I recently did a search about how to meditate, and in the top 20 search results.  Every one of them gave the same basic suggestions.

Find a quiet place
Meditate at the same time every day
Sit in an upright position with your back relaxed but straight
Try to avoid distractions

…and then some way of focusing your attention on something whether it's your breathing or body sensations or particular sound or word.

If I had to sum up these instructions with something that has nothing to do with how to meditation, it would be something like this:

Find a way to temporarily escape from your life, and then cross your fingers that when you return back to your life you will have carried some of your mini-vacation with you.

The "vacation theory of meditation" is an interesting one. Think about when you take an actual vacation.

It takes a while to unwind and settle into their relaxing aspect of being away from your normal life.  And then once it's over, there is the hope and worry that, once you get back, everything will be the same.  There is usually a little carryover effect that lasts for a little while… until something major happens or, usually, even after a small thing occurs. And that event — big or small — seems to ruin your relaxation and all of the benefits you got from your vacation.  And you come to the conclusion that the only real solution is more vacation.

Most of us treat meditation the same way.  And frankly most meditation teachers talk about the same way.  The only difference is the idea that because you can take some mini vacation every day or twice a day you should be able to drag out the carryover effect.

That is, by the time you've gotten frustrated or upset during your day.  It's time to meditate again.

I think it's time we explore how to meditate and the results it gives, and why, with a questioning attitude… maybe we'll find that it's even easier than we think.

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