Meditation practice, including mindfulness, is quite a unique form of training in that the landscape is internal.
Unlike, for example, learning tennis or maths, there is no reference point to work to and no one can see how you are doing. It can be like being told to hit the ball over the net without anyone checking your aim, swing and timing.
Take, for example, the instruction "Live in the present moment," the intention of which is to stop us getting stuck in unhelpful thoughts of past or future.
I successfully learned to immerse myself in the present, but my life became a rollercoaster, living intense highs and lows, like a baby. It took me months to realise that I had to combine it with a particular attitude: to be present and at the same time detached, as I imagine a general would be when making important decisions.
There can be many pitfalls with meditation and if you are having bad experiences you are not alone. If you are struggling, or simply want to check on your progress, it is important to reach out to someone experienced, preferably in both psychological and meditative practice.
Author: JD
Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay
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