Food For Thought Newsletter:
March 7th, 2023
Topic of the Month: Meditation
Merriam Webster defines the word “meditate” as meaning “to engage in contemplation and reflection,” and, “to engage in mental exercise (such as concentration on one's breathing or repetition of a mantra) for the purpose of reaching a heightened level of spiritual awareness.”*
I’ve always liked how the dictionary emphasizes on both the psychological and spiritual themes of meditation. In all my years of treating clients, I have found that encouraging them to engage in some form of meditation has often allowed them to not just find a moment of peace in their daily life. It can also literal create new neural pathways in their minds.
This is especially helpful with trauma survivors, but can also be used for anyone experiencing any form of psychological struggle (i.e. anxiety, depression, anger management, etc.). The real question is what style of meditation is right, and to what degree? This varies by the individual client, but I can list several common features that most all of them find helpful from implementing meditation into their daily lives.
⦁ Mediation cannot really be effectively accomplished by multitasking it with anything else or with lots of stimuli. The very nature of meditation is to go inward. When starting on this journey, it is vital to find a place with few distractions. The mind needs to focus on itself and on the body that it is housed in.
⦁ Calm sound can be helpful. Whether you are into a Buddhist bowls, meditative music, or even nature sounds, choosing the right sounds/auditory frequencies that put your body at ease can assist the mind in entering a strong meditative state.
⦁ Like auditory… certain visual stimuli can also prove helpful. A painting, photo, or even just looking at the wall in a room that brings you peace can really make or break time set aside for mediation. The same is true of smell or the absence thereof (i.e. scented candles, a diffuser, or just limited, but clean scents in the space set aside for the meditation).
⦁ While engaging the senses in a safe manner is often helpful, sometimes not stimulating them is a better option. If you are feeling hypersensitive or are having trouble on focusing or releasing, it probably means less stimuli is needed. For example, I sometimes advise clients to close their eyes during their meditation instead of looking at anything.
⦁ Incorporating Individual Philosophy/Religion into meditation can also be very helpful. Whatever your faith or worldview, the things you find most assuring about your overall outlook on life and the universe need to be strengthened and reinforced during meditation. It may not seem like exercise, but in a way, it is for mind/consciousness. The world we live in has lots of noise, arguments, debates, stresses, and just overall distortion that prevents us from focusing on what is important. Pretty much all belief systems I work with (Spirtual and non-spiritual), all find peace in several truths:
⦁ Refusing to engage in destructive behaviors.
⦁ Focusing on self-love and love toward others.
⦁ Replacing the fragile ego into the central self.
⦁ Acknowledging that God, the Universe, collective humanity, and/or that “bigger” thing that surrounds us can respond to and strengthen us based on the actions, attitudes and the energy we emit toward it/them.
And that’s it! The key is to get to know yourself, and figure out what things ground you the most, especially when alone in your thoughts. Meditation is just as much about achieving self-love/awareness as it is finding internal peace and comfort. I also recommend finding a good meditative specialist if you are not familiar with the process. Do your homework, find the best tools, customize them to your personality, and then embark on an amazing inner adventure!
Lynne Penn-Leon LCSW-C