When experiencing mental distress or suffering, recognize the need to directly engage with and understand your mind, rather than just accepting its state. This realization led Spring to study psychology and seek self-help.
Engage in practices that teach you to live in the present moment and develop moment-to-moment awareness and mindfulness. This approach helps calm the mind and can lead to “awakening experiences” and increased happiness.
When learning meditation, seek out teachers and structured instruction rather than attempting to meditate for long periods without guidance. Clear instructions, like “follow your breath,” are crucial for effectively calming the mind.
Actively follow your breath and engage in walking meditation for extended periods. These practices can help quiet the mind, leading to peaceful states and emotional release.
Practice loving kindness (Metta) meditation, even if it initially feels “syrupy” or annoying, as it can be very effective for cultivating positive emotional states and well-being.
Recognize that after addressing initial, more obvious levels of suffering, deeper, habitual ways of thinking, belief systems, and unresolved trauma may emerge. Be prepared to continue working with these “demons that are really dug in.”
For individuals who have exhausted traditional therapies and meditation for deep, persistent trauma or suffering, consider Ayahuasca as an “accelerator” to remove unseen blocks and process difficult energies. This practice is controversial, not for everyone, and should be approached with respect for its healing potential, not as a party drug.
To foster diverse meditation communities, open doors to all without heavy advertising and offer teachings directly relevant to the community’s real-life experiences, such as heartbreak, trauma, and violence. People need to see themselves mirrored in the teachers and teachings.
As a teacher, be highly aware of how language and framing create inclusion or exclusion within a community. Tailor teachings to resonate with the specific experiences and references of the audience.
Cultivate a sense of humor about the meditation community and the spiritual path itself. This can help prevent taking oneself or the practice too seriously, and allows for self-reflection on projections.
Practice not taking criticism or negative descriptions personally, recognizing that sometimes it represents an archetype or a projection rather than a direct attack on your individual self. Meditation can help with this detachment.
Cultivate faith that even challenging or difficult experiences, like a “dark night of the soul,” are ultimately supportive for personal growth and evolution.
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