It was comforting to find Ellen
DeGeneres’ words. I thought I was the
only one with this reaction. When I talk
about meditation I feel lacking because I’m not sure what it is or if I’ve
tried it. In the harshest terms it
seems as if it a fancy name for an inactivity an uncreative mind invented to be
lazy and not feel guilty about it.
Maybe that’s a tad too harsh.
Proponents of meditation cite scientific studies
purporting to prove the health benefits of meditation. When I ask about the “control group”, often
I’m met with a blank stare. I explain,
“Did they compare the findings from the meditating group with a group who
merely rested, thought vigorously, and didn’t meditate?” My implication is that, of course, rest is
the most likely contributor to the increased health. I thereby become part of a conspiracy to debunk meditation. Why a group would want to do that, I’m not
sure.
I hate to be bored.
Being bored is a waste of your mind and of time. A problem I have with walking (for the
incognoscenti, a mild form of exercise involving leg motion, which nevertheless
makes you feel old) is that I get bored.
How much thought can you give to the sights you see – especially the
third or fourth time you encounter them?
I think it’s impossible to meditate and not be colossally bored.
But there are people who proclaim meditation as the
answer to all of their personal problems and have made an academic study of
different forms, different mantras, and different techniques. It must be easier for some people to lose
their minds.
©2014 Lester C. Welch
I've never understood the fascination with meditation. I've tried it, but not for long because it drives me crazy to be that still! And bored! I put it in the same category as yoga. (No offense to those who may be reading this and really enjoy meditation or yoga!) It's just not for me.
ReplyDeleteI've tried but never had any success with the Zen-style, clear your mind meditation - I have no luck controlling "busy brain" and my mind inevitably wanders. What I have found useful (and I'll accept debate here if this fits the term 'meditation') is a period of introspection characterized by focus and calm. In other words, intentionally choosing something to consider and maintaining a distance of emotion. Useful to consider, for example, events from the prior day that made me anxious or uncomfortable, and understanding why that was or how to proceed. Works when walking by the way.
ReplyDeleteI think of yoga as a physical meditation - i.e., your mind is still on autopilot. I also find myself unable to separate the benefits of meditation from the placebo effect - if you think it is good for you, it will be. But,...there are those...
ReplyDeleteFinding the balance between a nearly comatose state and an overly chatty mind is a daily challenge. As Theodore Roethke once said, "A mind too active is no mind at all." So, which is worse, feeling like you are bored and wasting time or letting your mind run wild? Depending on the day, I might choose either one. I do find quiet time, in some pleasing form (other than sleep) to be rejuvenating.
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