Wekelijkse meditatie 1: Weerstand onder ogen zien

Haal me hier weg. Ik herinner me nog goed het gevoel van lichte paniek dat me overviel op de eerste avond van mijn yogadocentenopleiding toen we - zonder veel voorbereiding - de opdracht kregen om dertig minuten te mediteren. Dertig. Minuten. Zomaar. Mijn gedachten gingen tekeer. Hoe zou ik daar dertig ondraaglijke minuten kunnen zitten zonder te bewegen? Waar zou ik aan moeten denken? Hoe zou ik de verveling aankunnen? Ik zou me een weg naar buiten hebben gewurmd als er geen vijftig andere studenten om me heen hadden gezeten. Het is verbazingwekkend wat je kunt verdragen met een beetje groepsdruk.

Voordat ik aan de opleiding begon, zouden weinig mensen die mij het beste kenden mijn brein als 'zen' omschrijven. Ik kwam naar de docentenopleiding met een lichaam dat klaar was voor yoga, maar niet met een geest die klaar was voor stilte. In het begin zag ik op tegen de dagelijkse sessies (twee keer per dag, 30-45 minuten elk), maar al snel veranderde dat in intimidatie en daarna uitdaging. Ik wist nooit precies hoe het zou gaan elke keer als ik ging zitten. Maar het belangrijkste was dat ik het probeerde. Elke dag, twee keer per dag, een maand lang, probeerde ik het.

Meditation, as it turns out, is about persistence. A little effort turned into a deeply rewarding practice: I learned that obstacles are part of the experience, that there is no way of doing it wrong, that stillness is the opposite of boredom and most of all, I felt like I finally had a handle on my mental chaos. When it comes to the rewards of meditation however, you don’t have to take my word for it. From the ancient Buddhists to the new-age spiritualists, from pop-psychology to managerial sciences – meditation and mindfulness are heralded as the golden key to well-being. The benefits of meditation are no secret.

There is an abundance of research on the mental, emotional and even physical benefits of regular meditation. The real impact however, is better understood through experience – there is something mysterious and powerful that happens when you take a few moments to become rooted firmly in the present. So why not just meditate? In theory, meditation can seem quite simple. Sit. Breathe. Be. In practice, however it can be anything but. Busy schedules, anxiety and a racing mind can make the idea of sitting still impossible. Despite the infinite techniques and philosophies at our fingertips, I’ve encountered many friends that have felt overwhelmed by it all, and needed a little help to get started. Starting any practice begins with taking a few thoughtful, small steps and this series is designed help take a few towards the habits of a regular meditation practice.  

WEEK 1: WEERSTAND OVERWINNEN

Despite being dedicated to yoga for over a decade, there are moments (months even) when my mat is the last place in the world I want to be. Sometimes we find ourselves mentally, physically or emotionally resisting the things that make us feel the best. This is the complicated part of life-long practices. The force of resistance that seems to come from within is daunting and it can be tempting not to face it head on. But in reality, it isn’t a static thing – it is fleeting thing that wanes if view it as something surmountable. We have to think of resistance as a muscle. When we choose not to face it – even in seemingly small or insignificant ways – it gets stronger. The key is to make a small effort – any effort — to keep it in check. When I can’t see myself doing a whole yoga class, I commit to even just 5 minutes of deep stretching. Getting started is often all you need to confront your resistance. This week’s meditation goal is to play with our power to overcome resistance, to flex a mental muscle and to see if you can create a bit of space to seed a new habit.

This week, all you need to to is find five minutes a day to sit in stillness and breathe deeply. The easiest way to do this is at the same time each day. You don’t have to worry about how you’re sitting or where you are. Just set a timer, close your eyes and breath. If five minutes seems impossible, do three. If three seems too daunting, do one. Whatever you choose, commit to it. Let us know how you’re doing, and don’t forget to come back next week for another small step to building a great meditation practice.