I wanted to share with everyone the wonderful, positive healing experiences I am having with meditating daily. I’ve been gradually, off and on, building up to a daily meditation practice, and now I find I can’t do without the protective space and peace that I am able to generate from my practice. 

At first it can be difficult to sit still and do nothing — there are many obstacles to getting into a space of well-being while meditating, such as pain and discomfort, restlessness, and sleepiness. Like anything, it takes practice, and at least for me it was a gradual process of training my mind and body to learn to return to a peaceful space when I do sit “on the cushion”.

Meditating is the most powerful way I’ve yet experienced for learning to train the mind. I find that as I calm and settle my thoughts, focusing on my breathing, the voices also calm and quiet down. This is a very empowering tool that I now can use basically anytime my voices become overwhelming. I am actively cultivating the quiet and peaceful space for them to dissipate and become muted. In this sense, perhaps the Buddhist monk at the meditation retreat was right: maybe the voices are generated by my own mind. Regardless of whether they are externally generated or internally generated, if I can learn to manage the voices through focusing on my breath and calming the mind, that is a truly wonderful ability for me to possess.

I think the hardest part about getting into a daily meditation practice is just getting in the habit of sitting on the cushion each day. Once it becomes a part of your daily routine, you’ll find that the feelings of peace and well-being generated in meditation will become indespensible, and a powerful coping mechanism for you to have at your disposal.

As I grow deeper in my practice, I look forward to investigating the root of my voices and my other mental maladies, blockages, and hindrances more closely, I hope using the power of awareness and mindfulness to better understand my mind, and be better equipped to train my mind to be calm, centered, balanced, and well.