The Power of Meditation and Being Aware of Anxiety

But our pain, once acknowledged, is not our main focus. Now we need to become aware of the source, not the appearances. Many spiritual traditions instruct us to be mindful of appearances but lack the instruction to be aware of the source. When you are meditating, of course it is good to be aware of the thoughts, sensations, or emotions that are arising. If you are anxious, it is important to be aware that you are feeling anxiety. But the power of meditation comes not only from being aware of anxiety but also from connecting to the source of the anxiety. The source is not the event—the presence of anxiety. Rather, it is the space of being. The guidance is to be aware of that space, to be connected to it. As you connect to it, you are able to embrace the anxiety. You are aware of both the space and the anxiety. The anxiety is impermanent and changeable, but the space of being is unchanging. When you are connected to the unchanging source, whatever arises in that space eventually dissolves. The space of being is the ultimate healer.

Excerpt From
Spontaneous Creativity
Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche

Image: Tumisu