“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” – Carl Jung
Why meditate? The “why” behind meditation is paradoxical. There isn’t one. This is because meditation is synonymous with observation, and observation is goalless – only actions have goals. There are plenty of benefits, like a reduction in anxiety and stress, better sleep, and improved memory and self-awareness, but these are side effects of meditation. The ultimate purpose of meditation is authentic observation, helping us shine a light on the unconscious so it becomes conscious.
What is meditation? It is a practice that helps us observe the thing that does the observing, i.e., the mind. We don’t need to be seated cross-legged, garbed in colorful robes at a Tibetan monastery, nor do we need to visit a shaman or monk. Meditation is observation, and observation is something everyone does. The problem is we often immediately jump from observation to judgment, and judgment is a form of action. This next sentence is important! When we practice meditation, we expand the time between observation and judgment, and ultimately, we become the space between thoughts, detaching from judgment or action entirely. As we progress, we choose when it is best to act and when we simply ought to observe. No longer are we a slave to impulses and desires.
How to meditate? We have infinite meditative and mindfulness resources at our fingertips. We don’t need 99%. I will be annoying again: meditation equals observation, and we all know how to observe. Now that there is no forgetting this statement, there are only two pathways of observation: interoception and exteroception. Interoception deals with internal processes like thoughts, heartbeats, or muscle stiffness – the mind and body. Exteroception handles external stimuli, observed by the senses: sight, touch, taste, smell, and hearing. Individually, we likely have a preference toward interoception or exteroception. In my observation – no pun intended – artists or entrepreneurs lean interoceptive, whereas athletes favor exteroception. For example, I favor exteroception. As I write this, I am in a closed room with no auditory stimulus because random noises knock me out of writing flow. However, I know some entrepreneur types that have a remarkable stream of consciousness for idea generation, so much so that it proves counterproductive at times. They are “in their heads,” entirely interoceptive. It is beneficial to find the balance between these two pathways. Starting with the breath is an excellent introduction to meditation I recommend for 90% of beginners. This is because the breath is both an unconscious and conscious physiological process. When we connect with the breath, we build a bridge between the unconscious and conscious. But, because I lean toward exteroception, I may be biased here – focusing on the breath is interoceptive. For the 10% who don’t wish to focus on the breath, don’t. It is better to find balance. If we are more interoceptive, let’s try exteroceptive meditation, like taking a walk in nature and listening to birds. If we are exteroceptive dominant, how about focusing on the breath or doing body scans. Do what best helps us create and sustain the practice.
One more time: meditation equals observation, so just observe. No judgment. We can start simply by focusing on the breath or choose to observe through exteroception or interoception. Through continued practice, the unconscious becomes conscious, creating space between thoughts.
