Meditation Isn't What You Think- It's Louder Than That

My meditation practice began when I was 10 years old.

Jill Scott's Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1 had just come out, and my daddy bought it for me. I had a closet in my room, and when the world seemed too loud, I would create a space for myself at the bottom, sitting beneath all of my hanging clothes. I had a pillow, a 9V battery flashlight, and some colored tissue paper that I placed over it to create mood lighting, along with my CD player. I made my own little vibe. :)

I would sit on my pillow, listening to "He Loves Me (Lyzel in E Flat)" on repeat, meditating on love. My 10-year-old self was fearful that I would never be loved, so she ruminated on it heavily, trying to manifest it into her life. I didn’t know it at the time, but I was meditating—attempting to make the impossible possible. In a way, I thought that if I focused on it long and hard enough, I could force the universe’s hand. Make God hear my request because my mind would scream it so loud. I didn’t know it then, but I had set myself on a lifelong journey of becoming and learning to quiet my mind.

All my life, I've been an overthinker—highly anxious and overly critical of my every move. Too afraid to take a wrong turn or make a life-altering mistake. Being this way has made life hard to live at times and difficult to enjoy. Quieting my brain has been, well… a challenge. How do you meditate when everything—every thought—is so loud?

I used to think meditation meant having no thoughts at all, but through my journey, I’ve learned that it can be quite the opposite.

Over the years, I’ve changed my perspective on how meditation works. Yes, meditation can be about letting your mind rest, but it can also be about allowing thoughts to come. It’s about observing what arises when you set an intention for your meditation practice. What does that intention evoke in your mind and spirit? Is this something I need to reflect on? Or is it something I’ve pushed down, trying to avoid?

A Meditation Offering: Go With Your Gut

This meditation is about embracing whatever thoughts come up during your meditative time.

Setting Up Your Space

• Choose a clean, clutter-free area.

• Gather pillows to sit or lay on the floor comfortably.

• If you have a favorite meditation track (without lyrics or commercial interruptions), queue it up.

• Have a notebook and pen readily available.

The Practice

1. Get comfortably seated or lying down and start your music.

2. Before closing your eyes, say this prayer:

   "God, my divine uplifted ancestors, and spirit guides, I call upon you now—firstly, to say thank you for your guidance and direction in my life thus far, and secondly, to ask you to guide me once again. I am meditating to gain clarity on _______________. As I become still in this time, please provide me with answers. Give me the thoughts, imagery, and knowing I need. Amen."

3. Sit or lay back and allow your mind to drift and wander. The goal isn’t to quiet the mind but to listen to what’s happening within it.

4. You may think of things that don’t seem relevant—that’s okay. Keep sitting and listening.

5. If a song keeps replaying in your mind, write it down.

6. If an image keeps appearing, describe it in your notebook.

7. If you sense a taste or smell, take note of that as well.

Through this practice, you may discover insights hidden beneath the surface—thoughts and feelings you’ve been avoiding or answers that have been waiting to reveal themselves. Trust the process, and let your mind guide you.

As always, I share this with Love.

Asè.

-Lindsey