What's the Point of Meditation?

Is there a point to meditation? What even is it? These are legit questions about something that may seem positive- but that doesn’t always get you anywhere.

Meditation is ancient. Who knows exactly how old it is, but monks and tribal peoples have engaged in it for thousands of years. It’s central to Buddhism and Yoga, and it’s been practiced by devotees of every religion in one form or another.

It can be as simple as allowing your mind to “just be” with no particular focus besides your breathing, or it can be associated with intentional focus on something else and/or with prayer.

In general, though, it seems to evade a clean, concise definition (as confusing as that may be) because, fundamentally, it’s not about any particular words or ideas. Specific types can be defined, but it’s not so easy when looking at what it means across contexts. It’s about awareness, presence, and even having intention- while doing your best to not get caught in distractions or negativity.

In my life, the “point” has really been to slow down and shed light on various thoughts and feelings- which otherwise may have gone unnoticed or unprocessed. It can be a relatively peaceful process or quite an upheaval. This has been helpful because, simply put, it gradually (or sometimes suddenly) frees up “space” in the mind. Moods becomes less dictated by patterns of thinking that have become automatic… and it’s easier to notice the positives and things that matter.

What has made me (and presumably countless people) want to quit is that oftentimes, the negative thoughts can come up with a whole lot of force. They seem to run on automated loops- as if there’s a tape recorder in your head that won’t stop until it’s listened through enough times. I’m referring to things like “This sucks”, “I’m stupid”, “Life is terrible”, etc. The list is very long, and I can’t imagine anyone hasn’t been sucked in by one of these at some point (if not everyday).

The power of these thoughts to bring you down is something that diminishes with the open-mindedness that comes with a meditative practice. Some people may be able to logically counter such statements with a more positive one (and more power to them), but these things can be deep-rooted, and efforts to “counter” can sometimes just lead to more internal conflict. Not always… but to really work, it requires a certain degree of mindfulness and transcendence already.

With consistency, it also becomes natural to notice subtleties in daily life that you didn’t before. Everyday life can become less ordinary without much effort. Doing chores may not necessarily become fun, but they will be less of a pain. And when you look out into the world, there may be a bit more beauty to be found there- as cliche as that may sound.

Besides that, with more mental freedom also comes the capacity to ask important questions and encounter less resistance. There may be things you’ve wondered about on some level for years (like what your dream life really is, or what happens after death), but with too much stagnation or chaos in your thinking, it may have been almost impossible to seek answers. Finding a meditative practice that works for you also opens these doors.

In time, whatever practice you choose- or whatever practice seems to choose you- can become really enjoyable, or at least a solace in the chaos that life can bring.

This post isn’t so much about specific practices since the internet and books are full of that information, but it does seem important to mention that there are many options based on your preferences, temperament, and goals. You can be sitting, lying down, or even walking. You can also choose a particular focus (such as your breathing and/or an affirmation to repeat) or not.

This is where exploring and experimentation come into play… and it’s amazing to notice that with dedication to this process, it seems like the right people and the right resources seem to actually find you.