Assalamu Alaikum - Yes, Meditation Helps, Just Don’t Make This Mistake

Assalamu Alaikum - I want to share a recent experience. On 29th November I sat for one of the most important exams of my life. Passing it would have led to a job. I had prepared well, my mock tests looked good, and I felt confident. The first three sections went smoothly. But in the final section I faced some questions I hadn’t seen before and I panicked. I kept telling myself, “I just need 25 marks… if I get that, I’ll be safe.” That pressure took over. Even simple questions seemed hard. My mind went blank. When time was up, I had only 9 marks - far below the cutoff. What hurt most was that later, when I reviewed the paper, the questions were doable. I didn’t fail for lack of knowledge. I failed because I lost my composure and allowed fear to control me. Around that time my meditation had become a routine I was doing almost mechanically. After the exam I sat for a sincere, focused session and something changed - I could clearly see what broke down inside me during the test. This whole episode taught me a lot. At first I was angry and disappointed. But after pausing and reflecting, I began to understand my own patterns better. A line I read from a wise teacher stuck with me: “When there’s an intense level of involvement, even small things can become extraordinary.” It resonated. I now appreciate how much true involvement matters. If I practice lightly, nothing shifts. But when I bring sincere attention and effort into my dhikr and meditation, that focus naturally shows up in my studies, my concentration, and everything else. That level of involvement needs to be present across life. JazakAllah khair for reading.