by a student on Facebook. This student is of the opinion that "everyone" has a trigger - "a chronic stressor in life" that doesn't flow smoothly. For this student it was a relationship that creates anxiety where she feels a lack of control. She believes that meditation will help her find her "internal tipping point" and "help her deal with the stress in the moment and is already practicing taking a pattern interrupt breath." However, she went deeper asking for feedback from our group - wanting to know - what do others see as to how meditation will help them over time? How relationships could be transformed with meditation? My dear friend Glenda suggested I share my answer in this blog:
Me:
Wow. Great question. Thank you for meditating!
Meditation has taught me to observe my thoughts. That I have thoughts but just observe them. I don’t need to believe them and I certainly don’t have to react to every one of them (I use to before I became a meditator and I still do but not as often in negative non nourishing ways).
Meditation has taught me how to witness. How to just Step Back and Hold. Witness what is unfolding right here right now.
It’s a cultivation.
Honestly I don’t have a single one “constant stressor” as you write.
Meditation has brought me an inner peace that is hard to articulate and it remains with me in Intensive Care Units, hospice settings, in difficult conversations, subway rides in NY, speaking in public, when my husband pokes me and in moments of complete and utter joy.
Meditation has expanded my perspectives and has allowed me to listen more fully and talk less.
Meditation has taught me that stress is my interpretation of what is occurring or not occurring. I choose how I respond in this moment. By slowing down using my breath I am able to center myself. It takes seconds.
The daily practice eventually takes root and you live your day as if it is your meditation practice. Not judging. Just witnessing. Serving. Opening your heart. Forgiving more. Connecting more fully to what is. All of it ~ even what we label as the good the bad and the ugly. By releasing my hold and imposing my will on how I think this moment should be or how I think you (the person in front of me) should be I have found tremendous peace.
Meditation has taught me that I can do less and accomplish more.
On the days when I least want to meditate I do it anyway because I know in that moment too there’s resistance or tension building up to “something” and it could be as simple as I absorbed airport energy ~ Just getting quiet for 30 minutes oftentimes melts it away.
Hope this makes sense.
Wayne Dyer taught me this gem “ if only you were more like me I would be happy."
Accepting people as they are. Read davidji’s book Sacred Powers. The Sacred Power of Acceptance~ there are three levels. Level 3 is accepting others for who they are and not as we wish they would be. Allowing people’s differences.
I think we are all a work in progress. I know I AM. Not perfect - just hopefully better then I was a few minutes ago.
Sending peace and love from Long Island New York 🙏