How to Co-Opt All the Stuff That Gets in the Way of Your Meditation | Christiane Wolf
Guest Christiane Wolf, a Dharma Teacher/Doctor/Ultramarathoner, guides listeners to transform meditation obstacles like restlessness or racing thoughts into the practice itself, embodying the principle "what's in the way is the way." She offers a free guided meditation demonstrating how to apply mindfulness to struggles and embrace challenges as part of the path.
Deep Dive Analysis
7 Topic Outline
Introduction to 'What's in the Way is the Way'
Preparing for the Guided Meditation Practice
Establishing an Anchor for Meditation
Exploring Expectations for Meditation
Focusing Mindfulness on Perceived Obstacles
Integrating Obstacles into the Meditation Practice
Concluding the Meditation
2 Key Concepts
What's in the Way is the Way
This principle suggests that perceived obstacles, such as distractions, restlessness, or strong emotions during meditation, are not barriers to practice but can actually become the focus and content of the practice itself. Instead of trying to eliminate them, one learns to work with them directly.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is described as possessing the qualities of curiosity and openness, allowing one to direct attention like a flashlight onto any experience, including internal struggles or discomfort, to explore its nature without judgment.
4 Questions Answered
The core principle is 'what's in the way is the way,' meaning that perceived obstacles like distractions, restlessness, or powerful emotions can actually become the practice itself rather than something to be removed.
Mindfulness, with its qualities of curiosity and openness, can be directed like a flashlight onto whatever you're struggling with, allowing you to explore its qualities and presence without judgment or the need for it to disappear.
Many people commonly expect a good meditation to feel pleasant, calming, relaxing, or even blissful, which can lead to disappointment if these specific feelings do not arise during their practice.
Instead of trying to eliminate obstacles like restlessness, racing thoughts, or boredom, one can allow them to be present, make them the focus of attention, and even imagine breathing space into or around them, thereby making them part of the meditation itself.
13 Actionable Insights
1. Obstacle Is The Way
When you encounter a barrier or struggle in meditation or life, view it not as a problem but as an integral part of the path itself. This reframes challenges as opportunities to engage with the present moment.
2. Integrate Obstacles into Practice
Instead of trying to eliminate distractions, restlessness, or powerful emotions during meditation, learn to turn them into the practice itself. Allow what you perceive as an obstacle to be present and become part of your current experience.
3. Mindful Posture for Meditation
When preparing for meditation, make yourself comfortable by placing your feet firmly on the ground and sitting with your back upright. You can choose to close your eyes or simply lower your gaze to help settle in.
4. Grounding Body Scan
Begin your meditation by bringing awareness to the areas where your body makes contact with the ground or your chair. Notice the sensations, such as hard or soft, warm or cold, to help you arrive and settle.
5. Establish a Meditation Anchor
Find a consistent anchor for your meditation, such as your breath (if it feels pleasant or neutral) or the sensations in your feet. Return to this anchor whenever your mind gets lost in thinking.
6. Deepen and Lengthen Breath
If you are using your breath as an anchor, consciously allow it to become a little longer and deeper. This helps in becoming more aware of your body and settling into the meditation.
7. Examine Meditation Expectations
Ask yourself what you expect from a meditation session or what constitutes a ‘good’ meditation for you. Be curious about what makes you feel disappointed if these expectations are not met.
8. Shine Mindfulness on Struggles
Utilize mindfulness, with its inherent qualities of curiosity and openness, to explore what you are struggling with during meditation. Direct your attention to the difficulty rather than trying to push it away.
9. Focus On The Obstacle
Identify what you wish wasn’t present during your meditation (e.g., restlessness, racing thoughts, boredom, noise) and make that specific element the focus of your attention. Get genuinely curious about its nature.
10. Explore Obstacle Qualities
If an obstacle is internal, explore where it manifests in your body or head, its particular qualities (e.g., solid, moving), and if it changes over time. This helps to observe it without judgment.
11. Breathe Into Challenges
Imagine bringing your breath into or around whatever challenging sensation or thought you are working with. This technique can help create a sense of space and ease around the difficulty.
12. Allow Obstacles To Be
As best as you can, allow restlessness, racing thoughts, boredom, or external sounds to simply be present as part of your current meditation experience. Accept them rather than fighting against them.
13. Credit For Showing Up
Acknowledge and give yourself credit for showing up and engaging in the meditation practice. This self-compassion is important, especially when you are doing the work of facing challenges.
5 Key Quotes
What's in the way is the way.
Dan Harris
The obstacle is the way.
Dan Harris
Mindfulness has the wonderful qualities of curiosity and openness.
Christiane Wolf
What if this wasn't a problem, but just a part of this meditation today?
Christiane Wolf
As best as you can, allowing what you think is in the way to be here and actually be part of the way.
Christiane Wolf
1 Protocols
Working with Obstacles in Meditation
Christiane Wolf- Make yourself comfortable, placing your feet firmly on the ground and sitting with your back upright. Close your eyes or simply lower your gaze.
- Feel into the areas where your body has contact with the ground or your chair, sensing qualities like hard or soft, warm or cold.
- Find an anchor for the meditation, such as your breath (if it feels pleasant or neutral) or the sensations in your feet, to which you will return when your mind wanders.
- Allow your breath to become a little bit longer and deeper, becoming aware of your body just sitting and breathing deeply.
- Give yourself a little bit of time to arrive and settle into the meditation.
- Ask yourself what you expect from a meditation or what a 'good' meditation means to you, noting any expectations that it should feel a particular way.
- Shine mindfulness onto what you are struggling with in meditation (e.g., restlessness, racing thoughts, boredom, or noise), making this the focus of your attention.
- Explore the struggle by noticing where it shows up (in your body or mainly in your head), its particular qualities (solid or movement), and if it has changed.
- Imagine bringing the breath into what is challenging, breathing some space into or around whatever you are working with.
- As best as you can, allow what you think is in the way (restlessness, racing thoughts, boredom, or sounds) to be present and actually be part of the way, accepting that this is how things are right now.
- Give yourself credit for showing up and doing the work, and when ready, bring the meditation to an end by inviting some movement back into the body and opening your eyes.