~I invite you to listen to the audio version shared above, where a guided meditation is provided that follows what is shared below in the text.

It takes real courage to sit with the mind. 

Meditation can sometimes be tossed about as a task to check off our to-do list, but when we understand the real purpose of meditating, it’s similar to going to the gym for the mind. When we start a new workout, we may be excited and even overeager, to the point that we pull or tear a muscle by lifting too much weight or lifting it the wrong way. This pain may make us hesitant to continue. However, when we have an understanding of why we’re lifting weights and a realistic time frame to notice beneficial outcomes that may have enticed us to start the lifting, we are reminded to take it day by day.

Meditating daily, even for as little as one minute, strengthens our ability to see clearly – first ourselves, including our thoughts and feelings, and then others and the world as well. 

By choosing to sit with the mind, we are befriending it, even if, at times, it can be painful to see our thoughts race by. Meditation gives us the ability to observe them without engaging, without judging them. It is understandable why we may have chosen distraction for so long in our lives up until the moment we begin to meditate, because distraction allowed us to avoid any potential anguish or discomfort. But the truth we discover is that in order to heal, in order to see clearly what will truly fulfill us, we have to understand why those momentary thoughts are painful to us. Once we understand, we gain clarity and begin to make different decisions. 

But hold up! We’re not analyzing or making any decisions right now. Right now, we’re going to meditate. Which means we are going to sit with the mind. If any thoughts arise, we witness them, but don’t explore them, and then return to focusing on our breathing. 

Let’s begin . . .

~To conclude each meditation session, I encourage you to recite a mantra of your choosing and design. In the Contentment Masterclass, I share my example, which you are welcome to use, tweak, or look to as a template to design your own. Also provided to enrollees of the course is a free trial of the guided meditation app I use.

~Learn more about TSLL’s Contentment Masterclass: Discover the benefits of Meditation, which is included in the detailed syllabus shared here, watch the trailer, and read student reviews.

~Comments will be turned off for Meditation posts as you cultivate a practice guided by what you need and your journey to cultivating inner peace and aligning with your true self.