Breath = boring

A great insight

The first great insight you will have when starting a meditation practice is that the breath is very boring. There is not much exciting going on— basically anything you do in daily life is more stimulating.

But it gets worse. Meditating isn't always peaceful, relaxing and joyful—no, there will be pain, frustration, anger, sadness, stress, restlessness and jealousy—just to name a few. These things will come up during a sit, or you will bring them with you from daily life, and they can be there for the whole session.

I'm here to tell you, this is not a bug, but a feature!

Altered states vs. altered traits

Meditation can generate altered states—a temporary state of consciousness that is very different from your daily life—but you're better of using psychedelics, they are way more effective. The good stuff of meditation is the opportunity to cultivate altered traits.

“An altered trait—a new characteristic that arises from a meditation practice—endures apart from meditation itself. Altered traits shape how we behave in our daily lives, not just during or immediately after we meditate.”

This definition is taken from the book "Altered Traits", which gives a great meta-review of all the traits that are commonly developed during meditation.

What kind of traits? In just a couple of weeks of meditation, you will have less mind wandering and a better concentration—which is just the beginning.

But how is this a "great" insight?

Meditation will be difficult and when that happens—don't give up! You will be bored and uncomfortable during many sits, but this is a part of the practice. Don't expect it to be peaceful, relaxing and joyful (although sometimes it feels like MDMA). Difficult sits are inevitable in cultivating these traits.

If you can concentrate on something as boring as the breath, then you can concentrate on anything in daily life.

In Buddhism they say you will be plagued by five hindrances during your practice:

Hindrance	Description	Example
Desire	Seeking happiness through the five senses.	"Let's do something more exciting, like watching a movie."
Aversion	Thoughts related to not wanting things.	"She was such a bitch!"
Sloth-and-torpor	A mind that is lazy and dull.	"I will do it... tomorrow."
Restlessness	A mind that jumps all over the place.	-
Doubt	A feeling of uncertainty or lack of conviction.	"I don't have any talent for meditation. My mind just works differently."

You will have sits filled with hindrances in all kinds of combinations. This is normal and completely okay as long as you keep doing the exercises. If you can be kind to yourself in these moments, then you can be kind to yourself in daily life.

It is a serious workout—you don't go to the gym to lift a bunch of feathers.

References

• "Altered Traits: Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your Mind, Brain, and Body" by Daniel Goleman and Richard Davidson