Why should we meditate?
I am sure almost all of the people who are reading this blog have a bank account. The answer to the question why we need a bank account is very obvious. A bank account is required to save money which can be used later in times of need. Bigger or smaller, depending on the circumstances, we withdraw, deposit and spend. The system of savings has existed since the beginning of mankind. In old days people in India used to store money in the form of coins & jewellery in the floor of the house. Not just money but food used to be stored too. The need to save money or food comes from our basic survival instinct that in order to survive we need to have a backup at all times.
The same way we treat money to be used in crisis, what is it that we can use when we face problems in waking life? What do we have in store to deal with such situations? Spirituality is the wealth, that gives strength & courage to deal with the adversities of life. A spiritually inclined person has a different way of dealing with challenging times. They understand the nature of life and are aware that everything is impermanent. Whenever a person spends time with self in reflection he/she is accumulating a wealth, an abundance that reflects in the attitude and behaviour of the person. It acts like a mountain which does not flicker no matter how strong the winds are.
Meditation makes you calm and relieves stress……is the biggest misconception in today’s world. Sometimes meditation itself can stress you out. Practicing Once a week makes you feel relaxed and energised but that’s not even the tiniest bit of what it actually is. Thanks to the western approach and various scientific studies, it is seen as a visit to the spa. Meanwhile, I have never understood why we need scientific validations to follow our beliefs and practices? Various books on meditation, specially the buddhist ones mention that this was one of the best kept secrets for thousands of years and only recently it was discovered by western masters and is now being used widely by many sections of the society. It was never hidden, just like the sun and the moon it was always there, but only a true seeker can find the treasure. In my opinion, mediation is a very strict discipline which requires dedication, hard work and right approach. A monk spends approximately 10 years in a monastery to master a discipline, hence, it must be something worth spending that much time. It takes a very sincere effort to train the mind. As with learning other things there will be failures, ups and downs, frustrations but one can overcome all hurdles. Every single moment spent in sadhana counts, like a pot of gold which keeps filling up like an asset.
In today’s world, we have gone miles away from ourselves. We need apps to tell us how much to eat? What to eat? How much to walk? How much to sleep? How to sleep? We have gone far away from our own body and mind. We do not know why we are suffering from this many issues in our lives. People are not in touch with themselves. That’s another reason for our outward approach because we are looking for solutions outside. Awareness of senses, breath, mind, feelings and body is all lost somewhere in the world of selfies and smartphones. Meditation is what connects us to ourselves. Its a path towards inside which develops an insight where we are no longer dependent on our senses for perception. Some people believe that mediation is just a sitting practice with some fancy candles and oil burners. (Yes, that’s how they show in movies!!). Some think its for old people who do not have much to do in life. In reality, it is much more than that. On this path, there is no fullstop and no the end, it just keeps going. Every day is a new realisation. It soaks the mind in a never ending bliss, a state of joy which no matter the condition, never leaves. It teaches us to fall in love endlessly with the marvel of every creation we see, every tiny fleck of nature….its magnanimous. One starts loving not just self but all beings and all creation and when they lose the discrimination between themselves and other entities(living and non living), they begin to RISE!!!!
