What is the purpose of meditation?

What is the purpose of meditation?

What many people think is that while meditating you need to clear your head completely. Something many people long for, but why meditating can seem quite a distant thought. After all, how do you not think about anything? Thoughts are always and everywhere.

Clearing your head of thoughts is not the goal of meditation. It is not that you are not allowed to think about anything during meditation. Thoughts are welcome to be there, but you don't let them drag you down anymore.

All you do during meditation is look at those thoughts, like clouds in the sky. You don't have to do anything with them. This gives peace and space. And maybe you will see how beautiful the silence of the blue sky is in which those little clouds float.

Focusing your attention on the now

What you do during meditation is focusing your attention on the here and now. By meditating you become aware of all the thoughts that haunt your mind. And then you do nothing with them.

You don't try to clear your head or think about anything else. You let the thoughts come, are aware of them and let them go. So that you can be completely in the "now. This trains you to live more in the moment, which you can also apply outside of your meditations.

Inner peace and mental happiness

A nice house, a fast car or a loving partner. These things do not automatically lead to happiness. Even if you have everything your heart desires, you can still feel deeply unhappy. So where does inner peace and happiness come from?

If you meditate regularly you will find that events have less influence on you. Peace arises from within. You don't get this from a new dress or piece of chocolate. This peace is more stable, deeper. It is a "peace of mind" that is within ourselves and that we can experience through meditation.

And this especially takes practice. You can think of meditating as going to the gym. You may be training to get a six-pack, but you also know that you won't have it after the first abdominal exercises. It takes training, discipline and perseverance. You can think of meditating in the same way. After each meditation you come one step closer to that inner peace, tranquility and happiness.