by Jonathan Evatt

Created on: September 22, 2008

How does a beginner meditate?

I take the view that we are all beginners in meditation, every time we do it. Meditation brings a person into an awareness of here and now, and this state of mind is always new, fresh, and just beginning. Contained in this point is my first tip: Don't concern yourself with comparing, in a self-critical way, your own experience of meditation to that of other people, no matter how or what their experience may be. We're all beginners at this, and your experience is as valid as the next person's.

I've met many people who say they can't meditate, only to discover this is not true after I explain a few key points with them, just as I am explaining these points to you. I ask them what happens when they try to meditate. Typically they tell me that they can't stop their mind from thinking. This is the number one reason people tell me they can't meditate, tried meditating and gave up, or simply think meditation is impossible for them. So here is the second tip which I am sure, like these people, you'll be happy to hear. Meditation is not about stopping your mind from thinking. Whether you are thinking or not is quite irrelevant. In fact your thinking mind is a perfect foundation for developing a very deep meditation practice.

Let's explore what I mean by the notion that meditation is not about stopping your thoughts. Meditation is taking place whether thought is there or not. The key point of difference between meditation and ordinary waking consciousness is whether or not you are giving your attention to those thoughts or to your awareness of the thoughts. Let's see how this applies in a practical situation.

I sit down to meditate. I get my body comfortable. I may then focus my attention on the flow of breath for a while in order to calm my body and mind. Naturally thoughts arise. I may even get engaged in actively thinking about something. Then I realise "I am here to meditate, and I was busy thinking". In that moment I can ask myself, "who is aware that I was thinking just now?" There is no need to answer this question. Rather you simply feel into the question and the awareness that you were thinking.

Meditation is all about cultivating awareness. Awareness that I am thinking. Awareness that I am sitting. Awareness that I am breathing. Awareness that I am feeling something to do with my partner or my job or whatever. A key to cultivating awareness is to lovingly (as opposed to forcefully) disengage your mind from judging and engage it with

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