Meditation While not the Myth
"All of life is a meditation, most of it unintentional." Joseph Campbell
Are you sitting comfortably? After I keep in mind these words I laugh out loud. It tickles that place within me that judges myself for not being the right meditator. I do take meditation seriously, as a deep, fulfilling expertise - which it undoubtedly is. But, Campbell's quotation helped me see that any reflection or deep thinking can be a flash of meditation - if I bring my consciousness there and make it so.
I used to be a late developer - regarding several things, however certainly as far as meditation goes. In retrospect, much of music, reading and nature were meditative experiences on behalf of me -- but consciousness of the actual fact was not present, method back when. Discovering meditation at thirty eight years old was not an simple experience. I recognised its intrinsic price, however was certainly not a natural!
Fortunately my fears of the myths abounding on the topic, like not being in management, being hypnotised, believing that for some mysterious reason it (meditation) was 'roughly right' etc. were blown away by the selection of ways being taught in those days by the Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (now called Osho). They tantalised me with guarantees of peace and serenity, while at the identical time, catapulting me into terribly physical plus quiet ways of meditation practice. The speculation was that, for Western minds and bodies, the jap concept of sitting still in bliss was too foreign, not designed for the speed of the twentieth century. Thus some of these strategies (based on concepts of Wilhelm Reich) concerned the body. Sometimes they were quite strenuous, before permitting the stillness and quiet that creates the house in that meditation will happen. All those years ago, they worked for me.
There were additionally different myths that required to be dispelled along the way. They concerned expectations of supernatural experiences, apparently disappearing, ecstasy, blue and white lights and highly evolved non secular insights! Nothing dramatic like that happened for me -- never has.
In fact, disappointment and a sense of inadequacy crept in -- never to be talked about, however undermining my self-image as a loyal religious seeker.
Today, in my work with individuals -- often, though not solely, in their fifties or over, I meet so several like me, as I was when younger -- afraid, embarrassed, unsure, skeptical and challenged by the whole idea of meditation.
As I have matured, in my practices and age, fortunately my perspective has matured as well! Not is meditation observed as one thing for others but not for me. In society the word meditation has finally achieved a reputable, respectful acceptance. Within the medical profession, its efficacy is proven. Now, I teach meditation, additional merely than when I was younger. This is often a relief, both for my students and me. Separating the truth of the experience from alternative individuals's (and my very own) expectations has brought some peace and tranquility to my every day life.
Campbell maintains that meditation's purpose is the transformation of consciousness. This gives us all great encouragement to bring meditation into our daily lives. You may care to sit down in a beautiful, ancient cathedral for a whereas, as an escape from the busy city outside. The stained glass, soaring heights, the building's symmetry, the centuries of prayer in the walls and also the quiet, lifts your consciousness to a higher level. How can it not? The identical thing will happen on high of a mountain or by a lake, in a very forest and on the shores of the ocean. There is a deep-seated need in every people to expertise the meditative.
How to hold that level of consciousness when in a very busy office, or surrounded by active noisy youngsters, in the supermarket or frantic city street? An understanding of meditation and how it works will invariably facilitate to keep the mind focused, in the present, and therefore the sensibilities unaffected by what's happening in one's surroundings. Easier said than done, but nevertheless true.
I've got had to unleash myself from old concepts of what meditation is, that were coloured by expectation, some non secular descriptions and therefore the myths that surrounded the word meditation.
A wise and stunning Master, affectionately referred to as Papaji by his disciples, has said, "Shut up and be quiet!" A lightweight went on within me once I heard those words. This man taught within the direct lineage of Ramana Maharshi, one among the greatest sages of this century, who spent several years as a younger man in complete silence and attained his religious awakening in that state. These words of Papaji gave me the hint that meditation is simple. I have found that many meditation techniques are helpful as centering exercises, serving to this wandering mind to focus and therefore the body to still. The foremost accessible being to look at the breath, bring one's attention back to the breath. The breath is always there, respiratory itself. However, on behalf of me this is still an activity, a doing.
But, if I just "shut up and be quiet", watch the thoughts, even welcome the thoughts, but do not get wedged within the stories that the thoughts engender, then clarity comes, peace descends and total aliveness happens. If I drop my expectations of what meditation ought to be, if I am simply there with no matter is presented, if I will just sit, while not judgment -- the rest of my day is brighter, less driven and additional contented. In alternative words, getting out of my very own way permits Peace in.
At the start of this text I used the words with which Play School perpetually started when my kids were young. I wrote these down before beginning to write this piece -- it encapsulated my journey into my own meditative practice. Once I learned to 'sit comfortably' with my truth, however it appeared, meditative life blossomed. I learned that it was not necessary to sit down in physical discomfort; all that was necessary was the willingness to shut up and be quiet for a whereas, and keep open to what was there waiting to be experienced.
Author Resource:
Georgina Tucker has been writing articles online for nearly 2 years now. Not only does this author specialize in Meditation, you can also check out latest website about
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/rss.jpg "XML Feed For RSS")