Question: “Hey, do you have any advice on how to meditate? I converted to buddhism 3 years and try all the time to meditate especially after yoga, but with no luck as i get ansty trying to sit still and quiet my mind. Thanks”
Meditation, for right now, isn’t about stilling and quieting the mind. Obviously that’s almost impossible. Thoughts are like children, the more you tell them no and ignore them, the louder and more annoying they get. So instead of fighting it, you embrace it. Meditation is about watching your mind, becoming friends with your mind, observing the thoughts and feelings, how they arise, where they come from, why they came, etc. Meditation is a lifetime practice. Meditating once or twice a week for 10-15 minutes won’t get you any real results. It is a practice that requires dedication and diligence.
To make meditation easier, an object of meditation is essential. This object of meditation, something to concentrate on, helps us focus on only one thing to help “scare” off wandering thoughts. Traditionally, the object of meditation is our breath, either by counting the breaths or observing it going in and out of our nose/body. Eventually, the thoughts will lessen and get shorter. As thoughts arise, we try not to engage with them or entertain them, by adding to their stories. Instead, we treat them like clouds, we just watch them go by. Eventually down the line, the thoughts will be short and far apart, until there are no thoughts at all. Other objects of meditation can be the sound of a ticking clock, chanting or simply just listening to the sounds of nature. Mindfulness is key.
Smile and be well!