Meditation Is Like Chocolate

Chocolate?

I am a fan of meditation. It’s changed my life. I recently tried to break down the benefits in a more tangible way and the bottom line is that it’s experiential.

Think about the experiences that have left a mark on you. Take a moment, go back and feel one of those experiences. A new baby? A great sports moment? A meaningful sunset or sunrise? Those memories and their emotions are always with you. They’ve left an imprint on your psyche and your nervous system.

What did you feel when you resurrected those memories? Hopefully you chose a great memory and re-experienced some great feelings.

Well that’s part of what meditation gives you on a daily basis. And on a daily basis, you can carry an experience of peace, calmness and greater awareness with you.

I break the meditative experience into four components.

Discipline: Discipline is a nasty work in this world, but the benefits of a bit of discipline are incalculable. And a bit of mental discipline can change the way you see and experience your world.

Meditation is first and foremost a practice that trains your mind for peace and clarity. It’s a totally learnable skill that can lead to heightened awareness throughout all aspects of your life.

Awareness: A quiet mind leads to greater awareness. Awareness takes many forms. You may simply find yourself more present. That alone will change your life.

Think of a time you were fully present. Have you ever stood atop a mountain and watched the sun rise or perhaps lingered on the beach to watch sunset? Have you ever felt that perfect connection with someone? It’s as if time stands still. You’re out of your mind and into the moment. You are aware.

Awareness leads to observation. When you are no longer caught up in your mind, when you experience peace, you have the space to actively observe your thoughts as they arise. What do they say to you?

You’re smart or not so smart; you’re thin or fat; you’re kind or mean. Most of us are living the story that we’ve absorbed from our families, our culture and those around us. Our thoughts, about ourselves and others, are often a static relic of our past on a repeat loop that never changes.

The beauty of learning to observe your thoughts is that you can question them and break that repeat loop. What does that voice in your head say to you? Where does it come from? Is it true?

With that questioning, comes the power of conscious choice. You have the power to deconstruct your beliefs if you feel they don’t serve you and find a personal truth that does. You can change your relationships and your very reality because you change yourself.

Finally, meditation is experiential. And that’s how we really learn. You can memorize facts ’til the cows come home and still know nothing. But when you experience something, that event leaves an emotional awareness. You know, because it’s part of your experience.  

Think about the difference between reading about chocolate or feeling the sweetness spread across your tongue as you savor the texture and flavor. You know the experience of chocolate.

In the same way, you can know the experience of expanded peace and awareness through meditation. That’s part of the magic!

The best way to follow my thoughts and ruminations is on the website, BumpInTheRoad.us and of course here on Substack. And on all major podcast platforms. Oh! And of course on social media. Stay tuned for my book which will be out shortly.

But back to the topic of chocolate. Here is a Side Trip (an ultra short podcast) that I recently did on meditation and chocolate. Think on it.