Now and then I get emails from participants saying that, since they started meditating, they’ve begun to notice that they feel more anxious. Obviously this is distressing because we meditate in an effort to feel calmer! 

In fact, what is likely happening is this: as we take time to sit still and begin listening closely to what our bodies and minds are saying, our pre-existing anxious thoughts become more apparent because we are now listening.

Normally we might try to silence uncomfortable thoughts and feelings with work, family, distractions, addictions and other noise. So when we sit in silence with our own bodies and minds, the anxieties and thoughts we try to suppress might bubble up to the surface and become noisier.

This is okay.

In the long-term, mindfulness is about reducing stress, improving focus and gaining mental resilience, but this does not mean that every time you sit down to meditate you’re going to feel calm and joyful. Sometimes you might feel anxious, distracted, or angry. You might feel a surge of grief as it bubbles up in the silence, making you cry.