“Cooking is my meditation.”
“Drawing is my meditation.”
“Cleaning is my meditation.”
“Arguing with idiots online is my meditation.”
Fine. But, you should also sit. Sitting should be your meditation.
Why?
Because there are no distractions. There’s nothing but you and your own discomfort to keep you company.
“But Michael, mindful coloring is my meditation because it’s so relaxing and I get into the zone and it’s so therapeutic.”
Yeah, the same thing happens to me when I watch TV. That doesn’t make it meditation.
Meditation is about purifying your mind. It’s about coming to terms with your own previously-hidden impulses.
“Mindful coloring” (a cornerstone of the McMindfulness movement) is not meditation. It’s not “therapeutic” (whatever that means). It’s a way of zoning out so you don’t have to deal with reality.
“But Michael, are you saying that life should always be unpleasant??? Shouldn’t I be allowed to do mindful coloring if I want???”
No, I’m not saying life should always be unpleasant. I’m saying mindful coloring isn’t meditation.
(And of course you’re allowed to do it. Don’t put words in my mouth.)
“But Michael, didn’t you just post on Instagram yesterday a list of activities that you do, which you consider meditation?”
Yes, I did. Here’s the list:
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Drawing
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Piano
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Calligraphy
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Social media posts
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Emails
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Cooking
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Texting
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Yoga
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Walking
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Thinking
They are meditation when I do them. That’s because I’ve practiced enough actual meditation that I’ve changed the way I do other stuff to make it more like meditation.
They are almost certainly not meditation when you do them. That’s because you’re probably doing them the way society taught you to do them.
You should spend some time meditating. It will help you.
—Michael
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