Meditation can be dull, dry, boring and frustrating. It can be unpleasant and uncomfortable to sit with our emotions and thoughts. So why would anyone even want to try?
Many people meditate because they want to be happy, to have less suffering, to weather the ups and downs of life, and to feel more connected to themselves and others.
Meditation isn't a magic pill.
It won't make you blissed out or stress-free, although sometimes you will feel this way. Other times you might feel annoyed or irritated, frustrated or bored.
Whatever you’re feeling is just fine.
Meditation helps us tune into whatever is happening in our minds and bodies at the present moment. Meditation helps us get to know ourselves, our minds, and all our glorious, messy patterns. We start to see how we react when we're stressed or angry or upset or happy or annoyed. We start to notice our habitual patterns.
When we get to know our minds well, we can create some space and begin to experiment with different responses, ones that might better support and nurture us.
Ultimately this is a question to explore through your own practice. Try it and see how it goes for you. You don’t need to go it alone, either. Reach out to meditation teachers with any questions - you can use this form to reach out to a teacher on campus.
Secular meditation draws on the wisdom traditions of the past but doesn't require practitioners to subscribe to any particular religion. Secular meditation might include elements from Buddhism, psychology, and modern wellness, but avoids religious or specialist language. Secular meditation distills the essential teachings from these traditions, making them accessible to us today.
For a more in-depth discussion about what secular meditation is, including a list of great books and apps, try this article by Jonathan Carson.
This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
