My clients sometimes say something like this to me after a session in which I focused on Stillness of the mind.

“I would like to try to meditate, but it often doesn’t go well…”

One reason for this is that they might not have a clear understanding of what “meditation” really means. Meditation isn’t just sitting still and feeling bored. Although the process of meditation seems at a glance to be a very quiet activity, your mind often goes through dynamic processes, such as high and low tides of stillness.

There are many ways to reach a meditative state mind if we understand that the purpose of the meditation is “keeping your attention focused in one direction and experiencing the deep stillness that emerges.” Also bear in mind that the stillness itself and the process which gets you to that state depends on the individual person. Some people might reach it after a dynamic mental process while others might get there after a rhythmical process or a kind of quiet floating.

For those who know that meditation is necessary but can’t stand sitting silently, I can also recommend another style of meditation. It’s called Zen-Walking or Zen-Running. Here’s what you do:

1. Go out into nature – without your smartphone.
2. Walk or run rhythmically.
3. Activate your all five of your senses.
4. Keep your attention focused in one direction.
5. Accept any thoughts which arise. Don’t try to push them away.
6. Keep walking and running rhythmically with your senses open.
7. You will start to notice a unique state of mind emerging, ebbing and flowing like the tide.

That’s a meditational state.

Positivity and negativity are just two sides of the same coin

I will let you know one of the secrets of meditation. That is, you need to release the positive thoughts which come into your mind, not only the negative ones. We sometimes seek out and try to cling to positive thoughts, but that is just of the other side of negativity. If you think you want to be positive, there is always a negative thought lying down behind it.
Positivity and negativity are just two sides of the same coin, it is just the coloring of your thoughts with yin and yang. In the meditative state, all thoughts are unnecessary.
Once you release both kinds of your thoughts, stillness and balance – taiji- emerges.
Then the truth will be expressed in the calm wisdom that emerges after that.

Chamonix is the ideal place for doing this kind of meditation.
Let’s try Zen-walking or Zen-running in nature rather than sitting inside.
Nature can help you cease your mental chatter and still your mind.
At the same time, it can rejuvenate your body-mind unity and purify your whole presence.
Those who are not good at meditating while sitting still can experience stillness in this way.

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