if you have ever spent any time studying yoga, you know that meditation (not asana!) is the cornerstone of the practice.
meditation teaches us how to calm our bodies, still our minds, and move beyond the attachments of this world.
for most casual meditators, the process is accessible–and even enjoyable–when the conditions are just right. the lights are low, the ambiance is calming, and life is good.
but when the proverbial shit hits the fan (excuse my french), meditation becomes quite hard. for some, darn near impossible. Â of course, that is when you need the meditation the most. isn’t life ironic that way?
these days, meditation seems to be the prescription for everything. stressed out? meditate. anger issues? meditate. anxiety? meditate.
great! i agree!
BUT…
there is always a but…
if you wait until your life sucks to start meditating (and especially if you only meditate when life sucks), your practice may turn very counterproductive and work against you in two ways. first of all, it will be very hard to meditate because your nervous system is in stress and survival mode. and second, your mind will start to associate meditation with hard times…precisely the association you want to avoid.
the solution: meditate daily.
if your mind is trained to achieve a meditative state when you are in a state of general equilibrium, then not only will it make positive associations with the practice, but it will be much easier to meditate effectively. Â you won’t experience the energetic resistance you may have when you are feeling ill-at-ease.
and once meditation becomes a habit, it will become natural to slip into it on command, regardless of external circumstance. which means, more effective meditation on your bad days and more effective results.
as it turns out, trauma can severely disrupt your meditation practice, but your meditation practice can also magically disrupt the trauma.
YOGAthletica 