We’ve all seen pictures of meditators looking serene and calm, like nothing bothers them. In pop culture, there’s an image of meditation being a “special place” where we are free from negative thoughts and emotions. But that is simply a myth.
When we first start practicing mindfulness meditation, we naturally think we’re supposed to get rid of those annoying negative thoughts and negative emotions. Conversely, we think we’re supposed to work on generating more positive thoughts and positive emotions.
But that’s actually a misconception of what mindfulness meditation is. It’s a very common misconception.
Mindfulness is not about reducing or eliminating the thoughts and experiences that we don’t like, that we don’t prefer.
Mindfulness is not about increasing or sustaining the thoughts and experiences that we do like and prefer.
Mindfulness is simply being aware of the thought or emotion. Whether it feels like a negative thought or positive doesn’t matter. We just notice it, without making that judgment about it.
And we let it go. We let it pass by.
It’s true – there is a fine line between suppression and letting go. But there is a difference. Suppression is like putting a lid on something. Whatever is simmering inside the pot is still there, the lid is just keeping it from spilling out – for now. Letting go is just releasing, letting it pass by, like a leaf flowing down a stream, or clouds floating across the sky.
How can we learn to let go instead of suppress? Practice. The more we practice, the clearer the technique becomes. The more we practice, the more clearly we can see how we relate to our thoughts. The more we practice, the more clearly we can see ourselves.
Mindfulness FAQ 