Vishen LakhianiFounder of Mindvalley | NYT Bestselling Author | Transforming Lives Globally

Why do you meditate?

14 Aug 2022 · 1 min

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Short monologue arguing that meditation is not escapism but a practice to improve life. The speaker notes meditation rapidly increases dopamine and serotonin (within ~30–45 seconds), producing pleasant effects, but emphasizes long-term benefits—greater kindness, compassion, presence, better sleep, sexual life, creativity, and everyday functioning—rather than mere temporary pleasure.

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I don't think we meditate to escape. I don't think we meditate for the sake of meditation. I think we meditate to be better at life. Now, that's sort of like the esoteric definition. But what's happening neurochemically is that within 30 to 45 seconds of you starting your brain and body flood with dopamine and serotonin. Now, dopamine and serotonin are bliss chemicals. So that feels nice when it's happening. But if that's all it did for you, then it's no better than any other drug, right? You just want to feel good for 20 minutes. You could go take some acid or something. It's a lot longer than 20 minutes. Not that I would know you guys. What I'm saying is, if you just want to feel good while you're meditating, that's just escapism. I don't think we meditate to escape. We meditate to be better at life. How kind are you? How compassionate are you? How present are you? How's your sleep? How's your sex? How's your parking karma? How creative are you? Did I say that? Probably.