In the meta reality of now, finding moments of peace and calm can be a challenge, especially for those who have experienced trauma. For someone with a trauma history,not only can the outer world can be overwhelming and disruptive but the inner can be too.Negative sensations in the outer and inner worlds may feed into eachother in a vicious cycle in which a trauma survivor feels no rest.
Could meditation be the answer?
Meditation is widely known for its pathway to tranquility and mental stability. The practice of meditation has been touted in mainstream media for its myriad benefits, including supporting trauma recovery for those suffering from PTSD and helping individuals with anxiety and/or depression manage their symptoms. It seems obvious from these indications that meditation is precisely the sort of practice someone with a trauma history should utilize. However, while the use of meditation seems like an obvious prescription, using meditation in a way that supports trauma recovery is slightly more complicated. Therefore, the main questions a new practitioner with a history of trauma or any mental health condition should consider are which type of meditation to begin with and how to start.
It is important to have clarity around these questions before setting out on the meditation journey because, in addition to benefits, scientific research now informs us that a wrong understanding or practice of meditation can lead to negative experiences in practitioners, alienating them from future practice at best and creating re-traumatization at worst. Therefore, it is crucial that a new practitioner enters into the practice of meditation with a basic understanding of what the practice is and how to approach it to have the most success.
This is where shamatha meditation enters the conversation as an appropriate practice for any meditator dealing with trauma-related issues or mental health challenges, but only as long as it is understood and practiced correctly. In this blog, a basic overview of shamatha meditation will be presented alongside a powerful teaching by Tana Yelpa Rinpoche, which provides an accessible method for cultivating a calm-abiding mind. Further, this article will dive into trauma recovery and the application of shamatha within this sensitive space, showing how it may be a powerful tool for managing trauma-related issues.
Understanding Shamatha Meditation
Shamatha, often translated as "calm-abiding," is a foundational meditation practice in the secular world, but its origins begin with non-secular Buddhism. It focuses on stabilizing the mind and developing concentration. By training the mind to remain undistracted and calm, Shamatha helps create a peaceful mental state, which is essential for those healing from trauma.
Shamatha Meditation with and without Support
There are two primary approaches to Shamatha: with and without support.
Shamatha with Support
In this method, an external or internal object, such as something that can be seen, heard, felt, or tasted, is used as a focal point (the breath is a common object for shamatha). This tangible support helps anchor the mind, making it easier for beginners or those with a turbulent inner landscape to concentrate. By focusing on the object, the meditator can gently bring their wandering mind back to the present moment. This is the practice today's blog will focus on.
Shamatha without Support
This more advanced practice involves focusing on the breath or the mind itself without any external anchor. It requires a higher level of concentration and is typically more challenging, as the mind must be trained to stay focused without the help of a physical object.
The Practice
Let's delve into a simple Shamatha practice with support, particularly beneficial for those dealing with trauma. The main point here is to understand the way the mind should be focusing while practicing. The key point is that the mind should be neither too tight nor too loose. To develop this mindset, use the practice described below. This practice has been modified from a practice delivered during a retreat by Tana Yelpa Rinpoche in Boulder, Colorado.
Preparation: The first step is to prepare for the meditation. You can do this by following these steps:
- Find a quiet, comfortable place to sit.
- Hold a pen in your hands and take a few deep breaths to settle into the activity.
- Observe the pen: its shape, weight, color, and texture. Allow your mind to simply observe without concern if other experiences are arising inside your awareness. If other thoughts, sounds, emotions, sights, or anything else arises, don't worry too much about those, simply notice they are also present and continue observing the pen.
Meditation: Now we move on to the main practice. Staying with the pen, follow these steps for the meditation:
- Set your intention to focus solely on the pen.
- Avoid engaging your other senses – do not smell, taste, feel, hear, or think about anything else.
- Simply see the pen, allowing it to be the anchor for your attention.
- Whenever your mind wanders, bring it back to the pen.
Reflection: After a few minutes, reflect on your experience. Which was easier: the preparation or the meditation?
Now is where you likely realize that I have played a little trick on you. The truth is, the preparation was the practice. The meditation itself, in this example, is an actual impossibility.
The key point to understand here is that there is no way to get rid of experience. While you are focusing on an object in meditation, there will always be other experiences happening in, on, and around you. Here is the good news though: these other experiences are allowed to be present, they are welcome and absolutely natural and normal.
The crucial understanding is that although other experiences will arise, you can choose which to pay attention to...mostly. Sometimes a very intense experience may arise and demand your attention, for instance, your child crying and screaming suddenly, or a very intense memory surfacing. These situations must be attended to, and that is also okay. You are learning two things at times like these. The first lesson is that you have some control over what you pay attention to, and in this way, you develop a heightened capacity to focus on what is beneficial, calming, and restful. The second thing you are learning is discrimination. If an intense emotion or memory of a past trauma arises, you are welcome to stop the practice, to care for your needs in the moment. This is a similar response to when your child has a crucial need you must address, and in this way, you learn to care for yourself in the same way you would care for a child in need, with love and compassion.
These realizations highlight the balanced state of mind that Shamatha aims to cultivate – focused yet relaxed, but with a very practical, compassionate, and loving energy. The practice is never about punishing yourself. The tone of the mind is not that of a wrestler pinning their opponent, but rather the tone of a very wise parent, caring meaningfully for a child, directing them to what is important and caring for them when they have a real need (if you have never experienced such a parent, it is helpful to imagine what a parent like this may be like, perhaps using a model from another parent you have known or even a character from a book or movie).
Relevance to Trauma Healing
Shamatha is a primary practice for those with a history of trauma, and there is good reason for this. The practice is about learning to relax, but not in the way most people understand relaxation. It is not about having a complete absence of tension or negative affect, but rather about dropping the defensive act of blocking, denying, or ignoring experiences in a biased way. You aren't learning to heal through stopping negative emotions; this is impossible. The reason shamatha helps someone with trauma find healing is that there is a process of allowing that occurs. You watch the breath and feel sad, and you allow yourself to feel this way. You watch the breath, and you feel fear, and you allow your fear to be there with your breath. The practice becomes a dance between observing and experiencing in an open and allowing way.
Trauma often leaves individuals fragmented and disconnected from experience, whether internally generated experiences that may or may not be happening at the time, or external experiences that are happening but in competition with a more intense internal landscape. The mind can become a tumultuous space, filled with intrusive thoughts and overwhelming emotions. The real challenge, though, is not about this tumultuous experience as much as it is about denying, resisting, ignoring, or belittling this experience. Shamatha meditation, especially with support, can be profoundly grounding and stabilizing, releasing the fear and shame around negative experiences and opening a gateway to absolute acceptance of all experiences as normal, valuable, and acceptable.
How Shamatha Meditation Can Help
Grounding in the Present
The act of focusing on a single object helps anchor the mind within the unfolding of experience. This grounding effect can counteract the disorienting nature of traumatic flashbacks and anxiety.
Creating a Safe Mental Space
Shamatha, practiced with the correct mindset, provides a safe space to gently train the mind. This sense of safety is crucial for trauma survivors, offering a mental refuge where you can gradually regain control over your thoughts and emotions.
Balancing the Mind
Shamatha teaches the balance between relaxation and focus. Trauma often causes the mind to oscillate between hyper-vigilance, dissociation, and defensiveness. Shamatha helps find a middle ground, promoting a state of calm alertness that loosens the resistance and defensiveness against experiences that are labeled as negative.
The Journey of Healing Trauma
Healing from trauma is a journey that requires patience, compassion, and consistent practice. Shamatha meditation is not a quick fix but a valuable tool that, over time, can lead to significant improvements in mental well-being, but only when understood and practiced in the correct way.
The three key points to remember with shamatha practice are:
1. Consistency is Key: Regular practice, even if it's just a few minutes a day, can accumulate profound benefits. Like training a muscle, the mind becomes stronger and more resilient with consistent effort.
2. Compassion for Self: It's important to approach shamatha with self-compassion. Trauma survivors often struggle with self-criticism and impatience. Gentle, non-judgmental persistence is essential.
3. Integration with the Support of a Coach or Therapist: Shamatha is a wonderful practice for self-guidance, but its effects are greatly enhanced when used in conjunction with the support of a coach or therapist. A good way to think about this is with the example of an Olympic athlete or doctor. No one at any high level of success ever gets there without support. You can help yourself, without a doubt, but if you want to go all the way, you must work with another person who has a higher skillset than you.
Conclusion
Shamatha meditation, both with and without support, offers a profound method for stabilizing and calming the mind. For those recovering from trauma, it provides a gentle yet powerful way to reclaim mental peace and resilience. By cultivating a balanced, calm-abiding mind, trauma survivors can find a path to healing that honors their journey and empowers their future.
Incorporating Shamatha into daily life can be a transformative practice, leading to greater mental clarity, emotional stability, and overall well-being. Whether you're just beginning your meditation journey or deepening your existing practice, remember that each moment of calm and focus you cultivate is a step towards healing and wholeness.
If you are looking for support, see how Mindful Island can help.
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