This post reminds me of the eight limbs of Yoga described in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. There is a reason why Dhyana - the uninterrupted flow of meditation, is the seventh limb, placed just before Samadhi.
I find it deeply uncomfortable when people are encouraged to “push through” meditation. Dhyana is not something we manufacture through force, an app, or perfect external conditions. It arises naturally from the foundations laid by Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara and Dharana. As our way of living, body, breath, senses and attention become aligned, meditation becomes the mind’s next natural state.
Somewhere, we have taken this journey backwards. We begin with meditation, overlook everything that prepares us for it, and then add so many methods that people are left feeling confused or inadequate.
Dhyana was never meant to become another task to perform. It is not the beginning of the path; it is the natural flowering of everything that comes before it.
Well said Priya. Thank you. The Bhagavad Gita says dharana must come before dhyana. Its amazing how many people think the opposite. There is so much room for right education here, if people are open and willing. Ironically, everyone wants to be present, yet without concentration it cannot be possible?
I love this message so much Meredith, I couldn’t agree more. When I learned about concentration in a meditation course (it definitely wasn’t common sense to me!) it absolutely changed everything. Sharing this will help many I am sure (and love your YouTube journey).
Thank you, Nathalie 🤍 i honestly believe that if people learned the art of concentration, they will be more present and available to others….. It’s what’s missing. i’m so glad you’re liking the YouTube videos.
As always Meredith profound wisdom - reality based - i do like the highlighted words, i agree. "do we really need to be told to breathe" may come in useful when one is having a panic attack, but once settled, strange as it sounds, our body comes back to the automatic normal breathing pattern - i agree again, we so do not need '"another technique" it seems more & more pple have a "try this technique, try that" it may work for a brief time, & for some, but then it's back to where we where before we started it! Fully agree & would like to add - we need to wake up! and - with your words, "pay attention and concentrate" otherwise our energies remain scattered within the chaos that our in-attention creates. Love your Article Meredith:_)
Hi Amilia, thanks for reading and showing such common sense. If only people would learn how to concentrate then their life would be like a full-time meditation— fully present to the task at hand. Were you able to watch the YouTube video?
Yes i was able to watch the YouTube - happy to say:_) - speaking off waking up - i obviously was not whilst i was trying to click on an example arrow last week! i feel most times we all seem to be going so fast, only having brief times to slow down & concentrate especially if we are responding & adapting to an instant everchanging environment as in some work places, but if we remain focused, we can then concentrate, which is crucial at those times, of working, the job then becomes skillfully completed! in a calm state.
Agree - love "if only pple would learn how to concentrate" i find if i bring myself back to the present moment-reality, in the here & now, i am more grounded, able to focus & concentrate, reflecting on this way of responding & re-acting provides a good understanding of myself. Thankyou always for your well-balanced and truthful teachings with insight:_) always appreciated.
I’m just a silly girl out here following my inner guide, and oddly enough, she had some serious questions about the whole meditation thing, because she and I agree, relative to carts and horses, as they apply to concentration and meditation. So thank you very much for this. The 20/80 read/reflect is 20% read and 80% reflect? Yes? In the early morning it is a lovely way to set up the day, to move into it with calm inner purpose.
I really enjoyed reading this. It got me thinking about the role of the breath in all of this.
We don't need to be reminded to breathe, but there's a difference between breathing automatically and being aware of how we're breathing.
That's where functional breathing comes in. Learning to notice how we're breathing, and how it changes with stress, focus, movement, and rest, can be really valuable. Thanks for sharing.
I agree absolutely. There are so much information and so many techniques on the internet that is truly overloading. But just like you said, we don't need another technique. We need to embody what we know and just come back to our bodies.
This post reminds me of the eight limbs of Yoga described in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. There is a reason why Dhyana - the uninterrupted flow of meditation, is the seventh limb, placed just before Samadhi.
I find it deeply uncomfortable when people are encouraged to “push through” meditation. Dhyana is not something we manufacture through force, an app, or perfect external conditions. It arises naturally from the foundations laid by Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara and Dharana. As our way of living, body, breath, senses and attention become aligned, meditation becomes the mind’s next natural state.
Somewhere, we have taken this journey backwards. We begin with meditation, overlook everything that prepares us for it, and then add so many methods that people are left feeling confused or inadequate.
Dhyana was never meant to become another task to perform. It is not the beginning of the path; it is the natural flowering of everything that comes before it.
Well said Priya. Thank you. The Bhagavad Gita says dharana must come before dhyana. Its amazing how many people think the opposite. There is so much room for right education here, if people are open and willing. Ironically, everyone wants to be present, yet without concentration it cannot be possible?
I love this message so much Meredith, I couldn’t agree more. When I learned about concentration in a meditation course (it definitely wasn’t common sense to me!) it absolutely changed everything. Sharing this will help many I am sure (and love your YouTube journey).
Thank you, Nathalie 🤍 i honestly believe that if people learned the art of concentration, they will be more present and available to others….. It’s what’s missing. i’m so glad you’re liking the YouTube videos.
I love listening to your voice 🌷I feel calm instantly 🤍🧡
So lovely 🤍🩵💛
So lovely to see you here Wendy 🤍
As always Meredith profound wisdom - reality based - i do like the highlighted words, i agree. "do we really need to be told to breathe" may come in useful when one is having a panic attack, but once settled, strange as it sounds, our body comes back to the automatic normal breathing pattern - i agree again, we so do not need '"another technique" it seems more & more pple have a "try this technique, try that" it may work for a brief time, & for some, but then it's back to where we where before we started it! Fully agree & would like to add - we need to wake up! and - with your words, "pay attention and concentrate" otherwise our energies remain scattered within the chaos that our in-attention creates. Love your Article Meredith:_)
Hi Amilia, thanks for reading and showing such common sense. If only people would learn how to concentrate then their life would be like a full-time meditation— fully present to the task at hand. Were you able to watch the YouTube video?
Yes i was able to watch the YouTube - happy to say:_) - speaking off waking up - i obviously was not whilst i was trying to click on an example arrow last week! i feel most times we all seem to be going so fast, only having brief times to slow down & concentrate especially if we are responding & adapting to an instant everchanging environment as in some work places, but if we remain focused, we can then concentrate, which is crucial at those times, of working, the job then becomes skillfully completed! in a calm state.
Correct. Got to keep our heads on our shoulders. Then we can rise above all the unimportant things and focus on what truly matters 🤍
Agree - love "if only pple would learn how to concentrate" i find if i bring myself back to the present moment-reality, in the here & now, i am more grounded, able to focus & concentrate, reflecting on this way of responding & re-acting provides a good understanding of myself. Thankyou always for your well-balanced and truthful teachings with insight:_) always appreciated.
🙏🙏
I’m just a silly girl out here following my inner guide, and oddly enough, she had some serious questions about the whole meditation thing, because she and I agree, relative to carts and horses, as they apply to concentration and meditation. So thank you very much for this. The 20/80 read/reflect is 20% read and 80% reflect? Yes? In the early morning it is a lovely way to set up the day, to move into it with calm inner purpose.
You sound like a wise woman with absolute common-sense to me. Let that horse run in the early morning, build inner strength, and be free.
I really enjoyed reading this. It got me thinking about the role of the breath in all of this.
We don't need to be reminded to breathe, but there's a difference between breathing automatically and being aware of how we're breathing.
That's where functional breathing comes in. Learning to notice how we're breathing, and how it changes with stress, focus, movement, and rest, can be really valuable. Thanks for sharing.
Once the mind is disciplined, calm and steady, breath follows.
Wonderful. I also found the video so useful, especially the 80/20 reflection which was new to me. Thank you Meredith 🤍✨🙏
TBH, didn't think anyone would appreciate this post, as it goes against the grain of popular thinking, so thank you 🙏🤍
I love Eckhart Tolle, he has a very similar approach to you. I’m grateful for your wisdom 🤍✨🙏
🤍
Concentration for more than a brief period of time has always been a challenge for me. Thanks for this
I agree absolutely. There are so much information and so many techniques on the internet that is truly overloading. But just like you said, we don't need another technique. We need to embody what we know and just come back to our bodies.