Mejitation—yup, I used to call it that.
It was my lameass way of easing myself into a meditation practice without admiting I was engaging in self-help! Don't ask....
Believe me, I’m snickering, embarrassingly so, as I begin writing this piece. At the same time, I harken back to a younger man who, for pathetic macho reasons, was adamant that meditation was not something he needed nor ever would! Whoa, if I’m honest, he was a piece of work. He believed that meditation was some woo-woo bullshit that only West-Coast-flakey-earth-muffins did because they had nothing better to do with their time than sit around on purple pillows with pungent incense and claim they were getting in touch with their inner selves—whatever the f*ck that meant!
Oh my, now I’m laughing out loud as I recall that opinionated ass hat! I mean, there’s a reason I’m telling you about him in the third person. It’s embarrassing as hell to admit that at one point in my life, I agreed with the above description of what meditation was and who partook.
Then, I met the Lazarre sisters, two new roommates in Vancouver. They were actually fascinating young women who had travelled the world and had some really interesting experiences. One of the places they had been to was India. While there, they learned how to cook and, perhaps no surprise, how to meditate. The result was a house that smelled like an Indian restaurant most nights. The dishes they would cook up were out of this world!
However, the part that I couldn’t quite grasp was that on weekends, they’d invite fifteen or so people over and host a group meditation in our living room. It included everything I described earlier: purple pillows, pungent incense, and, the worst, patchouli-wearing friends who stunk up the entire house. At the time, I referred to it as hippie cologne, which, for me, was enemy number one. I’d be upstairs doing my homework, and this strong, obnoxious odour would overtake my room—man, I hated that stuff!
Then, one night during dinner, I asked them why—what’s with all the meditation? I mean, what are you guys trying to achieve, anyway? And that was the beginning of the end for me. They not only convinced me to try, but they showed me how. But, even with their guidance, I didn’t see the point. They told me it helped them stay focused and calm during stressful days. But, I wasn’t feelin’ it.
When I finished my first 20-minute session, I was more pissed off than when I had begun. You see, I had turned it into a competition, and naturally, I had to do it better than anyone else. I was bound and determined to get really good at this. Jase, it can’t be that hard, buddy; just shut off your brain and don’t think about anything—what’s the big deal? But the clarity and bliss that my instructors had described eluded me.
A few years later, I watched Andy Puddicombe give a TED Talk on meditation. It was a game-changer for me. I finally realized I had been doing it all wrong. First of all, it wasn’t a fricken competition—what a donkey! Second, the point of meditation, according to Andy, wasn’t to NOT think about anything but instead simply notice how much I thought … which I realized was a lot!
Then I discovered his app called Headspace, and I tried it. Having him talk me through a meditation enabled me to finish a session and a) not be more frustrated than when I began and b) have someone provide strategies and cues to help make my sessions more effective and enjoyable.
Not really needing any more convincing at this stage, a few years ago, while having lunch with a guy who had won a gold medal at the Olympics in triathlon, perhaps one of the most challenging sports at the Games, he told me something I’d never forget. I asked him, “If you could do it again, what would you do differently?”
“Meditate more,” was his reply. No hesitation. “In fact,” he added, “I would meditate 2 minutes for every minute I trained. That’s how much I believe it impacts our ability to be our best.”
Today, I’m on my own. And, yes, I’ve finally stopped calling it mejitation! I simply manage each session using what I’ve learned from Andy. True, I still think a lot, but now, it doesn’t bother me the way it used to. I just notice it and let it go. That’s it. Notice and let it go. Pretty easy, actually.
And, just like the Lazarre sisters had promised me all those years ago, I do feel more focused and less stressed during my days. And, on the days I don’t meditate, I can feel the difference. So, now, I try to make it part of my morning routine after journaling. It’s just one of many health practices that have proven worthwhile over the years.
So, if you’re curious but have an old story like me about what you think meditation is or who it’s for, I would invite you to put that aside and give it a try. Watch the TED Talk. Download an app if you want, and just try it. Two minutes, even—just sit down and start. And, remember, if you keep telling yourself you don’t have time—this is what I was told when I said, “If that's how you feel, you need to be meditating more than you think!”
If you missed this week’s Performance Minded article on Visualization, see below.
Visualization IS worth your time.
When I first began rowing, the idea of visualization would’ve been politely considered hooey—and thus, I wasn’t interested. In my second go-round as a coach, I began looking for any and every stone to turn over—what else can make us faster? When I came across an article outlining the research regarding the potential benefits of mentally rehearsing the o…
