Student: Master, can a meteorite fall on our head while we are walking?

Master: Yes, it can fall!

Student: What precautions can we take against this?

Master: Try to strengthen your head!

Student: But I want a realistic measure that works!

Master: Then let me tell you something realistic: There is no possibility of a meteorite falling on your head, because nothing can fall on something that does not exist!

— Mehmet Murat ildan

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In the late 1970’s, while surveying the Yucatán Peninsula for petroleum, geophysicists Glen Penfield and Antonio Camargo noticed disturbances in magnetic and gravitational data. The irregularities formed an invisible bulls-eye: an impact zone 93 miles wide and 12 miles deep. The data was too perfect to be a fluke. The town of Chixculub Pueblo was nearby, so they named the site the Chixculub crater. Little did they know that Chixculub is Yucatec Maya for “flea of the devil.”

The Chixculub meteorite was indeed straight out of hell. Its impact sent mile-high waves halfway across the world. Nearly every coastline in the world experienced catastrophic flooding. The tsunami was approximately 30,000 times bigger than one of the most devastating tsunamis on record, a 2004 Sumatran tsunami that killed over 230,000 people.

On impact, the meteorite also vaporized the sulfur deposits in the peninsula. Billions of tons of sulfur dioxide billowed into the atmosphere, blocking out sunlight. This in turn triggered an “impact winter,” a plunge in global temperatures. The meteorite’s impact and aftermath ultimately killed three quarters of all flora and fauna on Earth.

Today, you can still find meteorites—chunks of material that regularly fall to Earth from outer space—littering the landscapes of Antarctica, Arizona, and the African plains. They can also be found in other places, but they’re easiest to spot on flat, unicolor terrain like ice and sand. But if a rock looks nothing like its surroundings, how do you know it’s not a meteor-wrong?

There are a couple key ways that meteorites differ from Earth rocks. These guidelines, however, also tell us how meditation changes the experience of daily life. Whether monumental or mundane, meteorites and meditation have some wonderful parallels.

1. Density: Meteorites are denser than the surrounding rocks, because they typically contain iron or other metals. Meditation is equally heavy. It thickens experience, slowing things down without making them slower. Regular tasks take on an inexplicable weight. It becomes a gift to wash a cup, fold a shirt, open a door.
2. Magnetism: Because of the aforementioned metal, meteorites are magnetic. So too is meditation: it draws you to the experience of life. You begin to want to be more mindful, because mindfulness makes life vivid and vast.
3. Shape: Meteorites have pockmarks called regmaglypts. Regmaglypts are formed when a meteorite passes through the Earth’s atmosphere. The meteorite heats hyperlocal air pockets which erode the meteorite’s surface. You might notice that meditation has the same effect: less interest in base pleasures like alcohol, sex, or drugs. As you continue your meditative journey, the practice will carve off bits of yourself you thought were rock-solid.
4. Surface: The heat from the atmosphere can also melt the exterior of the meteorite. In the same way, meditation can permanently alter your thoughts and actions. An intrusive thinking pattern might melt away; an appreciation for daily life might be revealed underneath. By removing what was, you see what is.

Meditation can have as big of an impact on your life as the Chixculub meteorite did on Earth. Through daily practice, you’ll think more clearly. You’ll notice more in your everyday surroundings. You’ll realize you aren’t your thoughts. But just as scientists theorize about what happened when such a massive meteorite struck the Yucatán, I can only guess what incredible things meditation will do for you. The only way to know is to fall to Earth yourself.