Miren feels the effects increase with time
Meditation has become a natural part of her daily life. Miren Lugarezaresti, a social worker based in Alicante, Spain, explains why her motivation to continue her practice has never abated.
Better understanding of myself
“At times I spontaneously associate things I do today with episodes from my childhood. This gives me a better understanding of myself – how I react, what I appreciate, why I do things in my particular ways. This usually happens after meditation. Reflecting about central psychological life issues has increased my curiosity, and I enjoy the surprises meditation sometimes brings. When I feel low, I no longer dramatize things as much as I tended to do before. I also more easily accept the fact that some things can’t be changed. This makes me feel better.
Full of life
Acem Meditation makes me relax, gives me rest, and helps me to revitalize when I need it. But I also enjoy discovering more of my own resources, and more of my own initiative. I can tackle complex situations in life in a more natural way. Sometimes I am surprised about how many activities I’m able to do in the course of a single day.
When things don’t go as well as I had hoped, it no longer upsets the rest of the day. I can accept it and continue with other tasks as I normally would. I can act with a higher degree of freedom in my life. On the surface, meditation appears to be similar from one day to the next, but as time goes by the effects increase. Life has become much easier.
Better understanding of others
I feel that I am more natural and spontaneous in my relationships with colleagues, friends, and family. My newly-won insight also gives me a better understanding of others. Interpersonal communication has become easier. The ways I express myself are more in tune with others, but I also have an easier time accepting opinions that are different from my own, and I’m not as afraid of conflict as I used to be.”
Interviewed by Anne Grete Hersoug
Language editor: Ann Kunish
Hi, Since last 6 months i am doing experiments with breathing and to be watchful to thoughts. As much as i put efforts it got more and more difficult. Once i did it with out efforts i feel deeper experience. But i do not know, doing something with efforts is meditation or be in some state with out effort is meditation.
Effort brings you away from meditation. The deep relaxation response comes from effortless practice. Being watchful of thoughts implies effort, just let them come and go. Using a meditation sound is, in our experience, more effective than just focusing on your breath, though both may have an effect. At the same time, maybe one shouldn’t be too concerned with the state of mind in the moment. Meditation most often makes you relax, but there are also times when the feeling is less pleasant, and those periods may be equally important, as they may be an expression of something new surfacing in your mind.
“On the surface, meditation appears to be similar from one day to the next, but as time goes by the effects increase. Life has become much easier.” Nailed it! I notice this in my practice as well. It seems the same day to day but bug changes happen gradually as time passes.
Congrats on 10 years!! Wow.