I often hear people explain how they meditate “in their own way” and it’s interesting. If they really knew what meditation was, they’d never compare it to taking a long walk in the woods or listening to music. Meditation takes you out of space and time into a realm beyond the senses where you can really gain clarity. That’s true meditation, and the experience can’t be reproduced in any way other than to sit still, close your eyes, and go within. Spiritual meditation experiences blow your mind.
Sooner or later, as you practice meditation more and more, you will find a really still and blissful inner world that you never knew about because you have always been so focused on the outside world.
Just like how most people have never experienced real love, if you’ve never touched that deep stillness, you simply cannot fathom it. In true meditation, there’s something sacred and spiritual that cannot be reproduced by any stand-in practice. Anything you’re doing that still uses the senses is only inviting distractions into your experience, therefore you will never get to a state of real meditation.
What’s in the Stillness?
In a state of meditation, when you’ve slipped into that “other place”, you find deep stillness. It comes with a sense of bliss. It takes you beyond this time and space, beyond this manifestation, to a place that is expansive.
The worries you had a few minutes before seem very small when you reach this level of consciousness. From your financial troubles down to what you are going to make for dinner, none of it seems urgent or even relevant in that place. So, it releases you from stress for a little while so that you can think clearly.
There are endless possibilities there. You may find clarity there.
The clarity you gain there can help guide you through the rest of the day and reduce anxiety. It can also remind you who you truly are — a soul having a human experience — and connect you to a higher realm of existence. You remember your true purpose in this still place, so you can start living more authentically.
Meditation vs. Meditative
I like to differentiate between meditation and meditative states. When you go for a long walk and fall into a kind of rhythm where you find clarity in movement, this is a meditative state. The same applies to reading a book for a long period, sitting in a silent room, or gardening. These should not be confused with meditation.
When you are distracted from your problems by an activity, however therapeutic, you are never actually allowing yourself to look within. Only when we remove the pollution of the five senses in our minds can we really reach a state of meditation.
By removing the input from the five senses as best we can (sitting in silence, closing our eyes, and removing distractions of touch and temperature) we can really experience what’s inside us. This is how we begin to heal trauma.
For a lot of people, looking within is too scary, so they choose to pursue meditative activities instead of true meditation. Why is it scary? Because there may be a lot of uncomfortable truths lurking in the darkness of our shadows. Healing is very painful sometimes, especially when you have to face those truths. But in my opinion, meditation is the only way to really achieve this kind of deep healing.
Take a Meditation Class
Consider enrolling in a meditation course today! I teach meditation classes often. It fills my heart to be able to pass on the wisdom of this practice that is as old as humanity itself. Have a look at my list of online classes today.
Hi, I’m Emily. In addition to writing, I also teach meditation, read tarot, create podcasts, and I’m a spiritual coach. If this writing helps you, you’re always welcome to buy me a coffee.
