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Meditation for the Real World
Chapter 1
Silence is the final destination of any meditation
practice. Many of us are surrounded by an infinite number of distractions
and have started meditating but have been unable to continue it. We have
normally felt much better for having done it but just cannot find the
time to progress past the first 5 minutes of silence.
Some people
have spent hundreds of dollars on meditation books to achieve the seemingly
simple task of silence. Others have attempted to meditate for years and have
stopped, fearing they will never reach enlightenment. We have all missed the
point.
Meditation is a wonderful experience. It is not necessary to
spend money or years to achieve silence. It does require us to change some
very simple aspects of our lives. The notions of change and control. The
notion of change is very difficult for us.
Personal Anecdote.
My
brother has wanted a new couch for years to replace the torn up discoloured
one that he uses to watch TV. After months of deliberation my mom finally
bought him one that is almost virtually the same and probably more
comfortable. Even though he wanted one now he picks out minute imperfections
about how unsuitable it is compared to the old one.
This fear of
change is integral to our resistance to take up or continue with our
meditation practice. So we tend to find all sorts of reasons not to continue
meditating. Wanting to change our lives is an important first step to
successful meditation. But first we have to embrace change. Step by step we
can diminish the barrier and start meditating more regularly and for longer
periods. We should not radically change our lives by trying to spend hours
sitting, or giving up things we like doing. After all we all have lives to
lead, jobs to do.
Change Slowly
Don't rush through the
procedure. Its better to do the basics until they feel comfortable and then
increase the in and out breaths or lengthen and shorten
them.
Meditation will change our lives. It will allow
us to lead a life of serenity and satisfaction without having to constantly
compete in society. Our calmness and awareness will allow us to achieve
goals we never thought possible. Yet we have to allow some things in life to
take their course.
This gets us to the second point and that is
control. The silence and tranquillity of mediation involves reducing our
constant control over our awareness. Through meditation we will develop a
path towards silence. Our normal awareness constantly analyses every
movement, decision or event in our lives, making contingency plans for
events that may never occur.
A developed awareness will just be. It will
enjoy every in breath and out breath. We will finally come to terms with the
fact that in this vastly interconnected world we are not often completely in
control of the path our lives takes. Yet our heightened awareness will allow
us to chart a better path for our future.
It may seem strange at
first but it is an important part of being able to meditate. We should
try to stop controlling every aspect of our life. Unfortunately some books
tell us to wake up at exactly the same time and have rigid meditation
routines. Maybe one day we can all sit for 3 or 4 hours on a mountain
enjoying the tranquillity of our breath at 6 am.
For now rigid
routines only bring in the negative societal aspects that has confused us
and hinders the progress of meditation. We should meditate every day but
increase it gradually and concentrate on counting the breaths. Attempting
complicated visualisation and affirmations just confuse us and remind us of
learning our multiplication tables in school.
Keep it Simple
For this week think about the issues of control and change otherwise
we are all like the child who wants everything right and cries when
things do not seem to be just right
(c)Copyright 2001 Pleasuredrome