The power of the meditation technique
The shamatha meditation technique is the simplest that I know of. We feel the breath, let the mind be just as it is. Whenever we get lost, we come back: gently, precisely, and without judgment.
What I’ve come to realize over the past fifteen years of doing this practice is that this technique trains us in two very specific ways:
First, it anchors us in the present moment. The breath – as with all sensations and sense perceptions – can only exist in the present. As we feel the breath, we are here, now. While we are present, we can also be aware of what is happening inside and around us. We continue to see, hear, feel, and think. There is no need to exclude any of that. As a result, we develop the capacity to stay present with ourselves through all manner of emotions, thoughts, states, pleasure, and pain. There is power in that.
Second, the technique trains us to recognize when we’ve gotten lost. By lost, I mean no longer present. When a thought or line of thought captures our attention and drags us away from the sensation of the breath, we are no longer here. This is not a problem, per se, unless we lose the ability to tell the difference between here and not here. The technique empowers us to notice when we’ve gotten lost – absorbed in thought, which is a fabrication, often devoid of any objective “truth” – so that we can come back to the present moment.
These two capacities have strong implications, both in terms of our relationship with food and body, and in the larger scheme of things. Knowing where you are gives you choices not available to you when lost in thought.
For a deeper understanding of the power of the meditation technique, join me on Wednesday, November 29th at 6pm ET for our Meditation 101 workshop. You’ll walk away with:
A clear understanding of what meditation is and how to become a real meditator
A portable nervous system regulator that is always available
The tools to create an at-home meditation practice
The ability to troubleshoot the most common posture issues
An understanding of what supports and strengthens your meditation practice
A framework for working with challenging aspects of your Intuitive Eating practice
A practical analogy for working with disordered thoughts and behaviors
A strategy for staying connected with your meditation practice when it feels hard
An opportunity to stay connected with a community of folks just like you!