Bart Ensing is a dutch traveler, philosopher and entrepreneur that I recently met in his second journey around the world. Bart has also been experimenting different health and wellness techniques, but the one he is continuously more and more fond on is Meditation.
What better theme for Aprils Fools’ Day than Meditation, that inner state of awareness that allows us to see everything as it is: a dream, quoting Twin Peaks “It is like a dreamer who dreams and then lives inside the dream. But who is the dreamer?” or a taste of infinity, in William Blake’s words “If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to men as it is: infinite!“
Bart recently spent some time in a Silence Mediation Retreat and in this interview he shares with us some of his views on Mediation:
1 – What does Meditation mean to you?
Meditation are ten minutes a day dedicated to my mental wellness. It’s the moment in which my actions are not dictated by automatisms and where I can clearly see the monkey brain trying to influence my mood and future actions. It helps me to live in the now and to feel in control of my emotions.
2 – How did Meditation change your life?
It definitely helped me to slow down life. Taking the time to meditate in the morning, instead of rushing through all morning routines is a way more mindful start of the day. The best insight I got from meditating was that my thoughts don’t define me, which I always thought to be true. Knowing this, I know I still have lots of ground to cover but I’m excited to think about all the future progress.
3 – What do you think makes meditation such a powerful technique?
Seeing things as they are is a profound experience that makes you think different about your life. It makes you more aware of the forces that are subconsciously steering you in life. Meditation practice gives you the tools to be more focused on moments that the monkey brain takes over and teaches you how to take control again.
4 – What are your suggestions for someone who is just beginning to meditate?
Try out a few different meditation apps and see which one resonates with you. Speak to people about meditation and don’t be hard on yourself if you feel you are “not doing a good job”.
5 – What other habits would you suggest for promoting Health and Wellness?
Daily planning – helps to avoid stress
Offline day – unwind and be less reactive
Go for a long walk – clear your mind
Monitor your bad habits – paying attention to them usually helps you to do them less:)
Exercise – obvious!
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