Publisher’s Perspective: What I gained from one year of daily meditation
By Josh Warburton
I just passed one year of daily meditation. It’s kind of hard for me to believe it’s been that long already and what a difference a year makes.
The week I started meditating every day was an eventful one. There were some major changes happening in my personal life. I was emotional, distraught even. I figured meditating couldn’t hurt. I’d talked about meditation many times with family, friends, and significant others, but had a hard time getting interested in “guided mediation.” My thoughts at the time were that the last thing I needed was someone else telling me what to do, let alone how to rest or relax. But I had already tried it off and on for a few months without having worked it into my routine until then. That week, I knew I needed nurturing. I needed peace and I needed help. And with the upheaval of my personal life, I knew I needed to help myself. So how could it hurt?
I downloaded a couple of apps on my phone: Headspace, Calm, and eventually Mediation Studio, which I use almost exclusively now. I knew I wanted to make it a part of my daily routine, which I’ve never had much of, so I decided the best way was to make it part of my waking up. I’d been really contemplative first thing in the morning, and I’d been giving myself a bit of time each day to think about my day, life, goals, and such. So along with that, it seemed like the best place for me to consistently insert meditating into my day.
And so it began. Each day I would wake, give myself a bit of time to adjust and reflect, and then cue up a guided meditation from one of the apps ranging in length from 2 to 20 minutes. And although I really had no idea if it would be beneficial, I trusted what I’d been told — that in time I would reap the benefits. So I stuck with it, day after day, morning after morning. I’d also occasionally add in extra ones in an evening or on a commute.
I tried not to overthink it. If it was good enough for Tim Ferriss and the multitude of successful people I’d heard him interview on his podcasts, it was good enough for me. Without knowing what I might gain or how it might benefit me, I continued the practice, and in a short time, I did notice some changes. I was calmer. More patient. More understanding. It seemed too good to be true, but I kept at it.
After a month or two, I wrote about it here in my monthly column. I espoused its benefits to my friends and family. I shared the apps with people I cared about. I became a proponent of daily meditation, contemplation, and quiet self analysis. It just became part of who I am and what I do, and I’ve really enjoyed it.
But I’m sure what you’d all like to know is whether or not it really works. Could it really benefit you, and if so, how? I can only speak to my own experiences, but let me recall a couple that I think showcase the positive effects of meditation on me.
Last year as I was working in my yard, headphones on and focused on my tasks at hand, I heard a commotion. I looked up to witness an altercation between my neighbors, a husband and wife. As they had taken an exchange that was going on in the house out into the open air of their driveway, I was witness to a heated verbal bout that almost got physical.
Rather than immediately injecting myself into the situation, I remember feeling calm, observant, and almost out of my body, as if I could see myself watching the interaction. I considered my options: maybe yelling that I was watching them so they knew there was someone witnessing their fight, or maybe just calling the cops — she did attempt to hit him with her shoe, but she missed. Instead, I simply observed, phone in hand ready to dial and eyes wide open. Within a minute, they stopped fighting, and he drove away. And while I have certainly second-guessed my actions, I believe meditation helped give me the ability to observe thoughtfully before reacting.
Just recently, I had an exchange with another neighbor that began very awkwardly. My neighbor was upset, but I didn’t know why. After a few moments of uncomfortable and confusing statements, I simply asked him very gently if there was a problem he’d like me to address. He then expressed to me just what was bothering him.
That approach seemed to really disarm him. I told him that I was happy to help resolve the situation and that if there was anything else he had an issue with, I’d really love to hear about it so I could address it.
At that point, the whole conversation shifted. I think a previous version of me might have told him where he could lodge his complaint, if you know what I’m saying. But again, as I observed his anger, I felt I was actually looking at myself from the outside with a similar calm I’d felt when I’d witnessed my other neighbors’ interaction. And that ability to calmly pause for observation is what I feel I’ve gained from meditation.
But those things seem like isolated incidents. I’m sure you’d like to know if daily meditation has affected my day-to-day life, and I believe it has.
Just a couple of months ago, I was having a difficult day. I observed myself dropping things and getting frustrated. And it was weird. Why? Well, because since I’d been meditating, I’d rarely fumbled, dropped, or misplaced anything. I’d also rarely gotten really frustrated or angry. So I noticed it. What an amazing thing. I’d been so much more focused, calm, and present that when I wasn’t, I really noticed it!
So I’m not a doctor or a psychologist, and my experiences are simply that: my own. But if you’ve ever wanted more calm in your life, consider meditation. If you feel you’re possibly too reactionary and would like to be able to process situations without losing your temper, try meditation. It’s been great for me.
Have a great month, and happy reading!
Well Said. Meditation for me is a vacation from the ego mind. Stopping the internal dialogue and experiencing true silence brings about religious experiences. I know you kept it light and down to Earth, but sometimes listening to the spirit or Holy Ghost rather than just prayer, does incredible wonders for the soul.