Imagine you move to a new city. And you discover the shortest route to work. Everyday that’s what you take. One day there is a massive traffic jam on the regular route and you have no idea how to take a deviation because all you know is this one route to your destination. 

On the other hand, imagine apart from going to work you also have had time to randomly wander with no particular purpose in mind. You discover all these random paths that interconnect. You really have no particular use for them in the moment but it just builds up this knowledge of networked paths. 

And one day when you are stuck on your regular path these networks suddenly pop up in your awareness that help you take a detour, find an alternative path. Random information that seemed of no particular use at the time suddenly are of great use. 

That is exactly what happens in meditation. Meditation is like that random walk where you are paying no particular attention to where the mind wants to go. You let it meander and in so meandering the brain is creating all these neural connections in a deep state of rest. Existing neural paths get integrated with new neural paths making connections unbeknownst to you while you meditate.

And these connections formed by restful alertness (meditation) create the ability to solve problems in uniquely different ways to what just wakeful alertness (equivalent to taking the route to work) can achieve. 

Today’s meditation – 

1. First 10 minutes – Some stretches to let go of the Tamas (lethargy) and Rajas (restlessness), 
2. Followed by 5 minutes of alternate nostril breathing 
3. 20 minutes of meditation – state of being nothing, doing nothing and wanting nothing. Notice how the heart rate falls from close to ~80 to ~60 and 
4. Finally in the last 5 minutes, as you are about to open your eyes again, the mind becomes active and the body becomes active, bringing up the heart rate again.   

A joyful state that can only be understood through experience 

In essence, meditation is like taking a random walk through the mind, building a network of neural pathways that integrate and strengthen over time. This restful exploration fosters creativity, adaptability, and problem-solving in ways regular mental routines cannot. The experience of meditation is a journey into stillness that leaves you more prepared to navigate life’s complexities with clarity and ease.