Self-Study

Meditation is self-study. The actual reason why we practice these contemplative practices is to learn our tendencies and habits. We spend time with ourselves and our minds to see where it sticks and where work needs to be done. If you avoid this work, it will eventually consume you and possibly take your life by limiting your experiences or your physical life. You must be able to sit alone with your thoughts because most of your time is spent with them. If you are constantly dwelling on the negative aspects of life, the nature of your life will be negative, but the opposite holds, too. The key is recognizing the negative and not getting stuck there. This goes for positive experiences, too; don’t get stuck there. We must practice the middle way of neutrality, or we will get hooked into a loop of suffering-chasing experiences. Try to remain in the middle so you may see all avenues of approach and not just your desires.