Meditation – the skill of observation, with awareness of our emotions and thoughts

When was the last time you paused, remained still, put your phone aside, and removed all distractions? When was the last time you did nothing? Absolutely nothing?

Our lives are full of distractions and stimuli. However, there is a way to slow down, so that the mind can relax and the body can release stress, and that is meditation.

What is meditation?

It is a skill, a way of training the mind to have a calmer, clearer mind and, at the same time, a greater sense of comfort in our body and our life. Essentially, we systematically step away for a few minutes, pausing and training the mind to focus on the present and be less distracted. Training the mind has to do with changing our relationship with the thoughts and feelings that arise, broadening our perception of them. When we do this, we find a place of calm.

Most people believe that meditation means controlling the mind, changing it so that we can get rid of thoughts and distractions. However, consider it a little differently.

Meditation refers to observation that can be directed both inside and outside ourselves. Observation of emotions, bodily sensations, and thoughts, in the here and now. Observation of things happening at this moment. This may sound easy, but how often is our attention diverted by our thoughts? Although thinking is undoubtedly very useful, as it allows us to make plans and solve difficult problems, at the same time, it often causes many problems. Our minds can easily get lost in endless thoughts (worrying and contemplative). Our thoughts create emotions such as fear and sadness. We lie awake at night worrying about what might happen tomorrow. We can't stop thinking about that mistake we made last week. In our minds, we are constantly preoccupied with things that need to be done. These are just a few examples of how our minds can make life difficult. Meditation teaches us to deal with these problematic thoughts by focusing our attention on the here and now, thereby gradually creating a different relationship with our thoughts and feelings.

Focusing the mind on something specific through meditation does not mean that we want to escape from our thoughts or isolate ourselves from the world. Instead, we learn to recognize when we are trapped in a thought or distraction and to step out of it, let go, and return to a place of calm and focused attention (mindful observation).

Mindful observation means observation without judgment. Often, sensations such as tension or fear are automatically labeled as "bad," "inappropriate," or "undesirable." When we judge a particular emotion ("I am experiencing fear, this is bad, I don't want to feel this way"), we automatically create a conflict, a conflict between the current emotion ("bad") and the expected or ideal emotion ("good"). Any attempt to resolve this conflict, for example by suppressing a negative emotion, requires a lot of energy and, paradoxically, makes us feel even worse. How can this be changed? Through acceptance. Acceptance plays a key role in meditation. Through observation and acceptance, we allow every emotion, sensation, or thought to be present. They are there anyway. Instead of fighting against emotions or thoughts, meditation strengthens our willingness to recognize, allow, and accept our inner states.

From a physiological point of view, heart rate, blood pressure, stress levels, and the structure of the brain itself (neuroplasticity) are affected. The brain is flexible, malleable, and changeable.

When we meditate, in the same way that we exercise the body, the part of the brain responsible for feelings of happiness and well-being receives more blood flow, becomes thicker and stronger, so we spend more time in that part.

Meditation has been proven to reduce stress, anger, depression, and pain, and increase happiness, patience, acceptance, and compassion. So even when you are just sitting and feel that nothing is happening, rest assured that meditation and mindfulness can change your life.

What happens in the brain when we meditate?

(Anastasis Stefanou, a psychiatrist, explains).

To explain this, we need to look at how our brain "thinks"!

Thinking is a function of the mind that is carried out by activating neural pathways. The nerve cells (neurons) in the brain communicate with each other through chemical molecules, and this is how we develop what are known as thought patterns.

When we have a thought, if it is reinforced by repetition and the emotions it evokes, then the corresponding neural pathway is also reinforced.

For example, when we think about plans for the future, we activate the relevant pathway, which in turn activates other pathways related to planning, preparation, and even readiness, with all that this entails for our emotions.

In contrast, meditation, whose main characteristic is focusing on the here and now, but also on present physical and mental stimuli, activates other neural pathways, such as the auditory, olfactory, tactile, and others. Thus, thought is diverted from its "everyday" paths and focuses on processing the stimuli received from the body. In this context, the meditator's emotions are recognized by the meditator himself, becoming more easily accepted, as there is room for their understanding when the path of thought ceases to be so "busy."

This skill, of course, like all brain skills, can be learned! With practice, the brain is "rewarded" through the positive experiences that meditation brings. With this reward, the new way of thinking is reinforced and, little by little, change comes to these pathways.