Meditation, “I thought meditation was nonsense, until it changed my life.”

One of the greatest gifts you can give yourself is meditation. Its power is incredible: it relieves stress, improves focus, lowers the heart rate, enhances creativity, increases self-awareness, and reduces negative emotions. These are just a few of the many benefits, and new ones are still being discovered.

Meditation comes in many forms and traditions; truly, it’s for everyone. How do I know? I’m living proof.

My personal journey with meditation began in early 2024. Up until then, I thought meditation was nonsense, an outdated practice only relevant to monks or people who didn’t have real work to do. But I couldn’t have been more wrong.

My interest in meditation was sparked by reading The Direct Way by Adyashanti. At the time, I was searching for deeper meaning in life, and this book caught my attention. It became my gateway into a more spiritual path. The book focuses on awakening and includes various meditative exercises.

After my first real experience with meditation, I was hooked. I began exploring different techniques and spiritual traditions. As the Dalai Lama once said, “Religion is like medicine, one doesn’t suit all.” So I explored. I tried everything from visualization meditation and chakra meditation to walking meditation and yoga (which, I’ll admit, I once thought was just a trendy workout for Westerners borrowing from Eastern culture).

“My first meditation was a mess—racing thoughts and restlessness.”

Through this experimentation, my experience changed. My first session was a classic case of “monkey mind”, racing thoughts, restlessness, no peace. But over time, I found more stillness. My mental stamina improved. And I discovered that different meditation styles worked better for different situations.

Sometimes, it’s the small adjustments that make a big difference. For a while, I struggled just to begin meditating. I’d sit down and tell myself, “Now, meditate.” But I was too wound up. It wasn’t until I started taking a moment to unwind first, just a minute to sit, breathe, look around that it became easier. Meditation shouldn’t feel like another race to run. It should free you from the constant rush of everyday life.

What matters most in your practice is that you take it lightly. Be creative. Experiment. You’re probably not going to become an enlightened Brahmin after your first session, and that’s not even the goal.

The goal isn’t enlightenment. The goal is space, between you, your body, and your mind.

The goal is to create space, space between you, your body, and your mind.

Have you tried meditation? What was your first experience like?