The beginning of a new year is a powerful threshold. While the world around us focuses on «doing» more, the practice of meditation invites us to do something radical: pause. In this latest seminar, Diego Gesualdi reminds us that a deep meditative state isn’t just a mental feat—it begins with the physical foundation of how we show up in our bodies.

Foundation First: Meditation Should Not Be Painful

A common misconception in the wellness world is that meditation requires suffering through physical discomfort. Diego breaks this myth down, focusing on the mechanics of a «correct» seat:

• The Spine: Finding an alignment that removes tension from the neck and back.
• The Limits: Understanding how long your body can truly sit cross-legged without support.
• The Goal: Moving from pain to awareness and balance.

While advanced postures like Siddhasana (the Accomplished Pose) are beautiful goals, Diego emphasizes that they require time and a strong, stable core. There are no shortcuts to stability; it is a gradual building process that respects the body’s current boundaries.

Beyond Control: Participating in the Universal Flow

Once the body is settled, the mind often begins its battle for control. We live in a world of rules and systems, and we often try to apply that same «management style» to our spirituality.

Diego offers a shift in perspective: We do not have full control. We are participants in a much larger, universal energy. When we stop trying to «manhandle» our meditation and instead learn to lean into this energy, the practice transforms from a task into a surrender.

The Great Shift: From «Me» to «Help»

Perhaps the most profound takeaway from this session is the transition of our internal narrative. Most of us enter a practice asking:

«What is in this for me? How will this make me feel better?»

Diego invites us to flip the script and ask:

«How can I help?»

This simple change in viewpoint shifts us from a state of «seeking» to a state of «serving.» It is in this outward-facing wisdom that we actually find the inner peace we were looking for in the first place.

Embracing the Discomfort of Change

We often resist change because we want to hold onto our familiar «place» in the world. But growth—both on the cushion and in the streets of LA—requires us to accept that everything changes. Change is rarely comfortable, but it is the only path to true wisdom. This year, don’t just sit; sit with purpose, sit with ease, and sit with the willingness to be transformed.