How to tap into your awareness -- and why meditation is easier than you think | Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche

Meditation is fundamentally about connecting with awareness rather than attempting to empty the mind or force tranquility. Many people struggle because they mistakenly view meditation as a tool to suppress thoughts or achieve a specific state of calm. Instead, awareness functions like the sky, remaining constant even when emotions like panic or stress—which resemble passing clouds—arise. By practicing three specific steps—using a sensory object like sound, observing emotions until they lose their perceived solidity, and eventually cultivating open awareness—individuals can transform difficult experiences into opportunities for growth. This approach turns internal struggles into teachers, allowing for a state of presence that persists regardless of external circumstances or internal mental activity.