Written by Jen Liu

Mindfulness meditation has become increasingly popular in recent years, appearing in articles of wellness advice across every demographic. We often see it advertised by its benefits, such as its ability to reduce stress and anxiety, contribute to better sleep, and lead to a positive shift in mood.

Although these results are achievable with sustained practice (likely, even!), having too goal-oriented of an approach can sometimes be a detriment. Focusing on gaining a specific outcome can lead to impatience and pessimism, especially in the early stages of practice when we are learning to roll with the inevitable challenges of establishing a meditation practice. The reality is we will sometimes end a session feeling just as scattered as we did when we first sat on the cushion, having spent 10 or 20 minutes being confronted repeatedly by our monkey mind. And if we have been primed to judge our session by whether we feel instantly calmer or happier afterwards, we may find ourselves wondering: "Was that session a waste of time? Am I just not cut out for this?"

This is where viewing meditation as process-oriented, rather than goal-oriented, can be of great benefit. In Dharma Moon's 100-Hour Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Training, we share that one word for meditation in Tibetan is gom, or "to become familiar with." As long as we are following the process with right effort — not just sitting there daydreaming — we are indeed "becoming familiar with" our own nature, and allowing this ancient practice to slowly but surely reveal us to ourselves. Whether you recenter your awareness on your breath five times or five hundred times over the course of a sit, you can appreciate the fact that you have gained some valuable information and are well on your path.

What helps you foster more patience, resilience, and consistency in your practice?