January 12, 2026
Meditate. As if your life depends on it. Because, in a very real way, it does.
Jon Kabat-Zinn
I used to think meditation is about clearing the mind; the absence of thoughts. Focusing on breath. The goal is clarity, a divine thought… bliss. But what I learned on retreat is this: meditation is moment-to-moment awareness. No judgements. It’s about being. Noticing.
Jon would say that there’s nothing greater than awareness. Awareness encompasses all of thought. And yet — in a world so full of distractions, digital screens that encompass our lives (don’t ask me about my screen-time stats), and mindless activity, it seems impossible to just sit. To be aware. Before the bell rang inviting us into practice, Jon would reiterate that we have “nowhere to be, nothing to do.” We are exactly where we should be.
Some techniques I learned that were valuable for me:
- Noting: Label what comes up, non-judgmentally. For example, “a thought”. “A sound”. “A sensation”. Noting makes you conscious of thought, and then provides an opportunity to return to the present moment.
- Awareness with vs. awareness of. Notice the minor change in preposition makes a big difference in how it feels. Awareness with something is kinder to yourself, positioning what you are experiencing alongside of the present moment.
- Choiceless awareness: Observe the stream of thoughts as they pass by, as if you’re watching a movie. Let them all float through, with no judgment, grasping, resisting. As Rumi says in her poem, The Guest House, welcome them all — even a crowd of sorrows.
- Dignified posture: Jon and Will weren’t strict about posture, which I appreciated (as someone who can’t sit still, the physical aspect of meditation was a meaningful challenge for me). Their guidance was to keep a “dignified posture”, for example keeping an erect spine. I learned to observe the discomfort, to sit with it. Surprisingly, with some time and attention, it usually goes away.
Jon referred to the practice as a “love affair”. I am beginning to feel what he meant by that. After arriving home last night, I meditated. Upon waking this morning, I meditated. I can feel its impact in my being, as an act of deep love for myself and for my family. In that sense, I have come to see meditation as a gift we give ourselves, so that we can more fully offer our gifts to others. With that perspective, how could we possibly not have the time?