When I think of meditation, I think of it as taking out the garbage. It is said that we have approximately 50-100 thoughts per second but only one of those thoughts becomes a conscious thought - one that we are aware of. The rest of them get dumped into your unconscious or subconscious mind. And those thoughts stay there forever.
Ever wonder how you can recall the lyrics to your favorite song or your childhood phone number? It's because your brain has held onto that information ever since you first retained it. We spend 95% of our day using the subconscious mind because that is where we store the bulk of not only our thoughts but our emotions, experiences and habits. When we meditate, just like when we sleep, we have access to that part of the brain that is on autopilot the rest of the day. And by switching out of autopilot we can start to observe our feelings, thoughts and habits from a conscious place. First we just become aware of them but with time and practice we can use that awareness to create new habits, behavior and patterns. This is how we can make real change to optimize our quality of life.
If we keep putting garbage in the trash but never take the garbage out it will get stinky, toxic and overwhelming just to be nearby. But when we take the time to sort through the garbage of our mind, we can decide what to keep or recycle and what we no longer need and can throw away.
Amy Owen
Yoga Instructor + Birth Coach
