How to Meditate

Subject: How to Meditate Well: My Personal Guide

Hey

Meditation is often seen as a simple practice, but in reality, it requires mental discipline and patience. Let me share with you how I approach meditation.

When you sit down to meditate, you might start by focusing on your breath—inhaling and exhaling. But then, a thought pops into your mind. Instead of staying with your breath, you might start expanding on that thought: "What should I eat today?" or "Did I forget to call someone?" Suddenly, your mind is everywhere but the present.

When this happens, here’s what I do:

1. Don't Feel Bad About It: First, don’t beat yourself up for getting distracted. It’s completely natural. The idea that you should never think during meditation is a myth. Thoughts are like clouds—they come and go. You can’t stop them, but you can choose how you react to them.

2. Return to Your Breath: After noticing a thought, gently bring your focus back to your breathing. It only takes a few seconds to regain your focus, but it’s key to strengthening your meditation practice.

3. Acknowledge the Thought: Give that thought an emotion or a label—was it positive, negative, or neutral? By observing your thoughts without judgment, you gain more control over your mind. For me, most of my thoughts are productive or related to my work, like ideas for YouTube shorts. But occasionally, I get negative or distracting thoughts, and that’s okay too.

Meditation isn’t about achieving a blank mind; it’s about training yourself to return to the present moment, no matter how many times you get distracted. Remember, you’re not going to meditate like a monk on your first try—or even your hundredth. It takes time, practice, and patience.

There was a study that found experienced meditators weren’t free of thoughts; they just resumed their focus on breathing faster than non-meditators. So, the goal isn’t to stop thinking but to get better at coming back to your breath.

I hope this newsletter helps you in your meditation practice. Stay patient with yourself, and remember, meditation is a journey, not a destination. If you have any questions or thoughts, hit reply and share them with me. I’d love to hear from you.

Stay hard,

Viraj Tapase