Think Big

And a story about a whale.

Hello there. I’m so glad you’re here.

One thing I know for sure is that we don’t know what’s coming next. We may think we have a pretty good idea, but life is full of surprises. Having a consistent meditation practice helps us navigate the twists and turns.

The goal of meditation is not to become a better meditator; rather, it’s a powerful way to take better care of yourself. How? When you meditate consistently, you will cultivate awareness. Awareness is big—bigger than your thoughts, bigger than the twists and turns.

Awareness is paying attention, moment-to-moment, to your total experience — your thoughts, emotions, sensations, body, environment, and patterns. When you are aware of your habits, that you tend toward an anxious mind say, you will be better prepared to protect yourself when a trigger appears. When you learn to become aware of tension creeping into your body, you can switch what you are doing to move away from it. You can avoid getting distracted by thoughts that are all over the place and are not supporting your well-being. You will see them for what they are — mere thoughts. We know this because we can “zoom out” and see the bigger picture, which includes our total experience.

We never know exactly what will happen, and things often unfold in unexpected ways. Did you hear about the man and his father who were packrafting in Patagonia? The son was swallowed by a whale. There’s a video so you can see it for yourself. Can you imagine? Or, how about this. People were on their way to work this week, just their usual ride on mass transit, and a woman gave birth in their subway car. How’s that for unexpected?

Meditation can help you stay alert and aware of yourself and your surroundings. It will enable you to keep your mind steady when troubles arise and help you manage the terms you have set for yourself. This trusty skill is more important than ever in these uncertain times.