There is a Meditation for Everyone

Meditation seems to be everywhere these days, a very popular thing, isn’t it?

For many people, the word still carries a hint of mysticism or religion; some link it to Hinduism, others to Buddhism. I can hear those who say, “It’s not really my thing.”
Yet at its core, meditation is something far simpler than all of that. It’s essentially a practice of insight—of noticing yourself. It doesn’t have to be done in a temple, nor does it require any particular belief or religion. It’s merely a gentle reminder to return to the moment you’re in, to your breath, to your inner.

I remember the first moments at the retreats I attended to meditation sessions—those early attempts to sit still and think of absolutely nothing. I would fall asleep in the most dramatic way, and my feet started to pain in long sits, sometimes turning the whole experience into something that felt almost like suffering. Once, I was at a retreat centre in the very early hours of the morning, near a quiet village where even during the day you’d hardly see any cars or pedestrians. A nd just then, the spotlights of a distant car tried to seep through my closed eyelids. In the dark, eyes shut, I could still feel the light pressing its way in. For that moment, I thought, “I think I’m enlightened like Buddha…”
I still laugh to myself whenever I remember it.

As I kept practising and experiencing things differently, I began to understand what meditation isn’t. It isn’t forcing the mind into silence, nor chasing thoughts away, nor trying to create quiet. Meditation is quite the opposite: it’s noticing whatever is already there, exactly as it is. Letting the mind speak, letting the body feel, letting the world make its sounds—and simply watching it all without pushing anything away, without judgment.
I slowly came to understand that the point wasn’t to “stop thinking,” but to remain present without getting lost in the thoughts themselves. Even the pain in my leg was part of the moment—and once I stopped resisting it, once I didn’t fight it, it would simply rise and pass. Meditation wasn’t an escape; it was a way of staying. Staying with myself, with whatever was there, and simply being in that space for a while…

As I said, there’s a meditation for everyone. Breath meditation, synchronous breathing, guided meditation, self-compassion meditation…
The familiar ones: self-compassion meditation, open awareness, guided meditation…
If you search online for even a few minutes, you’ll come across countless forms—
and trust me, there will be at least one that genuinely feels good for you.
But if you’re moving through intense emotions or experiencing something like panic attacks, some types of meditation might not fit you well. Think of it like this:
“It’s like saying I have insulin resistance, but I’m doing an intermittent fasting diet.”
Just as that could harm your body, choosing a meditation style that isn’t suitable for your mental state can be more overwhelming than helpful.

But why is meditation recommended this much?

Because the mind works very much like a computer. Right now, in the background of your brain, there are countless “files” open. Your mental taskbar is so full that there are many windows open about many topics—left open, never closed…And all these non-concluded thoughts come back to you at the most unexpected moments.
Our mind is programmed to protect us from danger and harm. It’s built like a survival system. That’s why it gravitates toward the negative—because it wants to keep us safe.
That’s its job. But these thoughts arrive from the same place, with the same negative tone.
This is exactly where meditation steps in.
During meditation, the mind “neutralises” these thoughts. Like organising folders on a computer: deleting the unnecessary ones, placing the important where it belongs, tidying the mess, emptying the recycle bin. In short, meditation brings balance to the brain system
we call the Default Mode Network—the DMN.

I’ll explain the science in a moment, but essentially, it’s the system that pulls the mind
back and forth between past and future. Meditation calms that automatic motion
and makes it possible to stay in the “now.”
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The Default Mode Network: The Mind’s Background Music
The “default mode network” is a system for areas such as the dorsal and ventral medial prefrontal cortices and the posterior cortex. It’s one of the first functional brain networks identified in neuroscience, and it works like the “background music” of the mind.
It allows us to think about who we are—in relation to ourselves and to others.  When we form our inner narrative—remembering the past, observing our feelings today, or planning for the future—the DMN becomes active. It is deeply connected to identity and self-awareness. It even allows us to recognise our own face in the mirror to say “that’s me” when we hear our voice. So even when we’re doing nothing—just standing there—
The brain is intensely active. The mind keeps sustaining the story that makes us who we are, preserving the sense of identity.
That’s why mindfulness is valuable: because it briefly interrupts this automatic stream.
And mindfulness is, at its core, a simple skill, which means noticing what is happening right now through your five senses.

The Default Mode Network Has Three Main Functions:
1?? It creates a sense of self.
2?? It imagines this self in the past or the future.
3?? It constantly searches for a “problem.”
That is the nature of the mind that it looks for something to fix, and if it can’t find one, it invents one. But is this truly the mind’s nature? Let’s look closely.
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A small exercise:

Can you stay for five minutes without thinking about anything?

Just stay…

You’ll notice how quickly the mind starts to bring up many memories you hadn’t thought of in ages, random worries, unfinished stories. It’s almost playful: the more you try not to think, the more eagerly it throws thoughts at you to win your attention. Not thinking at all suddenly doesn’t seem so easy…
This is exactly where mindfulness steps in. Being aware is easy; sustaining that awareness is the hard part. Because the default mode network keeps pulling you into the past or the future. Meditation is the art of rediscovering silence within all that noise.

We are not programmed for happiness; we are programmed for survival. That’s why the brain focuses on the negative—its job is to keep you alive. When the mind has “free time,”
it tends to search for potential problems. Evolutionarily, this kept us safe. But it comes with a cost: most of the time, we don’t even realise we’re living inside the default mode network.
When we do something with mindfulness, when we are intentionally present, we become aware of our inner narrative. And that awareness keeps us from getting lost in it. Mindfulness opens a mental space. Within that space, we can choose how to respond to a situation. In moments of suffering, mindfulness opens the door to compassion. We can ask, “What do I need right now?” and comfort ourselves the way we would comfort a friend.

Research shows that regular mindfulness practice can quiet the default mode network both during meditation and in everyday life. This means that the more we practice, more options we have the better choices for ourselves.
The default mode network supports our ability to understand ourselves and our inner mental processes. This self-awareness is invaluable—not only for personal growth,
but also for recognising our thoughts, emotions, and motivations. It plays an important role in social connection too—helping us understand others’ feelings, build deeper relationships, and cultivate empathy. And finally, the DMN is also the centre of creativity.
It becomes active when we imagine, dream, receive inspiration, or generate new ideas.
When we feel that creative inner flow in art, literature, or music, this network is quietly at work.
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And this is why there is a meditation for everyone. I hope you find the one that suits you—

That helps you close the mental files that no longer occupy your mind, delete the folder of future worries, and return to this moment. Only then can you become more aware of your choices and actions, move closer to your creativity, and take one step further toward your potential.
And perhaps in that moment—in the heart of all this awareness—you’ll feel the thing that brings you back to balance: your inner anchor.

One day, I believe “meditation” will be as natural as brushing our teeth, just another gentle part of our daily routine, like listening to music or taking a mindful breath.
If you want to access the Turkish version of this blog, just reach out to me via info@myinneranchor.com