Meditation doesn’t work. At least it doesn’t work if you imagine it as some sort of magic that will change your life and unaccountably transform you into some new person –unrecognizable to yourself.
Meditation does work if you’re prepared to work. The work in question does not necessarily need to be hard or painful. Who said “no pain, no gain”? Probably someone whose life wasn’t going too well!
Every kind of work, learning, and personal change, goes better when it’s fun, when you’re engaged, when you have internal congruence; rather than when you’re merely serious. Take a look at professional sportsmen, musicians, entrepreneurs. They’re thorough rather than serious, they have lots of energy, and they have fun. Think of meditation as something that can benefit from the same approach – be thorough, energetic, and have fun!
It’s sad that sometimes people dislike living in their own company so much that they come to meditation as way to get away from themselves. It’s not the best approach. It’s better to be playful. Life was given to you for free, unexpectedly, and it’s a gift. Let whatever work you do, including meditation, be playful, thorough, and fun.
Thoroughness includes being consistent, curious, focused, and having a clear intention. And playfulness is a perfect vehicle and the perfect compliment for such qualities as those.
And of course, it’s always a good idea to get instruction from a competent teacher.
Meditation doesn’t work. At least it doesn’t work if you imagine it’s some sort of magic that will change your life so that you transform into some new person –unrecognizable to yourself.
Meditation does work if you’re prepared to do some actual work. The work in question does not necessarily need to be hard or painful. Who said “no pain, no gain”? Probably someone whose life wasn’t going too well!
In fact, any sort of work goes a whole lot better if it’s fun – which is to say. it’s better for you to be thorough with your meditation, than to just take it seriously, and imagine that you’re now doing something very important that will change your life. Instead, relax!
I’m amazed at how sometimes people dislike living in their own company so much that they go looking for some magic solution that will make them instantly someone else. They then fall pray to false promises, cults, and teachers who would prefer them to keep coming back and not getting it.
Instead, relax!
Approach meditation with a sense of playfulness. Ask yourself what’s actually going on, and have a clear intention about what it is you’d like to accomplish, focus, and of course it’s always a good idea to get instruction from a competent teacher.