When I get off course with my meditation practice, things get a little wonky. Well, it’s my mind that gets wonky. I start thinking weird, dark shit that swirls ever deeper into the crevices of my poor brain. I’m sure you can relate, right? Your mind goes obsessively to dark conclusions and existential paranoia whenever given the time, I’m sure. And if not, I guess you are one of the lucky boring ones. I don’t really know why my mind does this. I don’t have nearly enough credentials to be certain about anything, let alone the darkness seeking patterns of the human mind. However, it has come to my attention that my thought patterns are extremely different when I meditate compared to when I do not. I will share my observations below. 😉

UNMEDITATED MIND:

1. No one likes me.
2. I have no friends
3. I am ugly
4. I am fat
5. My face is jacked up
6. I’m not going anywhere
7. Do I even have a purpose?
8. Everyone is better equipped than me at this life thing
9. I don’t belong anywhere
10. I’m lonely
11. I’m weird
12. I’m scared
13. I’m uncomfortable in my own skin
14. I can’t connect to people
15. Life is stupid and hard
16. Why the hell are we here?
17. I’m anxious
18. We are doomed

Meditated Mind:

1. People like me
2. I love my people
3. I have some really amazing friends
4. I love myself just the way I am
5. I’m a hard worker
6. I’ve come a long way
7. More is being revealed all the time
8. All is revealed in God’s time, not mine
9. We are all just doing the best we can with what we’ve got
10. I enjoy my solitude and it helps me grow
11. I’m weird but that’s cool 😉
12. I really do love people but I just require a lot of space to function, and that’s ok
13. Life is a magnificent journey that allows my soul to grow
14. We are part of a great mystery and it is a privilege to be here
15. We can change and grow and save ourselves
16. This too shall pass
17. We’re gonna be okay.
18. We’re gonna live the life of our dreams
19. I am so grateful
20. I love being alive

Big difference, huh? Perhaps now you see why a meditation practice is an essential part of my day. It changes how I experience life. I spent a large portion of my life thinking with my unmeditated mind and it sucked. My life now is far from perfect, but I find myself enjoying it more and feeling a lot more peace and joy in my heart. That’s more valuable than gold, although many of you won’t buy that and that’s okay. All the money in the world can’t bring you peace and joy; those are things you conjure up within yourself through a devotional practice of some sort, whether it’s sitting on a cushion for 10 minutes, doing yoga, listening to your favorite music as you dance around, reading spiritual literature or sitting by the ocean, listening to the waves crash and cleanse your soul. Our minds get weary. Life is not an easy journey. It’s not meant to be. We don’t learn very much through ease, unfortunately. However, it’s been my personal experience that after every dark phase of life, there has been even more light and grace. Give yourself the gift of time. Time to go within, or just some time to sit and let your mind twist and turn until it has no where to go and stillness comes. Stillness is way underrated in this society. In our society, frantic busyness and constant hustle are king. I predict we will wear ourselves out eventually and try living in new ways. Ways that uplift and energize, instead of depress and deplete. My meditated mind has hope. My meditated mind doesn’t want to give up. My meditated mind has power. My meditated mind has faith in myself and humanity. I hope you start meditating, and if you are already practicing, don’t stop. Let’s work on keeping our minds fresh, open and free. The Meditation Revolution is upon us and desperately needs your participation. Go within. Free your mind. Find your power. Share it with the world.