If you’re new to the practice, it won’t take you very long to discover the hard truth about mindfulness and meditation.
Mindfulness is a very popular practice these days. It gets a load of press and celebrity endorsement. There are a dizzying array of apps, books, podcasts and retreats on offer. And there’s a mounting body of evidence to support the benefits of mindfulness practice.
More and more people are drawn to it as a way to improve their minds, bodies and overall health – some with the idea that it’s a cure-all to the modern human condition.
There’s no doubt that mindfulness is an incredibly powerful practice that can change your life in many ways but it’s not all cushions, candles and enlightenment.
The hard truth about mindfulness and meditation is that it’s a difficult practice that takes time and patience to master. The idea might be simple but the mindfulness journey is far from an easy one.
Here are some of the lessons that you’ll learn along the way:
Mindfulness is hard – When you sit down to meditate your mind and body don’t always comply. You can get distracted, frustrated, restless and feel like you’re wasting your time just sitting there. You’ll want to get up and do something else. Yet these are the very reasons why you should meditate.
Mindfulness is uncomfortable – Unless you’ve cultivated the focus and patience of a Tibetan monk, meditation can be boring at times. Your mind will wander and you’ll think of one hundred things you could be doing instead. Your legs and knees will ache from sitting. You’ll get an itch that you really need to scratch. Being aware of these sensations and not acting on them requires a great deal of discipline.
Mindfulness needs practice – Mindfulness is a skill and, like any other skill, it requires a great deal of repetition. All the benefits: the focus, the awareness, the clarity, the patience, and the compassion accrue over many days and many months of practice. Some techniques like Body Scan can deliver an immediate effect, but the real change takes time.
The experience may be painful – Some of us have a complicated relationship with ourselves and have a lot of personal issues that lurk beneath the surface. Things we’ve been sweeping under the carpet and ignoring for years. When you meditate and allow these things to surface it can be quite a difficult experience. Tears and emotional pain are not uncommon but important parts of healing.
You will fall off from time to time – Life has a way of upending our best intentions. You might have a nice, consistent practice then something happens and ruins it completely. There will be times when you are in the flow and times when you are not. That’s just part of the journey. As long as you keep returning to your practice the same way you keep returning to your breath during meditation, you will be ok.
You must be your own guru – The majority of mindfulness authors and instructors have great intentions. They are passionate about the subject and genuinely concerned about your wellbeing. There are a few, however, who take advantage of the vulnerable and will say whatever you need to hear if it will make them a fast buck. You need to guide yourself, be your own guru and be wary of anyone who promises you the moon.
It’s one part of a wider lifestyle shift – Mindfulness has the power to change your life in many ways. It will enhance your focus, awareness and compassion, but it’s just one part of the human puzzle. Mindfulness should be combined with diet, exercise, bodywork and other supporting practices to really enhance your life and optimise your health.
The story of Ten Bulls cleverly illustrates the truth about mindfulness. There are many steps that one must take in order to attain enlightenment. We must endure the search and the struggle before we get to the realisation.
The sad part is, many of us get frustrated and give up before we get that far.
If you find that meditation and mindfulness are more difficult than you imagined then you’re not alone. Keep practicing the principles we outline in these pages and don’t be scared to attend a class or hire a coach if you need that extra guidance and support.