Meditation, mindfulness, and the breath

The word "meditation" is often associated with mindfulness and focus on breathing, and I would like to pose some questions and share my understanding on this topic.

Firstly, what is meditation? Why is it important? What is its purpose? What is its relationship with mindfulness? What is so special about focusing on the breath (as was touched on at our last group discussion)? Is it relevant to us in our modern times?

I think there are a lot of thoughts and ideas about what meditation is and isn't and it may mean different things from person to person. Is it simply a way to relax, to chill out from our hectic lives? Is it a religious thing that is only truly available to monks or nuns? Or is it just the latest fad thing that people do?

To me, meditation is a tool. I use it primarily to help me cultivate a pure, empty mind (and I have a long way to go). I will write later about the importance of this quality of the mind in a later blog.

I consider mindfulness to be the state of mind that is consciously in the present moment. Here. Now. It is that state of mind that does not give rise to wandering thoughts into the past of what has been, could've been, should've been, would've been if only, and so on. It is that state of mind that does not give rise to wandering thoughts into the future of what if, what could be, or some fantasy that we can find ourselves in. It is also the state of mind that does not have any "noise" in it, like a tune we're playing in our heads or rapid switching of thoughts.

The relationship between mindfulness and meditation is profound. Mindfulness is needed for proper meditation because being able to maintain a state of mind that is conscious of the present moment is the very first step to effective meditation. At the same time, meditation helps to cultivate mindfulness, amongst other qualities. The effect is compounding.

So why do we beginners find it so hard to meditate? May be we don't know why we're even meditating. May be we don't know how to meditate. I can only speak for myself why I meditate, but as for how, my first step is cultivating mindfulness. The present moment is here and now! And that means being conscious of my every thought, speech, and actions now.

So often I have tried to focus on my breath when meditating only to find that on most days it's a hard battle uphill. Then upon closer reflection, when I tried to focus on the present moment, I had the same struggles! Why is that so?  I then realised that mindfulness does not take a form.

It is what pro athletes call "being in the zone". It is what allows musicians to create the way they do, and I know it feels very refreshing when being in that state. The trouble is we are using a physical object or activity to accomplish a state of mind. When the object or activity stops, so does our mindfulness eventually stop.  I did not find this helpful in the long run!

Unlike objects or activities, the breathe is something that is always with us while we're alive so it's something for our minds to focus on to cultivate mindfulness.  However, I'm not a monk nor do I necessarily have the luxury of time to set aside for prolonged periods of time.  I am finding that a great way of cultivating mindfulness is to wholeheartedly and sincerely put forth my best effort in what ever I do without expectations of benefit. From the most routine such as washing dishes, walking, and opening a door, to more involved activities such as socialising. What works the best for me are the routine activities because of their simplicity.

What is wrong with same-old? Why is it so boring? It is because we lack mindfulness. I know that when I lack mindfulness even something as engaging as playing badminton can become boring. This is because interest and boredom are states of mind, not some activity!

But what about repetition? We've done the ironing many times before, and there's nothing new to keep it interesting. Well, the present moment is instantaneous. It is always a new moment. Our minds are always experiencing a new moment, and the reason why something repetitive becomes boring is because our state of mind is not synchronised with the change in moments.

When I was around 14, I used to find playing the piano scales incredibly boring and tedious. It was only until I let go of my restless mind and put my heart into playing the scales that I found it was actually very captivating. I could actually practice scales for 1 hour without getting bored of them.

I used to find getting up in the morning and preparing for work a really boring routine. Again, when I let go of my restless and wandering mind, every morning is a very enjoyable experience. Practicing in this way, I am finding that this way of cultivating mindfulness helps a lot in meditation.

It is quite literally, Zen.

This is very relevant today as we all at some stage feel the pressures of time and commitments. It is very easy to simply let the days slide by, and then a week, and then a year, and then a decade. I have been guilty of putting things off until I have more time, or until a certain project is over, or until certain situations have been handled. But I wasn't learning my lessons and so the same situations kept coming up.

What does that have to do with mindfulness and meditation? As I alluded to in the beginning, that's what a future blog is going to be about. So rather than pondering what it might be about, be mindful! Here. Now. That's the first step.

Jon =D