Questions about meditation

Many answers could be given here, and none of them would fully capture what meditation is. This is because meditation works not with intellectual knowledge but with the subjective experience inherent in each of us.

That said, I particularly like the attempt at a definition used by Jon Kabat-Zinn. To paraphrase, meditation is the practice of paying attention to the present moment intentionally, without judgement and with curiosity.

We usually associate meditation with formal practice, in which we set aside a time and a space to direct all our attention to the practice itself. Here we cultivate a state of awareness we can call mindfulness.

However, the aim is not for this state of being to be present only in these moments of formal practice, but for it to permeate our whole life. So we can also speak of informal practice, in which we allow ourselves to be fully in the present moment, accepting all experience as it presents itself. (Note that acceptance should not be confused with resignation: acceptance happens in the present moment but opens room for change, something resignation denies as a possibility.)

To finish, I would only repeat that no intellectual explanation can replace the experience of meditation, just as explaining the taste of an orange is nothing like the experience of eating one.

Meditation, as a practice, aims for us to gradually come to know ourselves as who we truly are. By observing sensations, emotions and thoughts, we come to understand that we are not those sensations, emotions or thoughts: we can choose to take the perspective of the pure witness who observes phenomena without being conditioned by them. The witness sees phenomena but does not see reality through their lenses. This also means recognising what we are not, such as the thoughts that weaken and diminish us.

With an understanding of who we are and of the causes of our suffering, we also become more compassionate towards others, because we recognise in them the same pure essence, and understand the origin of their suffering.

In this process, more parts of us are “illuminated” by the light of our awareness. We could say that being “enlightened” is becoming aware of, accepting and integrating all parts of ourselves, leaving not a single aspect in the shadow. This represents an ideal that can inspire us to persist in the practice.

Despite all this, meditative practice is not an exact science and guarantees no results. Think of the time you spend in meditation as an invitation for more of reality to reveal itself in the light of your awareness. But do not cling to the expectation that this will happen, because it is precisely that expectation that narrows the channel through which reality can show itself.

To sum up, meditation is the training of becoming aware of and accepting the present, so that we can live with greater equanimity, be more authentic and so be more present in the life we actually have.

Although meditation often begins with a moment of relaxation, this only serves as preparation for turning towards our inner world. In meditative practice we do not give ourselves over completely to relaxation: in fact we keep a slight tension that supports wakefulness, and we stay anchored internally to the intention of paying attention to the present moment with curiosity, without judgement.

So although meditation is conducive to relaxation (with lasting effects that go beyond the practice), we could say that relaxation is a by-product of the state of awareness the practice fosters.

In this context it is also useful to consider that meditation can bring to our awareness sensations that are far from peaceful, and this does not mean the practice is more or less effective! The relaxation, wakefulness and non-judgement cultivated in meditation can lead to the revelation of previously repressed aspects of our psyche, inviting us to integrate them into a more complete version of ourselves.

When we reflect on something, we tend to board a train of thought that carries us between past and future, in a whirl of emotions that makes clear judgement difficult. Meditative practice keeps us anchored in the present moment, witnessing the thoughts, sensations and emotions that arise, without being carried away by the attachment or aversion that naturally arise.

Reflection, like most of our activities, can be carried out from a meditative state. However, without experiencing the practice free of other “distractions”, we will hardly be able to keep a curious, non-judgemental perspective when emotions start to arise.

An example: you have surely had the experience of thinking hard about a problem without reaching any solution, only for a “brilliant idea” to come spontaneously much later, in a relaxed moment such as taking a shower. Meditation can “unblock” solutions in the same way, but this happens precisely because we stop putting in effort and trust the process of life, simply noticing everything that arises, without preference or judgement.

Any object on which we rest our attention in a sustained way can be an object of meditation, because it leads to stabilising attention and exploring the true nature of reality. Using the imagination adds a very interesting dimension, resulting in practices we can classify as constructive (based on this reference).

In this kind of practice, we use imagination and intention to foster certain states of being, and so root them progressively in ourselves. One of the most common examples is the practice of metta, which we could translate as loving-kindness (some prefer the term goodwill, because it highlights the intentional side of the practice), in which we mentally repeat several positive phrases full of intention, directed at someone, such as “may you be happy and free from suffering”.

Note that the stability of our attention strengthens or limits these exercises, so I recommend starting simply with attentional practices and exploring constructive practices when you feel drawn to them.

Meditation is a practice found in practically every culture, wearing different “clothes” according to the cultural and social context it belongs to. We can perfectly well meditate from a secular perspective: meditation simply invites us to deepen our understanding using the only tool we truly have access to, which is our experience.

(In fact, any rigid beliefs we may hold will be ground to till through meditative practice, so that a deeper, lived truth can find fertile soil.)

A small aside: along the way we may naturally develop greater confidence in our understanding of reality, becoming able to entertain thoughts without taking them as our own. At this stage it can be interesting to study and compare the “clothes” worn by various traditions and religions, as clues for our exploration. After all, these clothes are the result of the accumulated human experience of millennia, and even if some elements do not resonate with us, small pearls may appear that reveal new dimensions and understandings of our experience.

People often start meditating as part of a decision to “change their life”, which may or may not come alongside other practices (such as veganism or some form of spirituality). However, this initial effort will most likely turn out to be ineffective at reaching its goal. This is because real change does not come from doing things differently, but from being different: it is the realisations that broaden our understanding of reality at a deep, gut level that drive us to be “something” more expansive, more authentic, more “me”.

So, more than the practices adopted in themselves, what matters is reflecting on where these practices come from: are they an attempt to escape who we think we are, or do they come from an understanding of who we really are?

Meditating simply creates fertile conditions for you to become aware of who you are, based on what you feel in the light of present experience.

So if, as part of your journey, you feel curious to try veganism, to explore your spirituality or anything else, do it! Where do you feel this desire comes from? How do you feel when you act from that place?

I leave you with a sentence I read long ago, though I cannot find the source. A light can illuminate as well as blind. How can you know which, without opening your eyes?

Meditating is no more selfish than putting on your own oxygen mask on a plane before helping others. Ask yourself: what version of yourself do you want to bring to the world?

Meditation will not make you someone you are not. It will create the conditions for you to know who you truly are (or aspire to be), beyond what you are not but think you are. So meditation has the potential to bring a more conscious and authentic version of you into the world.

Do not forget: you cannot give others the care and love you do not have for yourself. We truly give of ourselves when our virtues overflow from our being, and we have a genuine wish to give without expecting anything in return.

Not every type of meditation suits every person at every moment of their life. Specifically, spending a long time alone, without external stimuli, accompanied only by an extremely self-critical and self-deprecating mind (as is common in depression) is not appropriate, and may even worsen the condition.

So meditation should be adapted, or may even be contraindicated, for people with serious mental health problems, severe unprocessed trauma, substance dependence, and in some cases of extreme difficulty concentrating.

However, even in some of these cases, some mindfulnesspractice may be useful, always guided by qualified professionals, as part of holistic therapeutic work, and perhaps in a group setting, fostering connection between people. There are even programmes that have shown scientific success in these circumstances, such as MBSR (mindfulness-based stress reduction), MBCT (mindfulness-based cognitive therapy) and MSC (mindful self-compassion).

We should keep in mind that meditation is not a panacea! It is a practice that lets us deepen our understanding of ourselves and of reality, but it does not exclude the other dimensions of human experience.