Meditation is an exercise and practise where we seek to discover our own inner Source. Through meditation we can learn to identify with a vast, infinite consciousness that embodies peace, light and abiding satisfaction. Everybody has these divine qualities of inner peace and joy, it is just that at the moment we are not aware of them. Meditation is our conscious effort to experience these qualities and make them part of our nature.
To practice meditation we don’t need to follow a particular religion; anybody can meditate, the only requirement is our conscious aspiration to silence the thoughts of the mind. At the same time if we can have the help of a qualified teacher and associate with others who meditate then our progress will be quicker and more assured. We gain inspiration by meditating with others and following a certain path of meditation.
There are many different approaches to meditation but ultimately the various teachings of meditation share a common objective; to stop our mental thoughts. In essence meditation is an experience where we are not using the mind to think. If we can empty our mind of thoughts, then we will be able to enter into a meditative consciousness. When we enter into this meditative consciousness we actually find our inner being, our inner pilot will spontaneously meditate on our behalf. In the beginning we may need to make an effort to silence the mind. However when we have achieved this task of silencing the mind we find meditation is something that is very spontaneous and natural.
To be able to be able to go from an ordinary mental consciousness to this elevated consciousness we need to master the practice of concentration. To concentrate we only focus on one thing at a time; we need to avoid getting distracted by thoughts and emotions. To help us achieve this there are various meditation exercises, which help us to silence the mind. These exercises can include the use of mantra, visualization exercises and concentrating on certain objects.
Unless we are very fortunate, meditation may not come easily, but if we practice regularly we will begin to increase our meditative capacity and over time we will learn how to experience the lasting peace and satisfaction that meditation can give us. As Sri Chinmoy says of meditation
“Meditation gives us peace of mind without a tranquillizer. And unlike a tranquillizer, the peace of mind that we get from meditation does not fade away. It lasts for good in some corner of the inmost recesses of our aspiring heart.” [1]
But to describe the experience of real meditation in words is always inadequate. It is one thing to talk about peace and love but it is only when we meditate that we can experience these qualities as a living reality.
Resources:
[1] Excerpt from The Seeker's Mind by Sri Chinmoy
R.Pettinger has studied meditation under the guidance of Sri Chinmoy for 7 years. He teaches meditation classes in his home town of Oxford. For more articles on meditation and spirituality see: http://www.writespirit.net/blog
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