Free Get Some Headspace: 10 minutes can make all the difference by Andy Puddicombe

feelings it simply raised my expectations. This meant that when I came to the next session, far from sitting there in the moment , I was trying to recreate an experience from earlier on. ‘At the same time as trying to hold on to the good things,’ he continued, ‘we’re also busy trying to get rid of all the unpleasant things. It doesn’t matter whether we’re trying to get rid of lots of thoughts, difficult emotions, or a painful feeling in the body, it’s all the same, it’s resistance. And as long as there’s resistance, there’s no room for acceptance. And as long as we don’t have acceptance, there’s no way of having a peaceful mind.’ It sounds so obvious when it’s put like this, doesn’t it? ‘Happiness is just happiness,’ he went on, ‘no big deal. It comes and it goes. Sadness is just sadness, no big deal. It comes and it goes. If you can give up your desire to always experience pleasant things, at the same time as giving up your fear of experiencing unpleasant things, then you’ll have a quiet mind.’
    As I listened to his explanation, I couldn’t help thinking that there was something missing. Sure, ‘let go of attachment’ and ‘let go of resistance’, but how? ‘Simple. By becoming more aware,’ he said. This seemed to be the answer for everything, and although I could see that my perspective was changing as my awareness grew, it didn’t feel as though it was happening fast enough. I shared my thoughts with the teacher and he laughed, ‘Ah,’ he said, ‘I think you’re talking about impatience .’ I shrugged my shoulders and nodded. ‘I’d just like to know how to deal with these things until my awareness becomes a bit stronger,’ I said. ‘Perhaps there’s another technique which could help?’ I asked hopefully. He seemed to study me before answering. ‘I want you to continue to focus on the breath, just practising how to rest in the natural awareness of your mind. However, there is one thing you could add to that exercise which might help in the meantime.’ I raised my eyebrows in anticipation. He went on to explain, and you may well want to try this in your own meditation.
    ‘When you experience pleasant sensations in your practice, I want you to imagine sharing those feelings with other people,’ he began. ‘It doesn’t matter whether it’s the pleasant sensation of a quiet mind, of a relaxed body or a comforting emotion; simply imagine you are giving it away, sharing it with your friends and family, the people you care about.’ He continued. ‘It doesn’t require lots of thought and I still want you to focus on the breath, just counting the breaths as they pass. But, if you find yourself sitting there and you feel very good, then maintain this attitude of wanting to share it with others.’ I couldn’t really see how this was going to help, but it sounded harmless enough and the sentiment was well meaning. ‘This next bit might be a little more challenging,’ he said, smiling broadly. ‘When you experience discomfort in your meditation, whether it’s the restlessness of a busy mind, physical tension in the body, or a challenging emotion, I want you to imagine it’s the discomfort of the people you care about. It’s as if in an act of extraordinary generosity, you are sitting with their discomfort so they don’t have to.’
    It sounded bizarre. How could that help? Why would I want to give away the nice feelings and imagine sitting with the discomfort of others? ‘Relax,’ he said, ‘it’s not actually happening. But if you think about it, it’s a very skilful way of working with the mind. When we try hard to hold on to pleasant states of mind that creates tension. By imagining you’re giving away those feelings, and sharing them, you lose that tension and become less judgmental.’ OK, that made sense, but what about the other part? ‘When it comes to unpleasant feelings we’re always trying to get rid of them, right? This also creates