I’ve never had a problem sitting in silence with other people. I have had my share of awkward silences, but for the most part, when I’m sitting next to a friend on the bus, or just hanging out at a coffee shop, I see no reason to always be holding a conversation. Sometimes I prefer to sit and let myself experience the moment, to reflect on it all whilst in the company of good friends. It sure beats doing it by yourself.

I think this explains the immediate attraction I felt in February when I had the opportunity to meditate during Jainism. It certainly wasn’t an easy requirement, and it didn’t get much easier this month either. But the payoff was there. That feeling of calm and peace, of being in the moment. That is the sort of thing I have glimpsed at while meditating, the sort of thing I have only experienced while silently enjoying the company of others.

Buddhism taught me this month that meditation is a deceptively simple thing to do. It seems that all it is, when you get right down to it, is sitting. That’s it. Just sit.

Sitting, being something we do everyday, doesn’t seem like a big idea, right? Sitting cross-legged with proper posture might present a bit of a challenge, but come on, it’s just sitting. But usually when we sit, we aren’t just sitting, but sitting and thinking, sitting and fidgeting, sitting and drinking or eating. We are not immersed in the moment, nor are we performing that one simple action with all of our concentration. In meditation, the goal is to be immersed in that moment, to be focused on that one simple action. In order to do this we must reign in the mind and make it concentrate on that one action, to the exclusion of all else. That kind of concentration is the part that isn’t easy, but it seems to come with practice.

When I meditate I noticed that the rest of my day would be improved. I felt calmer, more in control of things and usually more productive. I felt at home with myself. This was in stark contrast to the days when I felt I couldn’t be bothered, the same days when I would feel lethargic and uninterested in the things I needed to accomplish. I really felt like I was living in the moment.

As I have said before, I am sure that it is a practice which will follow me into the months and years to come.