What is the big deal about this meditation thing??? I mean, sitting, being still, being ‘focused’, much ado has been expended on the specifics of ‘meditation’. However, what meditation is, what comprises it can only be understood through actual experience. By taking time to become immersed in ‘self’, one can develop clarity of insight and see truly ‘within’. It is crucial to be consistent in expending effort to attain insight. With consistency, the dross that clutters the mind, memories, obligations, perceptions, desires and the like, will become less of and issue; the process, thus, will be ameliorated.
Many volumes have been put forth regarding meditation, per se. The purpose of this writing is not to describe the specifics of meditation. My own experience of meditation is such that a person must cross a bridge and, during the crossing, throw the trolls off to the left and to the right. The trolls are those distracting thoughts and issues that constantly pop up. They are those pains, real and not so real, that ease into the psyche. At the beginning stages, the bridge is near the shore, in shallow water so the trolls keep climbing back onto the deck. As practice deepens, the bridge goes farther out into the canyon and the water, which is deep, is far below the bridge. Those trolls will have a little bit of a challenge to climb back onto the deck.
Extrapolating this scenario out, the bridge could go into space and throwing the trolls off would send them into the vastness of space. As they drifted off, your awareness could expand into the vastness as well. The largeness of space is vast enough to receive all who venture there into. The trolls drift into the beyond and distracting thoughts become less frequent. Eventually, there are very few distracting thoughts. From this point, the mind is capable of completely expanding into that vastness.
The description may be a bit difficult to envision. It is only through practicing a meditative technique, and there are several, that one can tune into the spaciousness of a stilled mind. Do not be confused by the musings of ‘demonic possession’ or ‘I can’t slow down enough in my mind’ or ‘just being too busy’. These reasonings, along with others, only serve as a barrier to experiencing the ‘spaciousness between the thoughts’. There are some in circles higher psychology that downplay the efficacy of meditation. Experimental design has been insufficient at consistently capturing reliable data that can explain the specific benefits and mechanisms of meditation. Again, experience it . . . or as Bruce Lee says: Don’t think . . . FEEL!!!
Developing clarity requires dedication. Effort must be consistently put forth such as a daily practice to which one can commit. Just as with progressing in weight-lifting by incrementally adding resistance, so to with meditation . . . even just a little bit each day. The mind will gradually evolve to where the desire for stillness takes hold. To arrive at this stage, one must fearlessly deal with the mental uprisings that ensue during the process. Oh, they are (physically) harmless but the mental onslaught can be a bit much. It would behoove one to begin this process in the presence of a group of experienced meditators. They could be guides through the mental backroads that are rarely explored. This process will clear the road and pave it, so to speak. Then, in the words of the Temptations, It’s gonna’ be smooth sailin’ from now on . . . .
In North Austin, TX, Contact the trainers at Ab-Sutra Wellness and Fitness for instruction in mindfulness and meditation.
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