Meditation: Nothing to Gain, Everything to Lose

What do we gain from meditation?

Having meditated on and off for over 20 years, I don’t tend to think of it in terms of what I’ve gained. Instead, I think of it in terms of what I’ve let go of.

I’ve let go of the fear of the unknown, the weight of insecurity, and the need for approval from others. I’ve released anxiety, anger, and depression.

But perhaps most importantly, I’ve shed the constant shadow that followed me for much of my life – the fear that I’m not enough.

That’s not to say I never experience anxious moments, I still do. But, rather than saying “I have anxiety,” I simply acknowledge that there are times I feel anxious, and that’s okay.

The difference now is that I don’t let those moments dictate my next move. By choosing not to label them, I take away their power.

Don’t get me wrong. I have not totally let go of the above mentioned, I’m human. There are moments that insecurity tries to sneak its way in, or the need for approval rears its ugly head. The difference is, I’m aware of what’s happening, and I observe these thoughts rather than becoming them. That’s what meditation has taught me, to notice thoughts without reacting to them. You begin to see that a thought is just a thought, not a fact, not a command, and not something that has to control me.

You may be asking what happens during meditation that allows you to release these fears and emotions? I can only talk about my own experience and what happens for me. As my meditation practice evolved, I started to begin to observe my thoughts and emotions without reacting to them. This repeated observation helped me to realize that emotions are temporary - they rise, peak, and pass. I started to witness them instead of becoming them. Once I became aware of this, it created distance between me and the emotion, which made it easier to let go.

Let me tell you, it hasn’t been easy learning to sit with uncomfortable emotions instead of pushing them away or holding onto them. But I’ve come to believe that by allowing myself to fully feel them and just be with them, their grip starts to loosen.

When the mind stops fueling the emotions with thoughts, it begins to fade on its own.

At least that’s been my experience.

Doing the inner work is difficult, but I can assure you, what waits on the other side is worth every step. Sweet, liberating freedom!

In short, meditation doesn’t supress emotions, it creates the space to see them clearly, feel them fully, and release them freely, through my experience.

Until next time….