The Surprising Way Meditation Transforms You

Meditation is not about becoming a different person, but becoming the person you already are.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn

The Inner Compass

I have been meditating for a couple of years now. I can say that it has helped me a lot with different things. At first it helped me to deal with anxiety and fear. I meditated so that I could relief some stress and feel more confident.

But since I integrated it more into my life, it has become my inner compass. Now I meditate almost every day, and I can focus on my breath and slow down anywhere.

What I noticed is that each time you meditate, you become more conscious. It is like you move into a different frequency. At some point, you might notice that you start breaking with old patterns that do not work for you anymore.

I am noticing this right now with consuming media on tv, social media and radio. It is something that I have been doing for such a long time, but right now it does not resonate with me anymore, and I feel more stressed when I consume this kind of media.

Aligning Inner and Outer Worlds

I believe that meditation makes you more sensitive to the world around you. There are things that are happening in the world around you that raises questions in your head as you become more conscious. But it should not overwhelm you.

What is actually happening when you become more conscious, is that you start aligning your outer world with your inner world. You benefit more from rest, focus and creativity, and you start designing your lifestyle around that.

You might also feel the urge for more healthy nutrition, and the need to contribute to the environment and the planet. The key here is to keep it small. Look at your own situation and find more sustainable approaches, like buying healthy food at the local market, shopping eco friendly clothes and reducing plastic waste.

The Process of Unbecoming

“The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.” – Joseph Campbell

I also let go of the tendency to perform or do something extraordinary. I realized that simplicity and a deeper quality of life is what I have been longing for.

You will notice that forcing things and feeling pressured will not bring you further. Having a vision and acting out of clarity does bring you further.

Rediscovering Your Natural Self

In our modern society it is very common to always be in a rush, because everything is focused on efficiency. but taking you time to do things slowly will bring you the most fulfillment.

You will realize that living in alignment with yourself is not about becoming something or someone, it is actually about unbecoming. You do not have to be anything different than yourself, and the things that you do, create and build are an extension of yourself.

When I was little, life was all about adventure, exploration and playing. But as soon as I went to school, things started to become more serious. Somehow it was about performing, getting good grades and becoming a useful worker.

I could never figure out who I had to become, and I struggled with this for a long time. But now I realize that I do not have to become someone, I can just be myself. I realized that life is still about adventure and exploration, even though we have somewhat been forced to believe that life is about profit and being a useful worker.

Once you understand this, be brave and listen to what you desire, not what you think other people expect from you. Start seeing your life as if you were a little kid again. Do things that excite you and intrigue you. There are more opportunities for you than you might think, you just have to be open enough to see and follow them.

Finding balance with technology

“The quieter you become, the more you are able to hear.” – Rumi

Just because we have all kinds of technology available, does not mean that we have to use it all the time. You have to find a balance in this, and use it in a conscious way. Just look at a public space like a bus or train station. Everyone seems to be glued to their phones, looking unhappy.

Remember that your wellbeing comes first. Right now, when I watch television, listen to the radio or scroll on social media, I feel stressed out. But when I read a book, take a walk or play the guitar, I feel better and relaxed.

It is all about finding a balanced lifestyle. Look at modern technology as a tool to reach people all over the world, create your own digital presence and build things on the internet.

Many of us are stuck in consuming media, which is keeping us trapped. Once you are more aware of the problems of this, change will happen.

I have been using my phone as little as possible for a long time now, and I stopped watching television for a while. It is really encouraging how fast your brain can adapt. I feel more energized, inspired and have more focus for projects.

Old vs New Life

What you will notice once you get familiar with meditation and inner presence, is that your life starts to shift. The things that you liked and were doing before, do not hit the same anymore.

When I look back at my teenage years, my life was completely different. I was drinking a lot, doing bad at school, and I could not accept myself. I wanted to have more confidence and I thought I needed to change my personality.

Naturally I am an introvert, and I do not like to be in big groups. But still, I was not content with this. I wanted to be the social one, who was making all the funny jokes and was being tough.

Embracing Your Authentic Self

Now I realize that I do not have to change. I can accept myself for who I am, and I do not have to do the things that I do not like. It is like peeling off an old skin, or slowly returning to a natural state.

The old world of conviviality, pressure, drinking and group behavior is no longer suiting me. The new world of peace, creativity, awareness and authenticity is like a calling for me.

I realized that I felt obligated to do social things I didn’t feel like doing because the people did not resonate with me, and I felt terribly uncomfortable. Now I know I can do whatever I want, with the people that resonate with me. Because it is my life, and I can decide what to do.

Whenever you feel like this, don’t be upset. Do not think that you are weird. You are growing out of an environment that does not fit with you anymore. It might be a hard time, but it is also a very important one for your personal and spiritual growth.

When you stay true to yourself and follow your inner compass, nothing can go wrong. It actually gets better, because you do what you desire and what you believe in. Your life is in a transition, full of new opportunities, real moments and excitement.

Let me know what you thought of this article. I would love to connect with you and hear about your experiences with this.

If you want to learn more about this, check out The Aligned Life Clarity and Conscious Creation

Check out my Youtube Channel as well, where I explain these topics in a different vibe.

I hope you have a wonderful day,

Mart Bergsma