Observation, Forgiveness & Perseverance in Meditation
“Arjuna said: O Madhusudana, the system of yoga which you have summarized appears impractical and unendurable to me, for the mind is restless and unsteady.
For the mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, O Krsna, and to subdue it is, it seems to me, more difficult than controlling the wind.” - The Bhagavad Gita, Ch. 6 Verses 33 & 34
Have you ever tried to calm the mind and go inward in a yoga class or while meditating? Calming the chatter of the mind is one of the most challenging acts that I attempt to do in my own practice. Some days I come to my mat, willing for a quiet inward focus on my moving meditation only to find that my mind is time traveling or creating never ending to do lists. Although this chattery mind we have can seem frustrating and defeating, maybe we just need to shift our perspectives a little bit to gain some control over it.
What if we viewed our wandering, loud minds as opportunities for growth? Shifting our perspective from “this mind is such a challenge to overcome- how will I ever successfully meditate on my true Self?” to “I see my mind is very active today. Let these thoughts come, and let these thoughts go” allows us to observe our thoughts in a non-judgmental manner.
If I become attached to what I believe are the results of my meditation then I will suffer and become unsatisfied with my work in that moment. My mind will end up wandering to even more far off places!
Lately I have been allowing thoughts to come and go, telling myself “I forgive you,” and allowing myself the space to move on so that I can go deeper into myself, to find the true connection of love to my Self and the Supreme Soul that lies far beyond the false ego driven by the material world.
This observation of the mind tells us where we are in that present moment in our minds and our physical bodies. Through observation we give ourselves permission and room to grow and therefore persevere onward in our journeys to calming the mind. If we become attached to how well or how poorly we believe we are meditating or practicing yoga asana we fall into an unhealthy pattern of thinking that is driven by the ego. So the path of meditation does not start with having a blank, zen mind, but it begins with recognizing and honoring the chatter so that we can persist.
So next time you try to meditate or are practicing a moving meditation simply shift your perspective of your mind. Observe your thoughts, let them go, and bring your awareness back to the breath. The inhales and exhales you take can act as an anchor for your mind — grounding you in the present moment and giving your mind something to come back to. Give yourself permission to observe, forgive, and persevere so that you can create a sense of expansiveness in your mind and heart in the present moment.
As Gandhi said, “Faith is not something to grasp, it is a state to grow into.”
Take care of this moment.
