This is just great, I love the clear framework. Particularly the ‘application’ element which is often not highlighted enough i.e. how do we take what we have learned into daily life?
For me, not judging my state of mind is still a challenge, even after 25 years of practice, but on a positive note - the edges of the judgment have worn off quite a bit!
And it’s literally, as in your title, not what you think, but rather being aware of the thinking itself? Or whatever else presents itself to awareness? (Aware but not clinging).
I really enjoyed your take on meditation. I’ve studied TM and gave up on it because I was too focused on getting to a certain”state” but this makes more sense. 🙏🏼
Learning to view meditation as becoming familiar with my own human mind has been liberating and insightful. Any state of mind (which is also a state of body) - pleasant or unpleasant - is worth observing in awareness. No state of mind needs to be judged or changed. My mind doesn't need to be judged or changed! For years, I believed there was something wrong with my mind, and health care professionals with the best of intentions strengthened the belief with diagnoses - depression, anxiety, dissociation - because they were not able to help me without them; the problem needed to be identified, and the problem was my mind. I do catch myself wanting my state of mind to change during meditation, for the monkey 🐒 to calm down, and wanting to judge myself because of this desire, but learning to view the wanting as love and compassion for myself, as the desire to be happy and free from suffering, takes the edge off the judgement, and softens my relation with myself, really.
Looking forward to your discussion on what the science shows because in my own experience the view is the missing piece 🧩, the secret ingredient, you name it. Without the view, a view, what's the point? The same could of course be said about application, the ripple effect.
For thesake of clarity, may I make the following points re Transcendental Meditation.
Transcendental Meditation (TM) allows the mind to settle inward, beyond the waves of thought, into its own silent depths. It requires no effort, no concentration, no forced control. Instead, it uses the mind's own innate tendency—to seek greater fulfillment, peace, and expansion.
As the mind goes deeper, it transcends—meaning it moves beyond the surface-level activity of thoughts and emotions. In this state, there is often an experience of more profound stillness, clarity, and a sense of oneness.
Any attempt to achieve or gain this state obstructs transcending.
With regular practice, this experience of transcending begins to permeate daily life. The mind becomes more resilient, stress dissolves naturally, and we gain access to deeper creativity, intelligence, and inner peace. Scientific research supports these benefits, showing improvements in mental clarity, emotional balance, and even physical health.
Good question. Both are important, and they play different roles. Samatha is grounding and creates the inner work space to explore inner experience, and it's also nourishing since it brings with it states of peace and equanimity - among other things - but on it's own, it can be limiting. Vipassana may not "feel good" in the same way, and can actually be challenging at times, but it is the part of the practice that brings more release and freedom. In the traditional example, shamatha (stabilizing awareness) is like the glass enclosure around a candle flame, and vipassana (clear seeing) is like the candle flame inside.
really interesting and also the comments very helpful too, I love meditation but find it hard to capture the words to explain how it changed my life so much for the better so I have great respect for your writing and the extra direction and thoughts to mull over.
This is just great, I love the clear framework. Particularly the ‘application’ element which is often not highlighted enough i.e. how do we take what we have learned into daily life?
For me, not judging my state of mind is still a challenge, even after 25 years of practice, but on a positive note - the edges of the judgment have worn off quite a bit!
Thanks for sharing, Richard
And it’s literally, as in your title, not what you think, but rather being aware of the thinking itself? Or whatever else presents itself to awareness? (Aware but not clinging).
I really enjoyed your take on meditation. I’ve studied TM and gave up on it because I was too focused on getting to a certain”state” but this makes more sense. 🙏🏼
Thank you for sharing, Adam
Learning to view meditation as becoming familiar with my own human mind has been liberating and insightful. Any state of mind (which is also a state of body) - pleasant or unpleasant - is worth observing in awareness. No state of mind needs to be judged or changed. My mind doesn't need to be judged or changed! For years, I believed there was something wrong with my mind, and health care professionals with the best of intentions strengthened the belief with diagnoses - depression, anxiety, dissociation - because they were not able to help me without them; the problem needed to be identified, and the problem was my mind. I do catch myself wanting my state of mind to change during meditation, for the monkey 🐒 to calm down, and wanting to judge myself because of this desire, but learning to view the wanting as love and compassion for myself, as the desire to be happy and free from suffering, takes the edge off the judgement, and softens my relation with myself, really.
Thank you for sharing your honest insight, Mari
Looking forward to your discussion on what the science shows because in my own experience the view is the missing piece 🧩, the secret ingredient, you name it. Without the view, a view, what's the point? The same could of course be said about application, the ripple effect.
For thesake of clarity, may I make the following points re Transcendental Meditation.
Transcendental Meditation (TM) allows the mind to settle inward, beyond the waves of thought, into its own silent depths. It requires no effort, no concentration, no forced control. Instead, it uses the mind's own innate tendency—to seek greater fulfillment, peace, and expansion.
As the mind goes deeper, it transcends—meaning it moves beyond the surface-level activity of thoughts and emotions. In this state, there is often an experience of more profound stillness, clarity, and a sense of oneness.
Any attempt to achieve or gain this state obstructs transcending.
With regular practice, this experience of transcending begins to permeate daily life. The mind becomes more resilient, stress dissolves naturally, and we gain access to deeper creativity, intelligence, and inner peace. Scientific research supports these benefits, showing improvements in mental clarity, emotional balance, and even physical health.
What about Samatha? I find it much more satisfying and life enhancing than Vipassana?
Good question. Both are important, and they play different roles. Samatha is grounding and creates the inner work space to explore inner experience, and it's also nourishing since it brings with it states of peace and equanimity - among other things - but on it's own, it can be limiting. Vipassana may not "feel good" in the same way, and can actually be challenging at times, but it is the part of the practice that brings more release and freedom. In the traditional example, shamatha (stabilizing awareness) is like the glass enclosure around a candle flame, and vipassana (clear seeing) is like the candle flame inside.
really interesting and also the comments very helpful too, I love meditation but find it hard to capture the words to explain how it changed my life so much for the better so I have great respect for your writing and the extra direction and thoughts to mull over.