Why Understanding the Mind Changes Meditation

Insights from the Kundalini Yoga Mind & Meditation Module

Last weekend I taught the Mind & Meditation module in the Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training.

Video: A moment from the Mind & Meditation weekend

It was an intense and beautiful weekend. There were many questions, moments of silence and also a lot of recognition among the participants.

For me this is always a special module to teach.
Because we do not only talk about meditation… we explore how the mind actually works.

Many people begin meditation with the hope that their thoughts will stop.
But when we really start observing the mind we discover something else.

The mind is active.
Thoughts appear quickly.
Sometimes even faster than we expect.

This is where the learning begins.

During the weekend three insights returned again and again.

∞

Meditation does not stop the mind

Many people believe meditation means that thoughts disappear.

But the moment we sit down we start to see how active the mind actually is. Thoughts come and go continuously.

Meditation is therefore not about stopping the mind.

It is about recognising what is happening.

When we begin to observe our thoughts without immediately reacting to them, something changes.
There is a little more distance between us and the movement of the mind.

This is often the first important step in meditation.

The three minds help us understand our reactions

In Kundalini Yoga we work with the concept of the three minds.

The negative mind protects. It helps us see possible risks and keeps us safe.

The positive mind sees possibilities and opportunities.

The neutral mind brings clarity. It allows us to observe before reacting.

Meditation helps us strengthen this neutral mind.

Instead of immediately following every thought or emotion, we learn to pause and observe what is happening.

From that place wiser choices become possible.

Understanding the mind changes the meditation experience

Something interesting often happens when people begin to understand the mind.

Their meditation changes.

They start to notice when a thought appears.
Sometimes they can even label it as not useful and simply let it pass.

Then space appears.

A deeper silence.

And often people are surprised that time has passed quickly.

This is not because the mind has disappeared… but because our relationship with it has changed.

 

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A simple meditation practice: observe and label the mind

If you would like to explore this yourself, try the following meditation.

Sit comfortably with a straight spine.
Close your eyes and begin to breathe calmly through the nose.

Bring your attention to the breath or to a simple mantra.

Very quickly you may notice that thoughts appear.

When a thought comes, simply recognise it and label it.

For example you might notice:

thinking / planning / remembering / worrying

Do not analyse the thought.
Just recognise it.

Then ask yourself one simple question:

Is this thought helpful right now?

If the answer is no, let it go and return to the breath or mantra.

If the thought keeps returning, simply label it again… and return.

This practice helps create space between you and the movement of the mind.

Try this meditation for 11 minutes.

Over time you may notice that the mind becomes clearer and the neutral mind begins to appear more often.

∞

Meditation grows through practice

Meditation is not something we learn through theory.

It only develops through practice.

Through observing what happens in our own mind.

For this reason I guide a daily morning practice from 7:00 to 7:45 with Kundalini Yoga, meditation and relaxation.

A simple way to begin the day with awareness and consistency.

You are always welcome to join… or to commit to a 40-day meditation practice.

Sat Naam
Jagat Prem
Kundalini Yoga teacher and trainer

 

Jagat Prem is a Kundalini Yoga teacher and trainer based in Southern France, originally from The Netherlands. She teaches meditation, daily practice and Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training.