Meditation is a practice in being present. And it is only when one is present that one knows and feels the Presence within and all around.
The first thing that takes place in meditation is that we start to see what’s happening. Even though we still run away and we still indulge, we see what we’re doing clearly. We acknowledge our aversions and our cravings. We become familiar with the strategies and beliefs we use to fortify our cocoon. With mindfulness as our method we start to get curious about what’s going on. For quite a long time, we just see it clearly. To the degree that we’re willing to see our indulging and our repressing clearly, they begin to wear themselves out. Wearing out is not exactly the same as going away. Instead, a wider, more generous, more enlightened perspective arises. – Pema Chodron
When practicing meditation, allow the thoughts that swim in to stay while you acknowledge and observe them. By acknowledging them, you are staying present. As you do this during meditation, those thoughts become less frequent and you find the Presence, the quiet, taking up more of the meditation. Connecting in this way each day allows you to stay connected throughout your day and, as Pema Chodron teaches, a wider, more generous, more enlightened perspective arises.