ASK ABDI: HOW DO I MEDITATE?

QUESTION: You had talked to me about paying attention to my feelings. I started to meditate on feelings. Is it just concentrating on the breath and trying to feel feelings? I am meditating and asking myself: what do I feel?

ANSWER: The statement “asking myself: what do I feel?” means that you are still thinking about feeling. Since there is much anxiety in us, it is difficult just to sit and see what comes up. Breathing certainly helps, as most of us hold our breath as a way of not feeling. This is learned early on in our life. Feeling is not about thinking, but actually being present enough to see what is under there. For most of us, it is strange since we spend most of our time running around pushing the feelings away.

Just be and see what presents itself. It is like meeting a stranger for the first time. Be interested in yourself.