How to Start (Restart, or Upgrade) Your Meditation Practice: A Master Class | Jon Kabat-Zinn
Jan 8, 2024
auto_awesome
Jon Kabat-Zinn, professor of medicine emeritus, discusses the practicalities of starting a meditation practice, being fully present with no agenda, and letting go of 'the story of me.' They explore the connection between meditation and daily life, as well as investigating motivations for mindfulness. The importance of finding a posture for meditation practice and the power of awareness are highlighted. They also discuss the best time and length for meditation, and express gratitude towards the host for facilitating mindfulness.
Meditation is a love affair with the present moment, allowing us to live life fully.
Finding a posture that embodies wakefulness and dignity during meditation is essential, regardless of the chosen position.
Reflecting on one's deep motivation for meditating, beyond self-improvement, can lead to transformative experiences.
Deep dives
The Importance of Meditation and John Cabot-Zinn's Contribution
John Cabot-Zinn, the creator of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), has been instrumental in popularizing and studying meditation. His eight-week protocol allowed scientists to study the health benefits of meditation. Short daily meditation sessions have been found to confer numerous health benefits. Cabot-Zinn emphasizes that meditation is a love affair with the present moment, not a mere habit. By taking up residency in awareness and being fully present, we can live life to the fullest and not miss out on its beauty.
Starting and Practicing Meditation
For beginners, finding a posture that embodies wakefulness and dignity during meditation is essential. Cabot-Zinn recommends sitting in a way that aligns the spine and brings full awareness to the body. However, he acknowledges that sitting on a chair or meditating in bed is perfectly fine if it feels comfortable. When practicing meditation, the focus is on the act of attending rather than achieving any particular result. It's about being aware of the present moment without trying to change anything. The aim is to cultivate awareness and integrate it into daily life, not to become a better person but to live life fully.
Motivation and the Transformative Potential of Meditation
Cabot-Zinn emphasizes the importance of motivation in meditation practice. It is crucial to reflect on one's deep motivation for meditating, whether it's for relaxation, anger management, or a deeper yearning for something missing in life. Cabot-Zinn encourages a motivation that goes beyond self-improvement, focusing on experiencing the present moment fully and rediscovering an essential element that may have been lost over the years. He suggests that meditation has the power to transform not just individuals but also societies. By cultivating awareness and compassion, we can govern ourselves differently and minimize harm in the world.
Understanding the Misconception of Meditation
Many people believe that the goal of meditation is to clear the mind and eliminate distractions, leading to frustration when they find it difficult to achieve. However, the true essence of meditation lies in awareness and investigation of the part of ourselves that is aware, beyond the turbulence or agitation of the mind. This capacity for awareness has often been overlooked or misunderstood in our society. By bringing awareness to the full dimensionality of our own awareness, we can cultivate a new understanding of meditation as a practice of being present and awake, rather than trying to attain a certain mental state.
Choosing the Right Doorway to Meditation
There is an abundance of meditation techniques and styles, each offering a unique approach to mindfulness. However, the choice of style or technique is not as crucial as the intention behind it. All techniques lead to the same room - the room of the human heart. The emphasis should be on entering the room, rather than fixating on the specific door. Regardless of the technique chosen, the practice is about embodying awareness and bringing that awareness into every moment of life. The real meditation practice is living with integrity, embracing the present moment, and being fully present in all aspects of life.
Kabat-Zinn on the nitty gritty practicalities of starting a practice, being fully present with no agenda, and letting go of “the story of me.”
Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD, is professor of medicine emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Back in the 1970s, he came up with something called Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, or MBSR, which is a secular way of teaching Buddhist meditation. He’s written many books, including Full Catastrophe Living; Wherever You Go, There You Are;and Coming to Our Senses. His latest book is called Mindfulness Meditation for Pain Relief.
In this episode we talk about:
The nitty gritty practicalities of starting a practice
How he’s learned to be more relaxed about his practice—including advocating for meditating in bed
How to practice being fully present with no agenda
How investigating your motivations—something most people don’t do— can help you be more mindful