During meditation, our minds are pulled in two different directions. On one hand, meditation offers intrinsic rewards like peace, calm, and joy. These rewards can help keep you grounded in the present moment. When this happens, it’s a state called jhana, where meditation feels effortless because the joy, pleasure, and calmness make you stay focused on your present experience. This positive pull can draw you deeper into your practice.
However, experiencing these rewards isn’t always easy. We also face a stronger pull—the pull of distractions. Our minds have evolved to constantly scan for potential dangers as a survival mechanism, which remains active even today. Although we live in much safer times compared to our ancestors, these circuits are still hard at work.
The parts of our brain responsible for these distraction patterns are deeply integrated into our brain’s structure. They can hijack the more evolved sections of our brain, making the pull of distractions very strong. You might find yourself drifting away from sensory awareness back into distracting thoughts, long before you get to the peaceful rewards of meditation.
To counter this, I’ve found two useful approaches:
First, when you disengage from a distraction, notice the shift in your experience. It may be subtle, but there’s usually a bit more calm and a bit less tension. Practice noticing and appreciating these shifts. Allow yourself to feel like you’re coming home as you return to breathing. You can even say words like “Yes,” “Thank you,” or “Coming home again.” This will enhance the intrinsic rewards of meditation, making them stronger and more noticeable.
Second, don’t treat distractions as the enemy. They’ve evolved to protect us, which is essential. Distractions aren’t trying to ruin your meditation or make you stressed; they’re trying to keep you safe. So, instead of reacting negatively, accept that distractions happen and let them go without fuss. Before shifting your focus back to breathing, acknowledge them by saying “Thank you. I’ll deal with that later,” or “Thanks. It can wait.” This signals to your brain that its concerns are noted and will be attended to later.
By valuing your distractions yet calmly disengaging from them and savoring any increase in calmness, you can make distractions less persistent. This helps you get more quickly to the rewards that meditation offers.
Meditation has transformed my experience, and I hope you find these strategies helpful in enhancing your practice.