Let yourself be with ALL of it.
I think there is a misconception that meditation is meant to be a blissful experience devoid of thought. We think we need to be a buddha levitating in the mountains to be meditating “the right way”. When actually, we’re human beings with busy lives and busy minds. In addition to thinking—about our to-do list, what we just said to a coworker, what might happen an hour from now—we may also experience physical pains, discomforts, and emotional turmoil. Meditation is about allowing yourself to observe all of it without getting hooked into any of it.
I start every session with a guided meditation to bridge this deeper connection to self. And your connection doesn’t have to look or feel any one way. Sometimes my clients are frustrated: “I couldn’t stop thinking of all the things I have to do!” or “It was so hard to focus on my breath.” Great! You’re aware of this. Some part of you is observing your experience and being mindful.
The more we practice, the more we can bring ourselves back to center. Back to the breath, back to the body. The beauty of it is, the more we can observe and allow, the more comfortable we become being wherever we are. Maybe it is in bliss, eventually! But if not, that’s okay too. Meditation is about allowing and accepting your experience just as it is. Pretty radical, isn’t it?