Gym as analogy

I like a good analogy. I find them helpful for getting a better grip, having a better understanding, of a topic. I think that going to the gym is quite a good (that is: true / meaningful / helpful) analogy for a meditation and mindfulness practice.

Disclaimers:

• I don’t go to the gym 🙈. But I do have a meditation and mindfulness practice.
• This analogy only works a bit, like all analogies. All models are wrong, but some are useful. The map is not the territory.

The Gym

Going to the gym requires our own active effort and attention. We do it for more than the results and effort at the gym.

• We work out at the gym to become more fit, not to get better at working out at the gym.
• We work out at the gym to be more healthy in our life outside the gym too, not to only be more healthy while we’re at the gym.
• We work out at the gym, we don’t stay at home and read books about working out.
• We go to the gym and work out, we don’t just stand still for an hour.
• When we’re new, or learning a new routine or machine, we ask someone for help and guidance.

The Practice

Practing meditation and mindfulness requires our own active effort and attention. We do it for more than the results and effort of sitting.

• We meditate to become better versions of ourselves, not to get better at meditating.
• We meditate to be more mentally healthy when we’re not meditating, not to only be more mentally healthy while we’re meditating.
• We practice mindfulness, we don’t just read books about being mindful.
• We meditate when we sit, we don’t just sit there and let our mind wander.
• When we’re new, or learning something new, we ask someone for help and guidance.

Added 2023-12-03.