What is Meditation?
Robert Elias Najemy
Meditation can be described in hundreds of ways. Here we will give some brief
explanations about this so-extremely-important aspect of human harmony, health
and spiritual evolution.
Three Aspects of Meditation
1. The first step is relaxation or surrendering
of the body and mind so that the mind is not cluttered with various unrelated
and disturbing thoughts.
2. The second is concentration on a limited area of mental focus so as to
begin to be able to control and direct the mind towards the chosen "object" of
concentration. Thus, if I have chosen to concentrate on Christ, the concept of
love or the energy in my heart center, my mind will not wonder from that point
of focus to various other unrelated thoughts concerning my daily life, needs,
desires, the future and the past.
3. The third stage is the eventual transcendence of the mind, thoughts and all
identification with the body and personality. We then enter into a state of
super-mental union with divine consciousness.
These three aspects, RELAXATION, CONCENTRATION and TRANSCENDENCE constitute
the basis of most meditation techniques.
What is Meditation Like?
Meditation could be considered any process or abstinence of process, which
brings the mind into a state of contact with the inner self, so that a sense
of inner peace and fulfillment ensue.
Ordinarily, our minds are constantly preoccupied with feelings, ideas,
thoughts, sounds, sights, tastes and sensual experiences. We are focused on
working, talking, thinking, analyzing, watching, worrying, solving, studying,
dreaming and so on. We are like ships being tossed around by the waves of
circumstances, external inputs and our subconscious programming.
One moment we are happy, elated over a success, a new purchase or an affirming
exchange with a loved one. In the next moment sadness flows through us - we
are tired, depressed with life, bored with work, confined by our family,
devastated by the heat, frustrated with ourselves, angry at others, or bitter
about the hardships which life has put upon us. Life is an incessant flow of
moods, thoughts and perceptions.
Now the object of your consciousness is what you are reading. And in-between
the lines it moves to the life experiences, which are stimulated by the
associations brought forth by these words. Then the past memories become your
object of consciousness.
Meditation is a process in which we let go of these disturbances and allow
ourselves to sink into ourselves and experience the center of our being, where
there is a constant sense of peace and feelings of security and love for
ourselves and all others.
This becomes a source of energy, security, self-worth, freedom, strength and
peace with which we can deal with our daily lives. We have so much to gain by
dedicating 20 minutes at least once but better twice daily for this contact.
We will obtain greater clarity, health, harmony, happiness, intuition,
understanding, creativity and problem solving ability.
The meditative process climaxes in the transcendence of the ego and the mind
itself, ending in a state of contact with higher levels of awareness or,
eventually, pure consciousness without an object of perception.
If we care for our bodies and minds,
they will care for us.
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For details concerning how to meditate,
Click Here
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For the free ebook "The Art of Meditation"
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Be Well
(Robert Elias Najemy's recently released book "The Psychology of Happiness"
(ISBN 0-9710116-0-5) is available at
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect-home/holisticharmo-20
and
http://www.HolisticHarmony.com/psychofhappiness.html .
His writings can be viewed at
http://www.HolisticHarmony.com where you can also download FREE
articles and e-books.)