Thoughts on Meditation Myths and Awe
Tips for Starting a Meditation Practice and the Exploration of an Elusive Emotion
Hello and I hope everyone is settling into January and the new year. We have had some sickness in my home, and I am hearing that from a lot of you as well. On top of that, my kids were out of school for days on end last week due to snow in the Southeast. With work, school, and activities gearing back up after the holidays, adding sickness and snows days on top can result in a lot of stress for moms. I hope everyone is taking time to rest and practice your favorite self-care activities.
I have two things on my mind right now that I want to share. One is some fantastic pointers I learned for beginner meditators. The other is an introduction to “awe” and its benefits, which we all experience but probably don’t give much thought to.
Meditation Myths
I spent last Saturday at a beautiful intention workshop at Evoke Mind + Body. If you are local, give Evoke a look. They offer a variety of wellness programs, including mental health counseling, support groups, and yoga classes. This workshop had three parts: a yoga class to get you in the right headspace to dream about new year intentions, a vision board workshop and lunch, and a guided meditation session focused on manifesting those intentions to close out. I went with my mom and it was a really powerful and calming day.
The meditation session was led by a trained meditation instructor, Annie Vinje. Prior to the guided meditation, Annie provided us with an introduction to meditation by way of myths:
I had several takeaways that were helpful to me as I try again to establish a meditation routine that sticks. Annie shared that any amount of time spent meditating has benefits (even one minute!), and you can do it anywhere. There is no “best way” to meditate. Do what works for you, which might be focusing on the breath, repeating a mantra, imagining a scene, or a walking meditation. And the big one for me, you aren’t failing at meditating if thoughts arise. The practice is in “noticing them and letting them go.” I feel inspired right now to really give a meditation practice another go this year.
Awe
I’ve been thinking about the power of a moment of awe since going on a little ski trip with my family after Christmas. We went to a small mountain in West Virginia. My five-year-old son road the chair lift and did a real run for the first time. I was so proud of him, he was brave. And as I was leisurely skiing behind my husband and my two kids, it struck me that we were skiing together as a family for the first time. The four of us were outside in a beautiful, mountain setting, bodies working, enjoying the same amazing experience together. And I was overcome with emotion and gratitude. Looking back, this was awe.
Awe is a feeling you get when you are struck by “sense of vastness, seeming much larger than us and the things we are used to, whether physically or metaphorically” that challenges “our concept of ourselves and the world around us.” Awe isn’t always a positive emotion. It can result from witnessing a death and or being in danger.
We benefit from moments of awe. Psychologist and awe expert Dacher Kelter found that awe can calm the nervous system, release oxytocin, and combat negative self-talk. Awe can also remind us of our connectedness, which has benefits such as making people kinder to each other. Awe can even be life-changing, inspiring us to make a big change or do something new.
Psychologist Jonah Paquette notes that awe can lower rates of depression, anxiety and stress, and enhance creativity and problem solving. He points out that moments of awe can be experienced in massive and rare life events, but it can also be found in the everyday. “We are surrounded by miracles” he says in his Tedx Talk. He urges us to pay attention to moments of connection with people we love, the beauty of the details we can see in nature, and to acts of kindness by those we encounter going about our day.
Mindfulness can be a powerful technique to experience awe. Slowing down and being present allows us to take in details and surroundings that we might otherwise miss and that can produce a moment of awe. I think of sitting in the kitchen on a trip to the mountains and looking out the window while I enjoy my first cup of coffee. By being present and observing instead of looking at my phone, I may catch that spectacular moment when the sun peeks over the ridge.
For a deep dive on awe (and some beautifully-written descriptions of stunning places), check out this piece by Florence Williams in Outside. I am excited to learn more about the benefits of awe and the ways in which I can bring more awe to my life. I would love to hear about any moments of awe you experience.
And some other thoughts on…
A well-organized walk through the mind of teenagers by age and what they need from parents during each phase.
I’ve been enthralled with Pamela Anderson’s reinvention. She cooks and bakes and gardens! She doesn’t wear makeup! She’s philosophical! Seriously, go Pamela. Martha Stewart interviews her here.
This piece nails the current worker disengagement crisis.
Bedtime procrastination: stay up too late reading this, and then never stay up too late again.