The Art of Meditation: exploring the depths of the mind and soul
Meditation, an age-old practice that has spanned the ages, continues to fascinate and intrigue. More than a simple search for inner calm, it offers a journey into the depths of the mind and soul, exploring the sometimes unexplored recesses of our being. In this article, we delve into the different types of meditation, mindfulness and their potential for healing trauma.
The Foundations of Meditation
Meditation has its roots in ancient traditions, including Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism and Sufism. Its essence lies in the practice of mindfulness, where sustained, non-judgemental attention is paid to the experience of the present moment. This practice enables us to stop being carried away by incessant thoughts and to (re)find a state of calm and inner clarity. Meditation allows us to cultivate our centre, to which we can return whatever external or internal circumstances we may be experiencing.
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Meditation is kind of a love declaration to all of life.
Thomas Hübl
Expert en traumatismes collectifs et auteur
Cultivating presence
Cultivating presence means fully embracing every moment of our existence with open, attentive awareness. It means paying conscious attention to our thoughts, emotions, bodily sensations and environment, without judgement and with curiosity. By practising mindfulness on a daily basis, we learn to live in the present moment, to savour the small joys of life and to connect more deeply with ourselves and with others. Presence frees us from the clutches of the past and worries about the future, allowing us to fully savour the essence of life in the here and now.
The various types of meditation
The different types of meditation. Meditation involves focusing attention on a specific object. For example, it could be our breathing, our bodily sensations (as in a body scanner), the flame of a candle, a mantra, a sound or a visualisation. Different benefits and effects will result.
The attention we give to a specific object can then be either focused or open. In the first case, we develop concentration. Whenever we notice that our attention is wandering away from the object in question, we gently return to it. As our practice progresses, we will be able to stay with the object of our attention for longer and longer. In the second case - attention to a specific object is open - we pay attention to the different aspects of our experience (our physical sensations, our emotions, our thoughts, our perceptions) without adding judgement or focusing on anything specific. In this way, we cultivate the realisation that all inner and outer phenomena come and go.
Meditations of compassion and love
We can also meditate by cultivating qualities of compassion, benevolence and love. These qualities are naturally present within us, and sometimes, in the frantic rush of today's world, we have cut ourselves off from them. This type of meditation will enable us to rediscover the path of our humanity.
The benefits of meditation
While meditation can undoubtedly have an effect on stress - many experiments prove this - and therefore have an impact on our mental health, it doesn't stop there.
By cultivating presence in the present moment, we become aware of our thoughts, emotions and sensations. We get to know ourselves in our own unique way, but also in what we have in common with all human beings.
When we meditate on our breathing, and let go of the thoughts that run through us to return to the object of our attention, we learn to let go. We cultivate the capacity to witness our own experience, we cultivate the space that allows us to do so - instead of going elsewhere with every internal or external stimulus. And if we have this space within us to welcome our experience, this space will also be available for others: we will have the space to welcome the other, and to let them inform us fully. If we are overwhelmed, we don't have that space.
Why is it sometimes difficult to meditate?
It can be difficult to meditate for several reasons:
- Mental agitation our minds are often filled with incessant thoughts and preoccupations, which makes it difficult to concentrate during meditation. When we begin the practice of meditation, we become aware of all our thoughts. And it can be shocking to realise how many there are!
- Lack of motivation or time: we don't really know why we sit on our cushion, so our commitment wanes. As the famous Zen saying goes, "if you don't have time to meditate for 15 minutes, then meditate for 1 hour". Our lives will be surprisingly simplified by getting our priorities in order.
- Expecting immediate results and positive experiences only: many people expect to feel immediate effects from meditation, but it can take practice to see the benefits. There are times when our meditation will be easy and flowing, others when we will be uncomfortable. And the aim of meditation is to gradually develop our ability to stay present, whether our experience is pleasant... or not.
- Lorsque nous nous détendons, des expériences passées douloureuses -des traumatismes- peuvent refaire surface : il est alors naturellement très difficile de rester immobile. C’est d’ailleurs la fonction du fait de s’affairer : quand on bouge rapidement, on ne sent pas nos émotions. Il est important ici de ne pas forcer les choses, car cela n’aboutirait qu’à un état dissocié sur le coussin.
Résurgence des traumatismes
Si le passé ressurgit et que c’est difficile, alors nous avons besoin de soutien. On peut alors se demander, » qu’est-ce qui m’aiderait à intégrer mon expérience passée, qu’est-ce qui m’aiderait à avoir davantage de ressources ? » Quand une expérience du passé refait surface, plutôt que de méditer, il est parfois plus approprié de prendre un moment avec un. amie. Cette personne va nous procurer un cadre bienveillant de présence, dans lequel nous nous sentirons entendu, vu et ressenti. Et parfois, nous avons besoin d’un soutien plus profond et d’un cadre professionnel : un travail avec un thérapeute ou coach tenant compte des traumatismes nous permettra d’intégrer cette expérience passée, et nous pourrons revenir à l’instant présent.
Méditation et soigner les traumatismes
La méditation, et notamment la pleine conscience, est le fait de cultiver la présence. De revenir ici et maintenant. Alors que le traumatisme est de l’ordre du passé : c’est une expérience passée qui continue d’être vécue intérieurement.
La méditation peut être un outil puissant pour aider à apaiser les traumatismes en favorisant la capacité d’être témoin, la résilience, la relaxation et en aidant les individus à développer une relation plus saine avec leurs expériences internes. Cependant, il est important de noter que la méditation seule ne pas être suffisante pour traiter les traumatismes graves, et il est souvent recommandé de combiner la méditation avec d’autres formes de thérapie et de soutien professionnel.
The fruit of meditation - a love story
By practising meditation regularly, we rediscover our natural qualities such as compassion, benevolence and wisdom. At the same time, we transcend the limits of our little "I" to access a deeper perception of ourselves and the world around us. We find our way back to our essence, by letting go of the things that limit us and with which we identify. We come home - the light of our soul can settle down and become incarnate... and we can rest there.
