Reflections on Meditation - February 2024
This months reflections on meditation. A collection of Substack notes for the month of February 2024 from Now About Meditation
Unveiling Internal Voices
Meditation allows us to see how the voices we have internalized from our parents, political leaders, and religious teachers inform the way we speak and think, and thereby it opens up a space in which we’re not just vocalizing what our community believes and says.
- by Stephen Batchelor
The objective, non-judgmental observing element of meditation can serve as a transformative element in unveiling the different layers piled on top of each other over the years and how these have influenced our internal dialogue. This could reveal the voices we have absorbed from various sources, such as our parents, political leaders, and religious teachers, and how biased our view of life may be. Meditation can facilitate awareness of how these external influences shape our thoughts and expressions. This can help us discern the difference between the genuine reflections of our own beliefs and values and the echoes of societal expectations. If meditation practice can help disentangle us from the voices that have unconsciously moulded our worldview, then this becomes a gateway to cultivating a more authentic and introspective understanding of our own thoughts, beliefs, and values.
Mindful and Dissociation: Safeguarding Awareness
Vancappel et al. (2021) state,
"The link between dissociation and mindfulness may be mediated by attention and emotional acceptance. This is consistent with the model proposed by Bishop et al. (2004). Specific exercises targeting attentional control and emotional acceptance are indicated to treat dissociative symptoms."
In practice, what Vancappel et al. (2021) propose is quite factual, and I have observed it myself, especially in cases where there is a dissociative disconnect from the body due to a "traumatic experience."
However, there are times when mindfulness can potentially do more harm than good for someone experiencing dissociation, particularly if the person is still emotionally fused with the experience or if there are repressed unresolved emotions. Care must be taken to bring those emotions to awareness safely to avoid re-traumatization. It is crucial to keep in mind the three R's of trauma-sensitive mindfulness: 1) recognize, 2) respond, 3) avoid retraumatization, and employ techniques related to each stage to aid the client in holding their emergent experience without getting lost in it.
Real Love: Timeless, Innate, and Resilient
Sharon Salzberg, author and teacher of Buddhist meditation practices, remarks,
"I see real love as the most fundamental of our innate capacities, never destroyed no matter what we might have gone through or might yet go through. It may be buried, obscured from view, hard to find, and hard to trust . . . but it is there."
Here, Sharon Salzberg alludes to the timeless nature of genuine love as an intrinsic, unwavering element within the human experience. Salzberg underscores that authentic love is not easily dismantled by adversities that one may face. She portrays real love as an enduring force, deeply embedded in the core of every individual, resilient even in the face of life's trials and tribulations.
It is a fundamental aspect of our innate capacities that stands as a steadfast and unwavering force, persisting despite the challenges that may attempt to shroud or obscure it. Although Salzberg also acknowledges how difficult it can be to trust in love as a limitless quality when it is temporarily obscured, emphasizing the human struggle to access and embrace this profound emotion.
Furthermore, Salzberg's words speak to the resilience of the human spirit, highlighting our collective ability to navigate through hardships while retaining the capacity for love. Her comment underscores the belief that, no matter how deeply buried or concealed, authentic love remains an integral part of our shared human existence. Through her perspective, she invites us to recognize and appreciate the enduring nature of love, portraying it as an unwavering beacon that continues to illuminate the human experience, in the midst of life's complexities.
Uncovering the Roots of Reactive and Destructive Behaviours
Contemplative photographer, psychologist, author, and entrepreneur Aura Glaser writes how,
"Sometimes, our most obvious destructive behaviours conceal something else that is even more difficult for us to acknowledge. We may be willing to acknowledge our anger, but unwilling to look at the fear and vulnerability beneath it."
- Aura Glaser
In this reflection, Aura Glaser draws us to reflect on the complexity of human behaviour and the intricate layers that often shroud our destructive tendencies. Glaser astutely points out that our overtly destructive behaviours, such as explosive anger or harmful habits, might serve as mere veils, concealing deeper, more profound emotions that we might find challenging to confront. While we may readily admit to harbouring anger, Glaser contends that if we look more deeply at these "destructive emotions," gradually peeling away the layers, might reveal an underlying resistance or reluctance to explore the underlying emotions of fear and vulnerability that might be hiding beneath and giving rise to these reactive, destructive behaviours like anger.
This is a poignant reminder that our external display and acting out of distress may only scratch the surface of the emotional currents that underlay our behaviours. Mindfulness prompts us to embark on a more introspective journey to uncover the intricacies of our emotional landscape. This acknowledgement of the multifaceted nature of our actions lies at the roots of one of the catalysts that promotes and encourages self-awareness and personal growth.