From Restlessness to Presence: A Practical Introduction to Meditation
Shao YūgenWhy Meditate?
Imagine this: you're constantly juggling deadlines, responsibilities, and the relentless pace of city life. Stress piles up, and you barely have a moment to breathe. In the midst of it all, you might find yourself wondering—is there a way to truly find inner peace?
The 2020 pandemic forced many to pause and rethink their way of living, sparking a global interest in meditation. Suddenly, words like meditation, mindfulness, and Zen practice are everywhere. But with so much information out there, one big question remains: where do you even begin?
The Core Principles of Meditation: Serenity and Observing
Serenity – Focusing the Mind on One Object
"Serenity" means focusing the mind on a single object to bring about stillness.
Our minds are like constantly running computers, storing new memories every second and operating on past patterns. Our six senses—sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and thought—continuously receive external stimuli, forming habitual thought patterns and emotional reactions. This keeps our minds in a constant state of restlessness, much like the Buddhist metaphor of “a hundred wild horses galloping in all directions.”
The practice of Serenity in meditation involves focusing attention on one point to gather scattered thoughts and bring the mind to a stable state. This focal point can be the breath at the tip of the nose, the flame of a candle, the Dantian in the lower abdomen, or even the sensation of the feet touching the ground—all of which bring us back to the fundamental essence of life: breathing.
When we practice bringing our attention back to this focal point, it’s like pulling back a galloping horse, gradually calming it down. In the beginning, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed by distractions, restlessness, or even physical discomfort—this goes against our long-standing habits. The key is to gently guide your attention back to the breath, no matter where the distractions take you.
How to Find the Right Focal Point for Meditation?
If you tend to overthink, it’s recommended to focus on the lower body—such as the Dantian or the soles of the feet—or keep your gaze half-lowered, softly fixed on a point about a meter ahead. This helps calm an overly active mind.
Once you find a meditation focal point that works for you, stick with it and practice consistently until this focus becomes a natural habit—even an instinct.
Observing – Expanding Awareness and Awakening Wisdom
"Observing" means expanding awareness on top of focused attention, allowing wisdom to arise and enabling wise decision-making in the present moment.
Observation, awareness, mindfulness, insight and presence all describe the same meditation state, though each person may experience and understand it differently, making it difficult to define in words.
Think about when you ride a bicycle—your vision isn’t fixed on one single point, but rather open, naturally taking in everything around you. Your body even feels in sync with the movement of the environment. This is similar to the state of awareness.
Try this exercise right now:
- Focus on your breathing in the lower abdomen (Dantian breathing).
- Notice the sounds around you, the sensation of air, and any surrounding scents.
- Allow all sensations to arise naturally instead of actively chasing them.
As meditation practice deepens and our ability to focus strengthens, our minds become more stable. Over time, we begin to see that our habitual thinking patterns always weave past and future into a continuous narrative, assigning meaning and emotion to every event. But as our stillness deepens, we begin to recognize that each moment is independent and complete in itself.
This awareness transforms our perception of the world. Time no longer feels like a fixed linear progression but rather a flowing experience. Every moment is rich with details, the environment and all living beings pulsate with life, and we begin to feel a deep sense of connection with everything around us.
When our consciousness shifts beyond the ego—the endless cycle of thoughts and emotions—we tap into a greater awareness. Wisdom naturally emerges, allowing us to make decisions with clarity and mindfulness.
Returning to the Breath, Transforming the Inner World
Through the practice of Serenity and observing, we continuously return to the breath, reconnecting with the essence of life. As our awareness deepens, we begin to break free from the bubble of ego and see a greater reality. This inner transformation happens naturally.
The emotions, attachments, and even energy blockages that once trapped us exist because we’ve been living in an unconscious state, never truly "seeing" them. But when we start observing rather than resisting, these rigid energies have the chance to be released, allowing the body and mind to return to a state of natural flow.
With long-term meditation practice, we learn to return to a vast and spacious awareness rather than being drowned by waves of thoughts. Like a drop of water merging back into the ocean, we come to understand our true nature—boundless, expansive, and ever-present.
Just like waves rising and falling, thoughts come and go. When we stop clinging to each thought, even our deepest insights, and allow them to flow naturally, new wisdom continuously arises. We simply remain present, observing.
This transformation doesn’t mean we stop thinking or detach from the world. On the contrary, it cultivates the ability to stay fully engaged in life while remaining deeply aware, balancing focus with openness, and moving in harmony with the flow of existence.
Challenges and Common Misconceptions About Meditation
Why Is Meditation So Difficult?
For beginners, the greatest challenge is habitual restlessness.
Our minds are like wild horses that have been running for decades, and suddenly asking them to stop feels unnatural. This process can bring up anxiety, discomfort, or even strong resistance. Many people quit at this stage because the mind prefers to keep searching outward for distractions rather than turning inward to face itself.
However, real transformation happens when we stop escaping and instead sit with our inner chaos. When we realize that anxiety and discomfort are just passing clouds, our inner world becomes more stable and free.
Meditation Is Not About “Stopping All Thoughts”
A common misconception is that meditation means making the mind completely blank. But that’s not the goal.
A better way to look at it is to observe our thoughts as they come and go, rather than trying to suppress or control them. Meditation isn’t about eliminating thinking—it’s about learning not to be carried away by thoughts and instead returning to the present moment.
Meditation Is Not Just Sitting Still — It’s a Way Of Living
Some people think meditation is limited to sitting quietly for a certain period each day. But true meditation extends beyond formal practice—it’s about bringing awareness into every moment.
While working, we can focus on our breath and the task at hand. While walking, we can notice the sensation of our steps. While eating or brewing tea, we can fully experience scent, taste and texture and its effect on our body and mind. As this awareness grows, we become more stable, grounded, and resilient in the face of life’s changes.
Making Meditation a Daily Practice
Meditation is not just a technique—it’s a state of being. It helps us shift from a mind-driven existence to pure awareness. As we continuously return to the breath, clarity, presence, and wisdom unfold naturally.
In the end, we realize: the world has not changed—only our perception of it has.
