What is meditation?
Meditation and mindfulness; Couples Counseling Worcester, MA
When I introduce meditation to my clients for the first time, misconceptions often arise regarding its purpose and what to expect. My clients fall prey to common myths about mediation, including the belief that they must achieve a completely clear mind or constant peace and calmness during meditation. They believe that if they aren’t experiencing this, then they are doing it wrong. I tell them that those myths are not accurate. In reality, their minds are supposed to be thinking. That is the mind’s job. Emotions are another tricky thing that new meditators try to control. Emotions are supposed to come and go on their schedule, not ours.
During meditation, the focus should be on observing these thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations without judgment. The idea is to allow these thoughts, feelings, and sensations to be present, to observe them, and then to allow them to flow through rather than attempting to suppress or control them.
There will be times you will notice that these thoughts, emotions and bodily sensations are not flowing through you as fast as you would like them to. This is normal. We get hooked by a thought that is upsetting or an emotion that is uncomfortable, and we try to solve it, wrestle with it, block it out, or push it away. Your job is just to observe and notice what is happening and gently redirect your attention back to your breath or a chosen mantra.
A mantra, which can be any personally meaningful phrase, serves as a focal point to anchor attention. Examples include "everything I need is within me," "I am enough," "I am open," or simply "I don't know." It's normal for the mind to wander during meditation. When your mind wanders, gently guide attention back to the breath or mantra.
Understanding that distractions are a natural part of the process, the key is to gently bring yourself back to the present moment, fostering a sense of mindfulness and self-awareness.
Meghan C. Foucher, LICSW specializes in anxiety & couples counseling in Worcester, Massachusetts.Helping couples and individuals shift out of stress, anxiety, and conflict while improving communication and regaining connection.
