There are two common mistaken extremes in meditation practice: dismissing meditation as unimportant, or over-venerating it as the only path. In reality, a true “meditative lifestyle” lies in balance. It means bringing awareness and mindfulness into every everyday activity, from your breathing at work to personal routines and relationships. This way of life is neither restrictive nor forced, but a natural integration that brings true peace.
Balance in a meditative lifestyle
Balance is central to a meditative lifestyle. Dismissing meditation or excessively worshipping it both lead to undesirable consequences. Just as not meditating brings no benefits, sitting in meditation too much and withdrawing from everyday life becomes another extreme.
A meditative lifestyle is when we practice awareness in every momentc: observing your breath while working, being mindful while eating, bathing, and brushing your teeth, and listening fully in conversations. This helps us do everything skillfully and naturally, without forcing. Then, when sufficient conditions come together, you will move toward a meditative life in awakening. The essence of a meditative lifestyle is harmony, necessary to accumulate enough “quantity” to bring about a transformation in “quality.”
Avoid becoming a “meditation terrorist”
Opposite to those who believe meditation has no real effect and sitting quietly brings no benefit, there is another extreme: “meditation terrorism.” This occurs when someone has initial awakening experiences and falls into an extreme obsession with practice, spending too much time meditating with expectations and desires. Worse still, they may believe only their meditation path is right and judge others.
This extreme attitude, arising from craving, striving, and attachment, turns meditation into a form of imposing spiritual views on others, similar to religious extremism. The video's advice is that “anyone can meditate,” and the important thing is “do not become a meditation terrorist,” but instead be a “good example of meditation” through balance and kindness.
What is a truly balanced way of life?
An effective meditative lifestyle rests on balance rather than extremes. It means nurturing awareness in each daily action, word, and thought, not escaping life in search of illusory enlightenment. Practice meditation harmoniously, avoid all forms of attachment, and become a genuine meditation practitioner, bringing peace to yourself and spreading transformation to those around you.
Listen to an excerpt from the book Anyone Can Meditate to understand this better:
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