Certainly each of us has met more than once with the notion of meditation. Most imagine that this is a kind of visualization in which we focus on some desired image. We usually meet with therapeutic meditations, meditations for subconscious transformation, meditations to help us achieve a goal.
Some of us came in contact with meditations from the Far East, India, Japan or Tibet. They have a religious character, often associated with the repetition of some mysterious mantra, the visualization of the eastern deities or images suggested by the guru. Some of us were fortunate to come across meditation consisting of watching the breath, sensations coming from the body, or simply feeling "I am". What is meditation really about?
To me, this is one of the most important, if not the most important, practices that can really influence the development of consciousness, the ability to self-aware, to deal with them, the ability to relieve stress and tension so characteristic of our times. Meditation also allows you to develop mental qualities that are critical to success in a variety of areas, from successful weight loss, to running a business and creating a satisfying relationship, ending. The properties of the mind developed and perfected through meditations such as the ability to deep focus, the ability to listen to others and recognize their emotions and non-verbal communication, emotional intelligence, emotionlessness, systemativity, perseverance, problem solving, creative attitude, In all areas of our lives. Paradoxically, meditation does not focus on any of these qualities or mental properties because it is the only practice, the only exercise, or the action that, in fact, has no purpose. Whatever we do, we do it for some reason or we want to achieve something. Meditation, unless it is the only action in life, does not function in this way.
When you sit down to formal meditation and decide to focus on feeling your breath, you do it for the exercise itself, not for a goal, such as a deeper focus, freedom from thinking, or the experience of a spiritual vision. Many people think that during meditation one should attain state of freedom from the thought that the mind during meditation should be "empty". They are thus aiming to reach the emptiness of the mind. They do not notice that their actions are self-conscious, think in meditation about not thinking. It does not make sense. When you are going to meditate, do not set yourself such goals. The essence of meditation is to focus on "here and now", at present, on the current experience. The goal is something that assumes the passage of time. Regardless of whether it is the future in a minute, in 20 minutes or in 5 seconds. One of the most deceptive concepts of meditation is the idea of enlightenment that must be achieved through meditation. It's an illusion. The mind creates the idea of enlightenment in order to set a goal to which it will strive, that is, it will prolong its reign in consciousness, taking our attention away from "here and now". This is a clever run of the mind, which is subjected to a lot of practitioners. If you have a goal in front of you, whether it is enlightenment or peace of mind, you must somehow exert yourself to achieve that goal. You can not completely relax. You have a goal in front of you that you have to do, or do you want to, and that requires effort. True meditation requires no effort, requires only consciousness, focus on "here and now". Such concentration is not associated with any effort. You are just aware of what you are experiencing right now. You are aware of your experiences. You feel your body, you feel like breathing, you realize that you hear different sounds, you see colors and lights, you experience the process of thinking. You may even realize that you are currently thinking about what you think. It does not require effort. No. If you think otherwise, then you may realize that you think meditation requires effort. This is just a thought!
When you realize it, you will feel incredible freedom. Freedom from the need to achieve anything during meditation. What a relief! You do not have to achieve anything! You do not need to strive for anything! You do not set yourself any purpose. You are just aware, you are aware of what your current experience is. You are also aware that you are experiencing at all!
Staying in this state teaches you something very important. You slowly begin to realize that the process of thinking, judging reality, commenting on it, controlling it, creating desires, fears is the same process as physiological processes: blood circulation, hormone secretion, digestion or breathing. Your lungs breathe, your heart pumps blood, the adrenal gland produces adrenaline, and your brain produces thoughts. You begin to realize that your thoughts, your mind, is not your deepest, true self. Consciousness begins to transcend past identities with the mind. The vast majority of people live on the level of total identification with the thought process. Thinking, judgment, desires, fears, requirements, emotions associated with them are filled completely by the awareness of most people. We do not realize that this is only a small part of consciousness. The meditator has the opportunity to experience that he or she can be aware, fully conscious, while no thoughts arise in the mind. When the mind becomes very quiet or thoughts disappear at all, we can experience what is beyond thought: unfathomable peace, sense of satisfaction, love, acceptance of what is, and acceptance of change for the dynamics of life. This deep peace, inner joy, happiness that does not depend on any external factors is an extremely valuable gift of meditation. It is not its purpose, but its effect or "gift". I like to say that these are "side products" of meditation.
Such experience has enormous power transforming our lives. Problems that seem so overwhelming to the present seem to be seen in a different perspective. The mind gets more space, more breath and can, thanks to it, easier to solve problems. It is no longer so dreadfully overwhelmed, paralyzed. The problems of most people are so great that they are not able to find their solution. They are rolling around, obsessively thinking regretting the past or fearing the future. They still think the same thoughts, they return to the same emotions, even when they are unpleasant, cause suffering. People became addicted to suffering, became addicted to identity with mind. It is easier to observe in other than in itself. We all know people who are still experiencing the same, often negative emotions, regardless of what happens to them in their lives. For example, an eternally grumbling person, even if he wins five million in a tottery, after a moment of joy he will begin to think that it is a huge trouble for her because it is necessary to secure such money. After all, good friends and family will come in to borrow a penny, invest in their "sensational" business or be interested in their money mafia. Such people are addicted to their mind, from the negative emotions to which their body has become accustomed. Meditation allows you to realize this process, and the act of awareness, experienced regularly during practice, is a way to "break" the neuron pathways responsible for this type of association. This is the beginning of incredible freedom, one of the extraordinary "gifts" of meditation.
So when you sit down for meditation and decide to be aware of your breath, do not aim for anything, do not try to achieve anything, let yourself be fully conscious of that particular breath or exhalation. Be just aware, aware of it. When you notice that your breathing is accompanied by thoughts, just notice that it is. Do not judge your meditation, your focus, do nothing with your thoughts, they will naturally stop or stop. The very moment you realize that you no longer feel conscious breathing, just think of the future or the past, is a return to your breathing consciousness. You do not need anything more. Creating thoughts that judge our meditations like "I can not focus today", "I do not know how to be more focused", "I have scattered again" etc. does not make sense. But when it comes to your head, it's OK. Do not judge your judgment! Just realize that you had such thoughts already. Gently return to "here and now" and your next inhale or exhalation. Meditation is about being aware of what is. Not what was or will be.
When you practice this kind of non-action, "pointless" meditation, you will experience change, very positive changes in your life, body and mind, and you will naturally feel the impetus for others to learn about the magnificence of such practice. You will then become a natural example for others, the light illuminating the other way. This is the development of our species, the whole of society. Changing yourself, you change the world! Meditation therefore is never only private practice, individual practice. It is a way to change other people, to help in the release of suffering, anxiety, tension. It's not and it's never been your only business ...