A while ago I received a guest post entry for ‘Meditation Rocks!’ from a new internet friend. It talked about watching TV and saying that it’s meditation. It made me think that though we are talking about new ideas on meditation but am I giving out clear view of what actually can be called meditation and what not?
Don’t Mind, it’s Empty
Often I hear people and books on meditation talking about ‘putting mind into meditation’ but the truth is ‘There is no mind in meditation’. If that doesn’t sound logical to you, it is not supposed to, think of it as ‘Mindfulness’. So when we are reading and watching TV, we are actually filling up our minds, which is NOT meditation. As a mindful state, or mindless state cannot ask for more to be filled. You are already full.
Taking the opposite, writing poetry and singing and writing diary etc. are expressing mindfulness (so you are taking it out on paper or canvas). A full vessel can overflow. That is meditation.
No Peace, Just Relief
Through meditation we are not trying to achieve peace of mind. We are trying to relief ourselves. In fact, using the word ‘trying’ is not correct. We ARE reaching towards relief, sailing more like.
When you are angry and frustrated, it is impossible to feel at peace and all.
So meditation isn’t about attaining peace. It’s about reaching for relief, be it beating the pillow, shouting or other harmless way of relieving the emotions. That soothing out is meditation and it automatically takes you from Anger to Revenge, from Revenge to Relief, from relief to hope, from hope to peace, from peace to you. This journey takes place inside, without harming others or yourself.
No-Thought of the Day
I’ve heard a lot about OSHO and finally decided to at least visit his website. There they have ‘No-Though of the Day’ and I cannot agree more on this concept. Meditation isn’t about thinking happy thoughts. There is no mind and thoughts in meditation. I love OSHO’s thoughts.
Let It Be
That’s my favourite song! Hail the Beatles! Yes meditation isn’t about ‘trying’ as I mentioned above. It’s about letting it be. And it’s not hopelessness, coz when we stop trying and let it be. All things automatically turn to better, you don’t try and heal wounds shouting, “GROW BACK!” you just let it be and it heals itself. That’s the way it is supposed to be –that’s meditation.
Ego? Moi? – Access Denied!
Door to the world of meditation are too small to let you in. Either you are there or you are not. When you think in terms of ‘I’, ‘Me’ (read: ego), In fact, when you think. You are not there. And when you don’t, you are there. So leave your profession, thoughts mind and body behind and you are already there.
Photo Credit: Charlevoix Fountain IV by ktylerconk, on Flickr / CC BY 2.0
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