Meditation, has been one of the most talked about self-improvement subjects for the past decade. But why is it that most people never try to meditate? And if they do they give up quickly thinking it’s not working?
Personally I struggled with meditation for over six months until I finally caught the hang of it. I only kept going because I knew that if I quit I would never figure it out. Having been told about the countless benefits of meditation I wanted to give myself the best chance to succeed.
I tried several apps, guided, unguided, and other forms of meditation. Like most people, looking for that miracle awakening moment. Then, one day it hit me after watching this Alan Watts video.
The Problem With Meditation
Most people quit meditation before they can see the benefits because they make meditation a task. Instead of making it a doing task on your to-do list you should think of it as an experience. No, you don’t have to do it for 30 minutes or an hour each day to see the benefits. Instead, use this trick.
Close your eyes and instead of trying to meditate become aware of what is going on around you. Let your ears experience what they are hearing without placing much emphasis on identifying the sounds. Over time you will learn to just hear the sounds as noises happen naturally.
Next up is your breathing. While you were observing the sounds did you ever focus on your breath? I’m guessing not, as you don’t need too. Your subconscious makes breathing or pumping blood to the heart things you don’t need to consciously be aware of. It’s not up to you to make sure you breathe.
Then, start to take some deep and shallow breaths. Alternate to see how it feels and become aware of your breath. This is all leading up to understanding your thoughts. Most people think meditation is all about eliminating your thoughts which is basically impossible.
The Alan Watts Meditation Trick
Instead of trying to control your thoughts, notice them. Observe them. Are they happy, positive thoughts? Or are they negative, depressing thoughts? One or the other isn’t bad it’s important to just observe them. Think of yourself sitting on a mountain by the highway and your thoughts being cars that go by.
The main thing I learned from the Alan Watts meditation trick is that meditation is an experience, not a task. It’s about spending time alone with your thoughts without any judgment. This quick Alan Watts meditation trick should help you understand more of what is going on inside you.\
If done over time on a consistent basis you can learn to be less judgemental of yourself and others. You don’t want to get too attached to anyone thought, especially negative ones. Your increased awareness can help you tons throughout the rest of your day. The next time you have a big meeting at work or date with someone special you can observe your thoughts.