What is Meditation? ( Beginners )                                                                                                                     

Meditation does not discriminate between Religion, Race, Age, Status and Intelligence of the person. Meditation equally belongs to everyone. But one should be ready to lose Misery, Shallowness, Jealousy and Hatred as the price of admission in world of meditation.

Meditation is not meant only for spiritual purpose or we have to leave the world and go to mountains for practicing meditation. Meditation simply means to do the things in a right way and Meditation actually adds grace to our action and makes our life a Joy. Outwardly our actions remain the same but inwardly the quality of action and life changes with Meditation. A certain grace, peace, satisfaction surrounds the person who Meditates.

There is a beautiful story. A King had two sons and king had to choose his successor among the two. So King gave very little money to both of them and said, “with this little money you need to fill your palace, who will do the best job will have my kingdom”.

First Son thought, “With this little money it is impossible to fill the palace”. So he bought the Garbage from the city and filled his palace”

Second son also knew that money is little but he went deeper into his being and he bought perfume from the money and filled the palace with the sweet fragrance.

This story is not mythological. It’s very much real because this is our story. Our heart is that Palace and our Life is the money which heavenly father has given to all of us. We can spend our time either in gathering worldly success or finding our real nature through meditation. We have the option of filling out life with Money, Fame, Success but our Heart won’t be satisfied. Only love can fill the heart.

First step towards Meditation is to realize that no amount of worldly success can make me happy. This realization should not be intellectual but personal experience of life. Once we are dissatisfied with the outside world then only we can really think about entering inside the inner world of meditation. Otherwise we will keep on gathering things in our life as the prince in story was gathering garbage. But that does not bring happiness in our life.

Meditation is a journey towards Innocence and Joy. As a child we all were alive and fresh like a rose flower. But slowly many ideas and beliefs were forced into our mind by society. With we lost the spontaneity and purity, which surrounds every child like a blessing from God. Meditation is a process to get rid of all those foolish concept of “Do and Don’t” and bring us back to that spontaneous state of childhood yet retaining the Wisdom which we have earned with experience.

Our very idea of being happy is linked with “doing some thing” like going for a movie, playing any game or Gossiping with friends. That’s why it is very important that we are dissatisfied with the outside world. We have done stuff like friendships, Sex movies, fame, money but nothing is able to satisfy us so we are taking jump in the inner world. Some times many people don’t even feel the need to go in to sensual world as they have understood the futility of sensual world in previous lives.

Even we are really interested in practicing meditation and we intellectually understand that “in meditation nothing needs to be done” then also it is very difficult to stop the ‘Doing’ in meditation. Doing things has become our very nature and we cannot sit idle. In meditation also we start putting our effort and it takes time to “stop doing” in meditation. Slowly we slow down and one day we learn the knack to drop the doing in meditation.

There is one meditation technique Zazen  followed in Japan. In Zazen meditator just “learns to sit ”. But if we try to “simply sit” then that sitting will carry lot of effort from our side. But for Zazen meditator this sitting comes effortlessly and it does not a effort. This effortless sitting cannot be forced. It happens one day to the meditator and to make it happen one has to try. Initially one will definitely put effort but one day Meditator gets the knack of sitting effortlessly. To learn swimming one need to enter inside the water and every one can learn swimming. One just needs to drop the fear of water and any moment one can learn the art to swim. It is the same case with meditation.
 

It’s totally paradoxical. The effort we are putting is the very hindrance also. But despite of that we need to put effort. Mother always loves her child but for the growth of child she some times beats the child also. Slowly, slowly with patience, with practice and through guidance from a Guru one learns to stop putting effort. When it happens then whole mystery of meditation is solved and life becomes a Joy.

Meditation is a Mystery as long as we don’t participate in it. Once we learn the knack to meditate, Meditation becomes the greatest adventure of our life. So as long as we have not learned the knack to meditate, Meditation carries a subtle effort from our side but once we learn the knack, it becomes effortless. Meditation means putting an end to all games Ego.

When ever any desire enters our mind and we do nothing about it and we don’t try to fulfill it then Unknowingly we are doing meditation. We cannot fulfill any desire and even if we are able to fulfill one desire then 1000 news desire will come in our mind by that time. Understanding this constant game of desire and ambition is very important in going deep in meditation. Meditation simply means getting out of this game of desires. 

Meditation is an art to do each and every activity of life with awareness so that Ego does not enter. E.g. when we are walking on road then apart from walking we are constantly thinking. Our attention is divided. Most of our attention is involved in thinking and only a very small amount of attention is used in walking. Physically we are walking but mentally we are somewhere else. This simple activity of walking can become meditation if we are conscious of each and every step we take. While walking our attention should not drift to past and future but stays with walking. Meditation means to do every act with out going in future or past. Staying in present moment is the total art of meditation.

At any given time there are many thoughts revolving in our mind but one prominent thought catches our attention and that thoughts takes us to past and future. Our daily acts are so mechanical that we can do them while our attention is in past or future. That’s why very rarely we are conscious about our actions. Meditation is the process to stay away from involving ourselves with these thoughts.

Meditation means watching every thought that comes to us with out participating in it. When we don’t involve ourselves with any thought and we just watch one thought coming and leaving and then another thought. Then we are doing meditation. We not only watch the thoughts but also the silent time interval between two thoughts. But in this time gap we are not sleeping but we are aware of the time Gap. And we can only be aware of this time gap if our attention has not moved to past or future.

Living in the present moment is Meditation. While eating the food if all our attention is in eating and not in past or future. Then this is meditation. It is so funny when we leave our home to go a restaurant to have a burger then on the way our attention is in future, feeling about the taste of burger and when we are actually eating the burger then our attention is some where else. We don’t enjoy the burger about which we were thinking few minutes ago. When do we actually enjoy the things, which we earn and gain after so much struggle? In meditation we enjoys because we stay in present.

Even while eating and walking thoughts are bound to come which can take our attention to past or future but we are not supposed to cooperate with them. We just need to witness them. Thoughts are present all the time but cooperation should not be there from our side. instead we should witness the thoughts. So in meditation we try to be aware in all the actions we do and at the same time we don’t involve ourselves with any thought. We just witness the thoughts.

Witnessing the thought means:

1. There is no need to analyze whether the thought is good or bad. We just need to be aware that a thought has come. Just the knowledge that a thought has entered is enough. Nothing else needs to be done about it.
2. There is no need to involve with the thought. We need to keep some distance with  the thought. There is no need to participate in the thought and give our feedback or views about the thought. If we don’t participate then soon a new thought will come and then another. Reality is that all thoughts are coming from outside but we involve ourselves with them by credit for good thoughts and feeling guilty for bad thought. Just ignoring the thought is required from our side.
3. We don’t even need to desire for silence. Desire is Mind. In deep meditation constant chattering of thoughts stops or slows down. But aim of meditation is not to stop the thoughts. Advanced meditator does not bother with thoughts. If thoughts are there “its ok” and if thoughts are not there “that is also ok”. Because this idea of having “No thought state is also a desire”. Meditator simply needs to be aware of thoughts. No body till now is able to stop the mind but one day mind stops itself when we stop cooperating with Mind.
4. The Moment we realize that we have involved ourselves with the thought. we should stop the involvement immediately and starts witnessing again. Even there is no need to feel guilty that “why we involved ourselves with the thought”. Guilt is another door through which Mind enters.

Whole day Mind is working even in sleep also. Meditation gives a break to Mind. After each meditation session we can use our mind in a better way. Meditation is an bath for our heart. We become Fresh. Mind is an wonderful servant but problem is that it had become our Master. We are not using it, Mind is using us.

What meditation is Not:

1. Meditation is not concentration. Normally there are many thoughts revolving in our mind but one thought catches our attention. In Concentration Mind gets concentrated on a single thought. All the attention is given to one thought. Concentration makes mind strong and thus leads to tension.

2. Meditation is not contemplation. In Contemplation again we are thinking. Meditation means ‘No Mind’. A state in which thought cease to exist or if there are thoughts one is aware of it.
   
   Any thing can be meditation. Walking, Drinking, eating, talking, swimming, painting, dance, watching Movie. A basic criterion is to be present in the act. Our attention is there in the act. While typing on keyboard we should be aware that we are pressing the keyboard and at the same time if any thought or desire comes then we are just witnessing them.
   
   Slowly through practice our awareness in mundane acts increases. If one starts to be aware in action then slowly witnessing of thoughts will also happen simultaneously. It is true with witnessing also. If one starts witnessing the thoughts one will be automatically aware in the actions also. In meditation also Mind stops but we are relax and that state is very joyful. All meditation techniques are doors through which we can have glimpses of those few blissful moments. Once some one taste those moments of ‘No Mind’ then one is hooked to meditation.

Some key points helpful for going deep in meditation are:

1. We don’t need to have any ambitions in Meditation. Mind strives to be a great meditator or have spiritual powers. ‘Ambition of any kind’ means Mind has again entered by back door. We just need to Meditate. But Mind will definitely try to create some ambition in spiritual world also. So one need to be very careful. No Ambition.
2. Its better to stay loose and relax in Meditation. Cheerful attitude is very helpful. There is no need to be serious about meditation. Meditation should be made playful. Seriousness is another door through which mind enters. Mind means flow of thoughts.
3. Meditation does not mean that we are doing some thing great. So we should not feel proud about it and look at others with superior attitude. There is also no need to wage a war against mind and thoughts. Friendly Attitude or attitude of deep reverence or love should be there towards thoughts but at the same time we don’t need to get involve/cooperate/analyze the thoughts.
4. Patience is very much required. Meditation is a knack. We can learn it in one day or one month. No one can tell that. Its like learning swimming. We need to enter inside water to learn it. Practicing meditation is the only way to learn it and it will take its own time which will vary from person to person.
5. If desires come, thoughts come, unawareness is there. We should accept them also and enjoy this phase of unawareness. Initially it will be there. Slowly, slowly  awareness will increase. Light from small candle removes the darkness from thousands of years. Mind asks so many questions “why I am not meditating”, “why thoughts are coming”. but we need to accept these phases also and keep on meditating.
6. Its natural to have a phase of unawareness with a phase of awareness. Its duality. But Mind will certainly ask questions. We should never try to answer these questions, just knowing that this is mind playing trick is meditation. Mind loves “WHY” and “HOW”. its impossible to answer Mind because the moment we answer one question, it will ask another question. Asking question, creating doubt is very nature of Mind.
7. Meditation is a twenty-four journey. One hour of meditation cannot fight with 23 hours of unawareness. Initially at beginner's stage one can start with 20-30 minutes but slowly meditation should enter each and every action of our life and it happens effortlessly and this takes it own time. So as a meditator we need to be patient, playful, relax and we should not look for results. It will happen one day, may be in the first sitting itself but we should not have any desire for it. Even if the desire is there then one can be aware of the desire and we should not feed that desire.
8. Its good to read these rules again but there is no need to take them seriously. We should be more spontaneous and we should trust our own intuition. As we go deep in meditation our intuition also develops. Even if we make mistakes that is also OK. Only by making mistakes one grows and learns. So we should not take all these rules seriously. They are just indications and one can only indicate. Each one journey towards meditation is unique.
9. All the best and have a Safe Journey.

Meditation is the beginning but not the end. Meditation takes us towards the end. As seed of meditation flowers its fragrance spread in real life. Dropping effort in Meditation slowly prepares us to drop the effort in real life also. All religion says “thy will be done” and “do your work and leave the results on God”. All meditation techniques are indirect routes to help us in “dropping attachment with our action/work in real life”. When ever we do our action with meditation then we are doing the things but we are not doer. There is no ego attached with the work. Meditation prepares us over a period of time to drop the effort.

So first we drop the effort in meditation and then we drop it in real life. Although we keep on doing the same work as we were doing earlier but its quality changes. Meditation does not ask us to leave the world and go to forest. Nor does meditation ask us to change our profession but Meditation prepare us to drop attachment or feeling of ego associated with the work. Meditation is a Journey in which each step brings us closer to our real home and in the end we realizes that we were already in the Home. But to realize this truth one has to travel all over the world. Journey of pleasure starts with the materialistic world and culminates in inner world, where even the ‘I’ is lost.

It’s an individual journey and every one has to make its own unique path. No one can tell the exact path of meditation but certain indications can be given for help. Guidance from Guru can make this journey shorter and is tremendous help in the path. Ultimately one knows and find out its unique path by actually walking on it. There is no other way to know about meditation except going into meditation.



Related Articles: "Questions on Awareness and Witnessing"
                       "Meditation Questions Answered by Buddhas"

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