The short answer to the question is ‘no’. You cannot ‘do’ meditation.
Meditation is a state of mindfulness that may or may not occur as a result of practicing meditative techniques designed to prepare the body and mind to cultivate the possibility of meditation. So, we do not “do” the meditation; we simply practice the meditation techniques.
You Can’t Get This Wrong
Many of my students have heard the stories of my initial experiences in ‘doing’ meditation. The common thread through these stories is a feeling of physical discomfort, the sense of not being good enough or of failure, the presence of more thoughts than usual seeded by those feelings of doubt, and distraction followed by irritation at those distractions. These were certainly not peaceful experiences.
If you, like many others, have felt you are not ‘doing’ it right, this knowledge can let you off the hook. It makes it less complex, less daunting, and more approachable to know that since I cannot ‘do’ the meditation itself and can only ‘do’ the technique, my mind can stop telling me that I’m getting it wrong.
Whatever mindfulness practice or meditation technique you have chosen, ask yourself: does it feel right to you? Does it feel restful and peaceful? If so, maintain it with regularity, focus, and no fear of failure, and see where you end up. Checking in with your trusted teacher often can help ensure that the technique you are using is right for you.
Might this insight make you more likely to sit down in a peaceful space, comfortably, and spend time relaxing your body while following something simple like a breath awareness technique? I hope so, since that’s all there is to ‘do’.
Join our local breathwork classes in Hong Kong to experience these techniques firsthand, or join one of my upcoming online healing breathwork offerings. Drop me a line to find out more.
With love,
Rowena x
