Meditation, Mindfulness, and Letting Go: What Do They Mean?
Meditation, Mindfulness, and Letting Go: What Do They
Mean?
Charles Day
Meditation and mindfulness have become buzz words in mainstream culture as profound practices that accelerate psychological and spiritual growth. But what exactly do they mean and how do they accomplish this? Following are my thoughts as a retired psychologist who has been meditating for over 45 years in the US, India, and Thailand.*
What is mindfulness? It is intentionally giving full attention to present moment experience, to experiencing the continuously changing now moment-by-moment. While this may sound simple, it is quite difficult to remain mindful of only one intended object or subject for very long, simply because the mind so readily reacts to and is distracted by the multitude of ever-changing external and internal stimuli: sights, sounds, smells, tastes, tactile touch and temperature, and the mental thoughts, feelings, and images triggered by previous experiences.
What is meditation? While there are many types of meditation, what I call basic meditation - one that minimizes rather than utilizes cognitive processes - is a fundamental practice that cultivates the skill and trains the mind to be more relaxed and mindful and, perhaps most importantly, to recognize and let go of the distractions and conditioned response patterns that impede the ability to sustain mindfulness and remain calm and relaxed. To repeat: Meditation trains the mind to sustain mindfulness and equanimity by learning to recognize and let go of distractions.
The ability of recognize and let
go of unwanted, negative, and harmful thoughts and feelings before reacting to
them enables the individual in daily life to intentionally and spontaneously
think, speak, and act in wiser, more comfortable, efficient, effective, peaceful,
and compassionate ways.
Practicing mindfulness several
times daily by returning the attention to the now facilitates learning to stay
present, but it is the disciplined and regular practice of basic meditation
that leads to an individual's increased ability to experience clarity of
thinking, lovingkindness, compassion for oneself and others, happiness in the
success and good fortune of others, equanimity, and a generalized enjoyment of
life. And many meditators report having spiritual experiences and realizations
of what is called unity consciousness, enlightenment, or union with God.
Meditation practice for
laypersons is not so much about learning to "concentrate" or to attain
the rarified states of higher consciousness that were historically sought by
monks who led lives of quiet simplicity in secluded monastic settings. The daily
lives of ordinary folks are filled with multiple activities and
responsibilities, epitomized by the contemporary phrase
"multi-tasking."
As a result, while laypersons
may experience periods of concentration and bliss, meditation for most is a
practice that trains the everyday active mind to simply stay more relaxed,
mindful, and compassionate and to let go of the distractions that interfere
with attending to an intended object or subject. Many individuals experience
these positive benefits even more profoundly in their relationships and daily
lives than in the meditation sessions themselves.
How are these benefits accomplished?
How to meditate: More than 60 years of
scientific research shows that the basic meditation practices which produce
these results share two common instructions: First, the meditator is told to focus
for as long as possible on the breath or other simple object, such as experiencing
body sensations, mentally repeating a mantra (a word or phrase), listening to a
repetitive sound, or visualizing an internal or external object.
Second, the meditator is told
to return the attention to the breath or chosen object every time one becomes
aware/mindful it has wandered to or been distracted by a sound, other sensation,
daydreaming, drowsiness, and by thoughts, feelings, and images that arise in
consciousness. It is in returning the attention to the breath that the mind is
being trained/retrained to recognize and let go of thoughts and feelings rather
than automatically and habitually reacting to them as a result of previous
learning and conditioning.
In sitting meditation, it is also
recommended that one sit in a comfortable and stable position to minimize
physical stress and movement, and close the eyes or look at a spot on the floor
or other neutral object to minimize visual distractions. Observing the breath
can also be done while walking, standing in line, or waiting for an
appointment. Lying down while meditating is generally discouraged because it is
associated with falling asleep.
Scientific studies counter
the common complaint that "I can't meditate because I can't concentrate on
the breath for more than a few seconds." It is the learning to let go of
distractions that enhances the ability to sustain focusing, attending,
concentrating, and mindfulness, and having to return often to the breath
reinforces this ability. Countering another frequent objection to meditating -
namely, "I'm too busy, don't have time, and have too many other
priorities" - is the research showing that meditators perform tasks more
efficiently and effectively with time left over to do even more when compared
with non-meditators with similar responsibilities, jobs, parenting, and other
activities.
Studies also show that when
meditators subjectively report that they are unable to relax or experience any
benefit, physiological measures of their brain patterns, heart rates, and skin
temperatures indicate they are, in fact, relaxing. And other studies show that the
various benefits of meditation are cumulative and correlated with the length and
regularity of practice.
Meditation sessions are
experienced differently. Some are experienced with calmness, joy, and little or
no thinking, and others are filled with restlessness, drowsiness, and agitated
thinking. Because of this subjective variation within and between sessions and the
objective research demonstrating positive results regardless of specific
experiences, meditators are encouraged to avoid having any expectations or making
judgments about what they experience.
All meditations are equally
beneficial so long as one intentionally follows the instructions to focus and refocus
on the breath or other chosen object each and every time the mind wanders, no
matter how often it strays or how long it stays away before noticing it is not
on the breath. This noticing is a moment of mindful awareness that the mind has
wandered and is no long engaged in the intended task of following the breath. Worth
repeating: Having to return frequently to the breath reinforces the skill of
learning to let go of distractions and is thus a benefit, not an impediment, to
meditation and the ability to sustain mindfulness.
It is recommended that
beginners meditate for as many minutes as they choose or have time to meditate
- 10 to 20 minutes or even just one or two minutes daily, or whenever they feel
like meditating. And, if desired, work
up to 30 or more minutes once or twice daily as a regular practice.
Decide before each session
how long it will be and commit to meditating that long in order to avoid
reacting to distracting thoughts that temp one to end a session before the
allotted time or doubt the value of a specific meditation or meditation in
general. And continue with one technique rather than switching to another to
avoid reacting to the mind's incessant quest for immediate gratification. Try
another method only if you would otherwise quit meditating altogether. Remember,
meditation is about learning to control the mind rather than being controlled
by it.
Some individuals enjoy
meditating with groups and studying with experienced and trusted teachers, but
everyone is capable of learning and practicing mindfulness and meditation alone.
So, alone or with others and regularly or irregularly, while it may sometimes seem
counter intuitive, don't just do something, sit there.
For more information, email charlesday1@mchsi.com, call (515-255-8398),
check out www.DesMoinesMeditation.org,
and attend a 7:30 pm Tuesday meditation at the Friends Meeting House at 4211
Grand Ave. in Des Moines.
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*Charlie began meditating in California
in the mid-60s with Hindu, Buddhist, and Sufi spiritual teachers who came from
the East to introduce meditation to the West. He has also studied with Western
teachers, many of whom returned here after studying in Asian ashrams,
monasteries, and retreat centers. And while working as a psychologist in India
and Thailand in the late-80s, he participated in several intensive 10-day
retreats with Buddhist masters.