A common myth about meditation is that it's all about being still and quiet.

This myth exists because we have come to believe that the goal of meditation is a completely silent mind, with no thoughts, just presence. We believe that unless we have no thoughts, we are not getting the benefits of meditation and all that it offers. We beat ourselves up if we do not attain a completely thoughtless space.

This myth takes us out of consistent practice with self and this belief is rooted in the misalignment between Buddhism & Meditation.

Buddhism is known as a religion (of consciousness) with one of its foundations being meditation. Meditation is known as something that monks do and also reduces stress, creates balance, and overall makes us feel good.

Through these two concepts, we have come to believe that the goal of meditation is silence and stillness because of the way Buddhist Monks live and spend time in meditation, in completely silent minds, while sitting in the Himalayan mountains in red robes, or whatever other society description you have of Buddhist monks.

But this is not true at all. The foundation of Buddhism is the practice of meditation and not just of a silent and still mind.

The goal of meditation is NOT a silent and still mind

The definition of meditation is ' the action of practicing meditating (contemplating, thought, thinking, musing, pondering), it is NOT a silent and still mind.

When you research meditation and its use of it in Buddhism, you quickly realize that meditation is not about a silent and still mind, but rather it is about the separation of the moment, of the thought, of the experience.

It is about the understanding of self, the states and spaces that we live within and how to rise above the duality to see a neutralized and expanded perspective.

Meditation can be maximized through certain styles and intentions but they all lead to the same end desire which is alignment with a state of enlightenment and that state is attained through detachment, awareness, and expansion.

If you continue to believe that meditation is about a silent and still mind, you will most likely find yourself in a place of procrastination, misalignment, and resistance of meditation.

Instead of a silent and still mind, become the observer of the present moment.

Becoming the observer of the present moment means that you take a moment to check in with yourself during your meditations and align with an intention. An intention of higher consciousness.

The way to becoming the observer is to ask yourself some questions and get realigned with what is your intention for mediation?

And what do you now know to be true about meditation?

Shift your mindset from the goal of being silent and still mind and instead allow yourself to impress a new goal by being the observer of what is and seeing what is happening in the present moment - in the silence and the stillness of that inquiry.

If you want to leverage meditation you need to make shifting this belief to a more expansive and open concept of what meditation is.

To help you make this shift faster here are 3 questions you can ask yourself when you sit in meditation and beat yourself up for not having a silent and still mind OR before meditation when you find yourself in this place.

Allow yourself to become the observer of your thoughts at the moment instead of allowing the ego-self to be in control and punish you for something that is not true.

Question #1: Where is my mind going at this moment? Where is it focused?

Asking this question allows your ego-mind to shift from the personal beat down to exactly what it is thinking and where it is focused.

Once you ask this question allow yourself space to hear the answer. This is not about a silent and still mind.

This is about being in the present moment through a meditative state, with your eyes closed (or open!), being tapped into your breath, and becoming curious about where your mind is focused and what it is that your ego-self is attached to.

Question #2: Why do I believe my mind is focused on this right now?

Asking this simple question of why are you focused on this, can unlock a stream of consciousness with hidden answers and wisdom.

Asking your higher self WHY your ego-self is focused on this thought, experience, or whatever, is a powerful place to put oneself.

Once you ask this question, allow a state of flow. Whatever happens is meant to happen. Stay connected to the present moment.

Listen to WHY you are focused on this within your thoughts. As mentioned above - meditation is the action of practicing meditating (thinking, musing, pondering)

You are taking action on musing and pondering just WHY your ego-self is focused on this thought that is taking you out of the present moment - and that in itself is meditating.

Question #3: What is here for me to see and expand beyond?

Once you have awareness of where your ego-mind is going and why it is focused there, you have the ability to extract what you need from that experience.

Understanding that our ego-mind is only ever focused on the negative, the fear, the what could go wrong, it is important you consciously choose to find the expansion in where your ego-mind is anchored.

Taking a moment to see why your ego is hanging onto that thought or experience will allow a moment of freedom and expansion beyond that space.

A space of silence and stillness is required when asking 'what is here for me to see and expand beyond'.

The answers are found in these moments and those moments are found when you shift from that being the goal and instead the goal being an observation of the present moment through silence and stillness.

When you stay in a mindset or belief that the goal of meditation is silence and stillness, you stunt your soul & human growth.

Expanding what you know to be true about meditation and what is the true purpose and intention will allow you to awaken to a higher purpose and calling in life.

The ultimate soul & human growth experience. The spiritual awakening & ascension journey of enlightenment. The experience the Buddha & Buddhist Monks have been speaking about for thousands of years.

Don't allow yourself to fall victim to an ego mindset, full of misbeliefs saying that meditation is about silence and stillness. That will rob you of your human and spiritual potential found through meditation.

Remember that there is a better way.

The way of meditation is to take action or practice meditation. The practice of contemplation, thought, thinking, musing, and pondering. The way of being the observer of the moment and the thought-through exploration.

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