Meditate~Change the world by changing your world first
Reflections on the importance and benefits of meditation
Meditation is the ultimate tool for self-dicovery and life mastery. Master your mind, master your life, they say… It’s true — the thoughts will always be there, and many of them are not even mine. The more I meditate, the more control over my reality I have and I invite you to take control of yours…
Note: This article was a part of my Yoga Alliance RYT registration process, where I contemplated the importance of meditation as a Spiritual Coach and Yoga Teacher. Coming from my job, it is my duty to show up to my self-practice, especially when no one is watching. Sitting down onto my meditation cushion consistently day by day has enabled me not only to meet myself on a deeper level, but also provided me with the ability to lead others on their Journeys to Self. This is my reflection on this fundamental tool for life mastery, enhanced by a few sentences to make it a useful reading for you too…
Let’s begin by defining that meditation is not something you do, it is a result of something that you do. Before adopting the SATTVA meditation technique, I would think that sitting in a meditation pose with my eyes closed and focusing on my breath is a meditation. It wasn’t — because I was engaging with my thoughts or at best, observing them and taking a note.
After my Yoga Teacher Training I’ve been able to access the actual meditation, the state of consciousness between sleep and wakefulness while being aware of everything that is happening within and around me but the mind remains calm.
Even if the thoughts come, they do not reach the depth of consciousness where my attention resides and hence I stay in this space beyond my mind, beyond my emotions, beyond my physical body. Intense energy starts running through my system, charging it and detoxifying on cellular level every psychosomatic imbalance.
Previously I’ve been able to experience this expanded state of awareness and connection to the Source only after a couple of days of intense Vipassana retreats. Now I am able to access cosmic consciousness within the first 10–20 minutes every morning and I cannot imagine going a day without this blissful feeling.
Apart from the psychosomatic benefits, the single most significant benefit I’m experiencing is that meditation is helping me to create more room to process my reality. It allows me to stay in my centre and respond instead of reacting when life happens — all because I have created that space in the morning. Also, starting the day in a slow manner primes my brain and mind for more presence, calm and emotional stability.
Also, by meditating I've gradually increased my awareness to what’s happening inside of me throughout the day. Getting to know myself, observing my patterns, thoughts and behaviors, exploring my triggers,… In Yogic tradition the studying of oneself is called Svadhyaya, and it is at the core of my daily personal spiritual practice. Right after I meditate, I take a note of what thoughts were running in my mind, what insights I got, what worries showed up — basically anything that I’ve noticed that my mind labeled as important. But then also if the mind is overwhelmed throughout the day, I take a couple of minutes to recentre, create space and notice what emotions are present and what could be their root cause.
Acknowledging my own shortcomings is the cornerstone of guiding others. The world doesn’t need more people who project their issues and unhealed aspects onto others and the last people who should do so are the ones who claim to help others. Blind leading the blind will not help the humanity’s evolution and I believe that I am serving the collective firstly by meditating and working on myself, and just then by teaching and guiding others.
I also need to point out that creating the habit of meditation haven’t been easy and I learned through trials and errors what works for me.
The surest way to start the day right and set myself up for a fulfilling and uplifted day is to sit in front my altar before my brain gets out of the alpha state and into the distractible beta-waves. Open my eyes, toilet, brushing teeth, changing to yoga clothes, drinking 1 bottle of water, sitting in front of the altar, setting the gong for 33 minutes and begin the practice — all within the first 10 minutes of waking up. No peeking onto the timer and just repeating my mantra till I actually access the meditative state. If I touch my phone or do something else, I’m more likely to procrastinate and then the brain is already distracted and it takes me longer to enter the silence. So having learned this, I use all my willpower to keep my first 10 minutes structured the way I described above.
Please note that this is my process and I am meditating for years. If you're just starting, set a timer for 5 minutes. Focus on the sensations in your body. Scan your body. Observe your breath. Count your breaths. Do an easy breathwork practice. Do one kriya. Just commit and show up to your personal sanctuary for those 5 minutes. Once you build the habit, prolong that time by a minute or two. Just — build — that — habit!
In the current times where media control the narratives with the aim of triggering fearful responses, people are turning onto each other, and the world just seems to go bonkers, meditation is the ultimate tool for reclaiming one’s power and staying centered no matter what the society is going through.
The way out of the madness is to go inward and meditation is your ticket to the inner peace we are all craving. Show up to your meditation practice, even if it is just for those 5 minutes. Contribute to the world by getting to know yourself and mastering your mind. If everybody does that, imagine how this planet would look like! Harmony in the external world begins with cultivating harmony within and it is up to you to do the first step.
Change the world by changing your world first.
Namaste ❤
~ Simona ~
PS: If you are seeking an accountability partner and a guide for your journey inward, I'll be launching a meditation course to bring the technique that worked for me to the world. Follow me on Instagram at @theSimona or check my online shop
