Particle of Sand: the Art of Meditation

Excerpts from an interview with Lynne Cardinal by Tanya Witteveen, for her Master’s in Human Kinetics at the University of Ottawa.

Tanya: Lynne, could you explain how meditation works?

Lynne: Traditional meditation aims to calm the mind and create a profound sense of peace within oneself. Through meditation, we gain a certain distance, a different, more comprehensive perspective. When this is achieved, a new type of awareness emerges—a calm and perspective that might elude a hyperactive or anxious mind. Ken Wilber, a contemporary philosopher of international renown, stated, “Meditation is a concrete demonstration of techniques promoting an increase in self-esteem.” Indeed, meditation provides a healthy sense of self-confidence—not superiority, but rather a feeling of acceptance and objectivity.

As we embark on a regular meditation practice, the first step is to start calming mental hyperactivity. I like to use the following analogy to describe what happens within us during meditation. Picture an aquarium filled with water and sand at the bottom. Take a stick and stir the water; you’ll see the sand particles swirling, clouding the water. The sand particles represent your thoughts, and the water represents your mind.

Generally, our state of mind may seem muddled. We wake up, and our thoughts whirl: “I must do this, go there, and don’t forget this and that.” Too often, our minds are in a state of hyperactivity, busy planning, reflecting, remembering, anticipating, and worrying. We live either in the past or the future but rarely in the present.

When we meditate, we could say that we remove the stick from the aquarium. Yet, we are often surprised by the quantity of thoughts circulating, even when sitting calmly. Initially, the swirling may even seem to worsen as we confront it directly. However, we are more present, more aware. Some may say, “Meditation doesn’t work for me; I can’t calm my thoughts.”

But it does work as intended; let’s be patient. This swirling will gradually slow, and the sand particles will begin to settle at the bottom of the aquarium. With time and practice, our thoughts will calm. So, if we meditate long enough, the sand will settle at the bottom, and we’ll get clear water. This is when people often tell me, “After some meditations, I open my eyes and feel like my vision has improved, colors seem clearer, and my sense of smell is sharper. But most importantly, I feel much better in my body and mind.”

During our meditations, we may sometimes experience profound peace. To illustrate this, think of the ocean, usually very active on the surface. If we dive just below the surface, we’ll still perceive the movements—waves, water lapping. But if we go a bit deeper into the water, we won’t be affected by surface movements.

Similarly, when we delve deep within ourselves during meditation, we free ourselves from superficial mental activity and experience a deeper, calm, and balanced state of mind. Regular meditation provides not only a sense of mental and emotional balance but also generates the ability to deal with more complex everyday situations.

It’s also a form of prevention. In future stressful situations, we would have prepared ourselves, reacting with more calmness or balance. After practicing for a certain period, a sense of stability will settle in our existence. In Sanskrit, the language of ancient sages, this is called “stithi,” referring to a state of fundamental equanimity that prevails and stabilizes. This doesn’t mean everything will always go perfectly, but rather that we can better navigate life’s challenges. We develop a sense of becoming an “Observer.”

We’ll feel less like riding the ups and downs of the ocean waves. Our true stability will reside deep within us.

Tanya: Sometimes people feel frustrated because they don’t perceive tangible results. It seems challenging not to judge our meditations, not to have expectations.

Lynne: Indeed, we judge based on the concepts we’ve acquired, rooted in what we believe to be either good or bad. That’s what we’ve been taught. We constantly judge—ourselves, others, our work, relationships, yoga practice, and even our meditations. However, meditators will have days when they feel very peaceful during meditation, thinking it’s finally yielding results. Some experiences may be remarkable, but they are transient. It can be frustrating if we rely on them or expect to relive them in every meditation session. So, if during our next meditation, instead of experiencing something special, we have multiple thoughts, we’ll be disappointed. That’s when we might think, “I can’t meditate!” In fact, our goal in meditation is to practice regularly, regardless of the experience we have. We just need to observe our thoughts.

As is often said:

“To meditate, just sit down and close your eyes. Without judgment. Adopt a technique that suits you, and persevere gently. The rest will follow naturally. It’s about being patient and continuing, daily.”

Not judging our meditations is essential, and this lighter, judgment-free attitude will follow us even in our daily lives. We’ll be less demanding of others and more patient with ourselves.

When we meditate, we gradually reconnect with our essence. All forms of meditation are based on a well-defined process, and success relies on a foundation of perseverance. Be assured that nothing harmful will happen during meditation if we practice with the guidance of a qualified teacher and use appropriate techniques. Let’s savor all our meditations, even if we have many thoughts. Let them go, remaining calm, objective, unaffected. Then, resume our technique.

There will be meditations less peaceful than others, but all of this is part of a gradual transformation process. Each meditation has its place. Of course, meditation naturally leads to concentration. Not an intense or tense concentration, but rather a concentration whose essence is gentleness.

This gentleness will slip into our mind, alongside a new perspective and awareness. Having meditated for many decades, meditation naturally satisfies my thirst for calm and balance. Each meditation is unique, yet there always remains a fundamental sense of satisfaction in having created a bit more balance in body and mind. There’s a gradual, cumulative energetic balance that integrates into our daily life. This type of concentration leads to balance. And when lacking it, it generates anxiety for both the body and mind.

Tanya: Can we call this a form of training?

Lynne: Yes, of course. If the mind is scattered, let’s accept it, become aware of it, and then adopt the technique we prefer. It does require some effort, but it’s a gentle and patient effort. It means recognizing that it’s a gradual process. Then, over time, a profound transformation will occur in our mind. I’ve experienced it directly. I acknowledge tangible transformations in myself every year, just like everyone who meditates regularly. Over time, those who meditate regularly will become happier, have a greater lightness of spirit, and generally be less anxious. Not always, as we are human and we are always learning. But our life experience will be much richer.

This is based on the result of regular practice. It’s a training that leads a more peaceful mind and greater perspectives and wisdom, gradually. Yet, evolution continues, making our practice fascinating. I believe our potential is limitless, and I am skeptical of those who claim to have reached ultimate knowledge, those who say they have attained perfection.

I believe evolution is incessant, making life wonderful and intriguing. So, we learn to live more consciously. We’ll feel our needs and respect them, as well as those of others. A sense of unity unfolds.

When we meditate regularly, we sometimes become aware of the “need” to meditate. When our mind becomes restless - and it inevitably will - we’ll realize it in time and know how to regain our balance. Recognizing that it’s time to stop our activities to recharge is essential. The problem in our society is that people usually don’t know when to stop. Their lifestyle is very active to the point that they don’t realize they need rest until it’s too late and they are exhausted. Being conscious enough to know when to stop, take a few deep breaths, and spend a few minutes in meditation could prevent several negative consequences, such as fatigue or burnout.

Tanya: Is this one of the reasons why people don’t sleep well? Because the restlessness of the day continues into the night, and they can’t stop it anymore?

Lynne: Those who meditate regularly usually sleep very well. A daily meditation practice of 15 to 20 minutes will suffice initially. And they’ll know when to take short breaks during the day, when to meditate for a few minutes when needed. This is an invaluable tool to prevent anxiety. Meditators have learned to prioritize. They grasp the value of a peaceful mind and understand that taking the necessary time to achieve it is not selfish, as eventually, everyone will benefit. A restless mind can lead to discord and a host of difficulties, including interpersonal problems or insomnia. On the other hand, a stable mind generates a state of balance and peace. I like to say that meditation provides us with the quintessence of energetic balance. This has benefits for both the body and the mind.

The following steps help achieve a stable state of mind:

 

1. A daily meditation practice
2. Understanding the functioning of the mind and its mechanism, with the help of a guide
3. Studying philosophical systems based on meditation

 

Meditation requires a certain discipline, embedded in patience. Changes - all forms of changes, in fact - usually occur progressively. But here, there’s a cumulative effect; each meditation counts, even those we don’t believe are useful. We just need to persevere. Eventually, we notice significant progress, a new paradigm is reached. We feel an inner strength.

Hypnotherapy can also work exceptionally well; it’s a parallel modality to our meditation practice. Hypnosis helps achieve concrete goals relatively faster. Meditation is a daily practice with cumulative, gradual effects. It’s a long-term project. These two modalities work very well together. The guidance of a qualified person, either in meditation or hypnosis, is of great value.

In each of us resides vast potential, often unknown. I am convinced that most individuals do not fully grasp the extent of their ability to evolve, and this is limitless. This potential, if explored, can lead to the discovery of balance, love, and self-respect, and of learning to discern with wisdom.

 

© Lynne Cardinal