This week I felt like I had a hangover reminiscent of my college years. But the funny thing is I didn’t drink one drop of alcohol the entire week.
The power of meditation may often be disregarded as nonsense, or non-essential in our every-day society. But I’m here to tell you it is a vital part of my weekly regiment.
And don’t get it twisted, I’m not one of those guys who meditates every day and prays to the Zulu God of Sunshine Rain Fire, (if that’s a real belief system, my bad.)
All I know is last Saturday morning I laid down and placed myself deep in the meditation realm with the intention of letting go.
What came up was much deeper than I anticipated. I felt anger, humiliation, and other negative emotions that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. This session felt deeper than previous experiences and when I finished I was completely out of sorts.
I probably knew that I was holding onto some negative energy, but I didn’t understand the depth of my pain. In the 45-minute session I felt vulnerable, raw, and cold-hearted. What caused these deep seeded emotions to stagnate in my body I don’t know, but I’m grateful I had the opportunity to confront, heal, and ultimately learn from these negative energies.
Jump forward to Wednesday morning, and I was still feeling the lingering effects from my time in contemplation. When I showed up to work I felt like I was trying to hide a hangover. And trust me, I went to Washington State University and spent time in the Greek system, so I know what a proper brown bag flu feels like.
The scary thing is these feelings have probably been stored in my body for over a decade, and who knows what havoc it inflicted on my well-being.
I know a lot of people may read this and think of it as hog wash, and that’s ok, I respect your opinion.
But my experience this past week is my reality and the way I felt sure as hell couldn’t be faked. Unless maybe your Denzel Washington; he could probably pull it off.
When I hear people talk about heath, the norm is some fad diet or eating quinoa. And while these things are probably good for the body, they are no replacement for true inner peace.
All the kale and avocado smoothies in the world probably won’t do a lick for one’s well-being if they dislike their job, partner, and other important aspects of their life.
How can one expect to be happy when they regularly do things that make them miserable?
This is where meditation can offer a moment of introspection, allowing an individual to dive deep into the depths of their soul.
And again, this doesn’t have to be a daily practice. Most people probably have jobs, family, and other important obligations to attend to. I know I can’t fit daily practice into my regiment but I do strive for at least one 45-minute session a week.
And there may be a misperception about what meditation actually is. It doesn’t mean that a person needs to spend the rest of their life sitting in the criss-cross applesauce position while humming spiritual tunes. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Meditation is a tool that allows an individual to live their best life, not to well… meditate more.
It’s Thursday morning and I finally feel like my hangover has subsided. The negative emotions have worked their way through me like alcohol through a liver.
I also didn’t magically turn into Gandhi. But I do feel happier, lighter, and free-er. Is that a word?
I was singing Drake on full volume this morning while driving to work. I can’t remember the last time I’ve done that.
I feel like my healing journey is underway.
Where will yours start?
