To be honest, I am a very skeptical person.
I have a hard time believing in myths, letting myself wander into the unknown and hate the thought of not being in control. The idea of mediating always seemed like a combination of all of the above; just another way of telling me to let go, relax and find my inner happiness in the midst of a world full of chaos.
In several movies, I see women trying to meditate to the god of wisdom, the goddess of fertility and the god of peace. However, I have become very cynical about the entirety of meditation and its ACTUAL benefits. In my mind, the idea of mediation is quite simple; a time where you drop anything you are doing, focus on your inner peace, breath deeply to allow the stresses of life to roll off your sleeves and allow for God or some other spiritual being to move through you. As you probably can guess, it's not for me.
Recently for my class, we were asked to give meditation a try to see its benefits and set backs. After giving it a try, I realized one thing; I cannot stand the idea of not being in control or "letting go of your stresses" when, in reality, they never left.
When you open your eyes, the issues are still there and they will always be. So, why bother looking for a way out if there is no way out expect for perhaps, death. However, I can admit that though meditation didn't necessarily help me "relax", helped me realize one thing. I need to learn how to manage stress. Meditation simply seems like another stress manager that only helps you remove yourself from stress for a temporary period. And though it doesn't work for everyone, it is a manager to abide by.
I really liked how some questions on meditation websites explained that meditation is not necessarily giving up your beliefs in God, but rather a way of channeling those thoughts to God. In all, meditation can work for those who have the patience for it. But for those who don't, should still see the value it can bring to the table.
Even if its something as simple as taking a shower, saying a quick prayer, going for a run or sitting down for two minutes, the idea of learning to manage stress is a valuable skill to obtain.
Either way, I will not sit and say "umm umm" in any way, shape or form.