Debunking the Myths: What is (not) Meditation?
Meditation is an ancient practice, steeped in mystery and often misunderstood. With its growing popularity, misconceptions about what meditation is and what it can do have proliferated. Many people, especially beginners, approach meditation with skewed expectations or are deterred by incorrect assumptions. In this blog, I’ll try to dispel these myths and offer a clearer, more nuanced understanding of what meditation truly is from a Vedantan’s perspective.
Meditation: More Than Just Quieting the Mind
When we ask, “What is meditation?” it’s akin to asking, “What is science?” or “What is music?” Such vast and deep subjects cannot be adequately captured in a few simple words. Meditation is not merely a mental discipline or a practice designed to quiet the mind. While calming the mind can be a byproduct of meditation, the practice itself encompasses far more.
Meditation is a profound spiritual inquiry that turns your attention inward, helping you discover hidden truths about your true nature. It’s a contemplative art that allows you to explore the intricate inner realities of your mind, much like a painter working on a canvas. But perhaps most importantly, meditation is a journey—a path of sacred wisdom and spiritual growth that can lead you towards enlightenment.
Describing meditation in these terms, however, is like trying to describe the flavor of a juicy peach. Words are no substitute for direct experience. Yet, words are not without their value. They can guide you, helping you choose the ripest fruit from a bushel, or in the case of meditation, the techniques best suited to your personal needs and temperament.
Misconception #1: Meditation is About Emptying the Mind
A common myth is that meditation involves making the mind silent or blank. Many people believe that successful meditation means achieving a state of no thoughts. While certain advanced practices may aim for profound mental stillness, most meditation techniques involve active engagement of the mind.
In mantra meditation, for instance, you focus on the repetition of a word or phrase, which requires mental concentration. In mindfulness meditation, you observe your thoughts and sensations without judgment, allowing them to pass through your awareness. Both of these practices require the mind to be active, not empty. The goal is not to silence the mind, but to guide its focus, cultivating awareness and presence.
Misconception #2: Meditation is a Blissful Escape
Another widespread misconception is that meditation is primarily about experiencing bliss or ecstasy. While meditation can indeed bring moments of deep peace and joy, these feelings are often transient. Once you open your eyes or return to daily life, the bliss may dissipate.
However, meditation offers far more than temporary euphoria. It’s a tool for cultivating long-lasting mental and emotional resilience. It helps you develop a deeper understanding of yourself, your mind, and your emotions. Meditation can lead to greater self-awareness, improved focus, and an enhanced capacity for empathy and compassion. The benefits extend well beyond the fleeting moments of bliss that can occur during meditation.
Misconception #3: Meditation Leads to Superconscious States
Meditation is sometimes described in grandiose terms as a gateway to supreme, ecstatic, or transcendent states of consciousness. While these descriptions can make meditation seem exotic and intriguing, they can also be misleading. Such language often serves to mystify meditation, making it seem inaccessible or overly complex.
In reality, meditation is a practical and accessible tool for everyone. It is not about reaching some otherworldly state, but about grounding yourself in the present moment and gaining clarity about your everyday experiences. Meditation helps you navigate life’s ups and downs with greater ease, offering a practical path to self-discovery and personal growth.
Misconception #4: Meditation is an Escape from Life’s Problems
Some believe that meditation is a way to escape from life’s problems, to retreat from the stresses and challenges of the world. They assume that meditation allows them to temporarily avoid dealing with issues related to work, family, or finances. Meditation is not about escaping reality but about equipping yourself to face it more effectively. While meditation does offer a temporary retreat from external pressures, this retreat serves to recharge and rejuvenate you. Just as sleep revitalizes the body, meditation revitalizes the mind and spirit, preparing you to meet life’s challenges with renewed energy and insight.
After a meditation session, your external problems may still be there, but your ability to handle them will likely be enhanced. Meditation helps you cultivate a calm, centered mind, enabling you to approach problems with clarity and composure.
Misconception #5: Meditation is a Selfish or Self-Centered Practice
Another misconception is that meditation is a selfish or self-centered pursuit. People might assume that someone who sits alone, eyes closed in meditation, is focused solely on their own experience, disconnected from the world. In reality, meditation enhances your capacity to connect with others. It’s a fact of life that you can only give to others what you possess yourself. Just as you must first acquire money before you can share it, you must first cultivate inner peace, love, and joy before you can offer these to others.
Meditation helps you cultivate these positive qualities within yourself, which you can then share with those around you. After meditating, you may find yourself more patient, compassionate, and understanding—qualities that enrich your relationships and benefit those you interact with. On the flip side, negative emotions like anger and stress can also be shared with others, often unintentionally. Meditation helps you manage and release these negative emotions, enabling you to bring the best version of yourself to your interactions with others.
Meditation: A Tool for Personal Growth and Well-being
Meditation is a versatile practice that can be adapted to individual needs, taking into account one’s current state of interoception (internal awareness) and exteroception (external awareness). Research has shown that meditation can lead to lasting changes in the brain and body, enhancing sleep, focus, mood, and reducing inflammatory cytokines. It has also been shown to improve outcomes in conditions such as cancer, reduce pain, and alleviate symptoms of ADHD.
For example, if someone is naturally more aware of their internal sensations, it might be beneficial for them to practice an exteroceptive meditation to balance their awareness and build up the circuitry for external focus. Conversely, if someone is more attuned to external stimuli, they might benefit from an interoceptive meditation to enhance their internal awareness. This personalized approach is one reason why meditation should be tailored to the individual rather than taught in a one-size-fits-all format.
Meditation is a powerful tool not only for focusing the mind and expanding consciousness but also for finding purpose in life. By dissolving the “myth” we live in, meditation can lead to a greater sense of freedom and psychological relief. It can also help individuals reconnect with childhood impulses and interests, guiding them towards their unique life tasks and passions. This sense of purpose provides direction and focus, enabling deeper engagement with life and greater fulfillment.
Consistency: The Key to Reaping Meditation’s Benefits
While the type of meditation you practice is important, consistency is the key to unlocking the full benefits of meditation. Regular practice is essential for cultivating the mental and emotional resilience that meditation offers. Like any skill, meditation requires time and dedication to develop.
In summary, meditation is not about emptying the mind, chasing bliss, or escaping reality. It’s a practical, accessible tool for personal growth, well-being, and self-discovery. By dispelling these common misconceptions, we can better appreciate the true value of meditation and integrate it into our lives in a meaningful way. Meditation helps us to reconnect with ourselves, balance our internal and external awareness, and ultimately share the peace and joy we cultivate with the world around us.