Meditation: The Art of Going Within to Better Serve the World Outside

Happy New Year everyone ! 😊

I hope you’ve had a great start into 2024 and I wish this year to be a kind and generous one with lots of meaning and positive growth for you all.

As I often do, I started this new year in retreat, surrounded by beautiful people and peaceful vibes. Once again, I was reminded of how powerful and meaningful it is to start the year generating inner peace together with others who are also wanting to improve themselves to better serve the world.

I believe that developing inner peace and happiness is one of the best things we can do while being alive on the planet. When we make peace with ourselves, and we accept ourselves as we truly are, we are able to act in a way that is coherent, inspiring and of service to others. And our fragmented, disconnected, ego-driven societies, truly need people who act in selfless, compassionate and collaborative ways, if we are to create an empowered and inclusive world with better life opportunities for all, and less tensions, wars and inequalities.

Acting selflessly and with compassion does not mean we forget ourselves in order to act for the benefit of others around us. It means that we understand that we are all together in this life experience and that ultimately we all strive for happiness and peace. And when others are feeling happy and peaceful, they will most probably not want to enter at war with us. They will respect us, accept our differences and aim for collaboration.

If everybody would come to understand this at the individual level (experientially, not just intellectually), the changes we could possibly manifest outside in our world collectively, would be really extraordinary.

Making Meditation and Inner Peace Your New Year Resolution  !

So perhaps you’ve already heard a few things about meditation and its benefits. Maybe you have a friend or family member who has gone through some kind of transformation thanks to their meditation practice. Or, there is some celebrity out there that you really admire that tells how great meditation is and how much it has changed their lives for the better.

You’ve actually considered it in your mind, a few times.

But you haven’t tried it yet.

Or you’ve tried it, but you felt it was too difficult, or not appropriate for your lifestyle. After all, you’re already so busy, and so passionate about your life, you like intensity and excitement, and you don’t see what would be the benefit of dedicating some of your precious and finite time of the day to just sit still and observe what’s going on inside your mind.

Well, today we know that our outside world is a manifestation of our inner world.

And it’s not only because philosophers and spiritual masters have been telling us so since millenia, it’s because neuroscientists, cognitive scientists, psychologists and physicists who dedicate themselves to study the human mind and consciousness, have come to realize that our perceptions and thoughts are really what shape our understanding and subjective reality of the world.

So, if our mind creates our reality, wouldn’t it be wise and beneficial to learn how to master it ?

This is where the power of meditation resides.

By going within and learning to develop a calm, peaceful mind that allows positive inner qualities to manifest, we can become better human beings and help co-create a better world around us.

Isn’t that a beautiful goal to aim for this new year ? 😄

Some Practical Tips to Make Meditation Part of Your Life in 2024

INNER TIPS

1. Adopt a beginner’s mind : start your meditation journey with an open-mind and each time you sit to meditate tell yourself you’re about to learn something new.

2. Have no expectations : don’t expect anything. Especially, do not expect to turn off your thoughts and attain a calm mind from the start. This simply won’t happen.

3. Do not judge, simply observe : remember that you aren’t doing this to judge or criticize whatever is in your mind. Just observe what’s going on, without any judgement.

4. Be patient : like any other skill, meditation skills will develop over time. Be patient and kind with yourself.

OUTER TIPS

1. Find a quiet and comfortable place : having a dedicated, tranquil space in your room helps create a sacred and peaceful time for self-care and inner peace.

2. Eliminate distractions : switch off all electronic devices and let people know you need some quiet and undisturbed time.

3. Use a timer and start small : as a beginner, setting a timer for 5-15 minutes can help you start small to slowly but surely turn it into a habit.

4. Adopt a comfortable posture : make sure you’re not adding any extra tension or tightness in the body, and try different positions to decide which one is best for you (sitting, laying down, standing, walking...).

5. Use guided meditations : when you’re starting, you might need some guidance. Feel free to use any of our free guided meditations available on youtube.

6. Keep a journal or share your experience with someone : keeping track of your progress will help you stay motivated to maintain the habit. You might want to do it personally by writing your thoughts ; or, sharing your experience with a friend or closed one might also be interesting !

With all the discouragement and despair going on in our world today, we can all embrace the responsibility to make it a personal commitment to bring peace, love, joy, optimism and hope in our lives and in the lives of people around us.

Meditation is a powerful method to help us with that mission.

So why not making it a priority in 2024 ? 😉

Love,

💗

Tati