Staying sane these days means meditating, at least to me and many others who have discovered this simple yet highly effective daily activity. It's time for me to share a little about meditation because now i have started meditating again after a whole month of lapse, i can again testify to its incredible and powerful gifts. The benefits of meditating cannot be overstated. I would also like to mention here that meditating does NOT mean sitting with a silent mind.. that is not actually the goal or why we meditate. Simply put, meditating just means sitting and listening, with eyes closed to what is going on.. or to put it another way, it means very simply witnessing oneself. I would also like to say that its hard to compare how i feel today compared to last week... even after just 20 minutes of meditating in the morning.
Some places are better than others for meditating, and having just returned from the meditation tree, i have to say, WOW. I only sat for about 10 minutes there this morning and yet i feel like i have been meditating for hours. That is to say, i feel real inner peace, and i can feel my heart opening again. How cool is that! Its not easy having to spend the entire day feeling shitty, having negative thoughts, and attracting nothing much of interest to ones daily life.. If just a few minutes of meditating can change this so drastically then i would say why on earth wouldn't we do it more often!
Id like to share a little bit about this particular meditation tree, because its a beautiful story. Then after that I would like to share a very simple meditation with you all that i know ALL of you can do, because it doesn't mean not thinking! If you want to understand what i am talking about then i invite you try it, but more about that after this story.
The Meditation Tree
Once, while on the sands of the Chitravati, Swami spoke of Buddha, the Bodhi tree, and of Sadhakas seeking out special places for their Sadhana. Even as He spoke, He drew out of the sands a thick copper plate about 15 inches by 10 inches in dimension, containing mystic markings and letters of languages both known and unknown. He said that such Sasanas were planted under the trees where Sadhakas (spiritual aspirants) went to perform their Sadhana. These Sasanas enhanced concentration of the mind and control of the senses. He announced that He would be placing that Sasana under a Banyan tree He proposes to plant in the Tapovanam on the hill behind Prashanti Mandir. Swami declared that Yogis who had reached a certain stage of evolution would automatically be drawn to the Tree and the Sasana in this Tapovanam. The congregation of such evolved souls at this Tapovanam would thus justify its name.
This copper plate is installed below the ground of this meditation tree. You can see it, but i think its fair to say that it can be felt.. When i closed my eyes and sat there things felt different. My mind felt more at peace, and i was able to sit with a feeling of.. deep peace. ITs strange, and yet true.. and right now that feeling is still with me. I cant ignore this, or deny it.. I can only say I will be returning there regularly because right now i feel that meditation is about the only thing that is worth my time and effort.
It is my belief that the more people who meditate, the better this world will become. AS one person shines and shares their peace and joy with others, it conducts and transfers to all they meet.. and those in turn spread it to others. Bliss and love is as contagious as hate and fear, if not more so!
Meditation, The Need Of Our Times
I think it's fair to say that in the current climate meditation is highly necessary if we are to stay sane, grounded, and present in the moment. It is usually when we least feel like doing it that we need to do it most... It is also one of the easiest things to do, to just sit and listen. WE are normally so distracted with what we are DOING, or planning to do, that i think we just dont give ourself a chance to catch up with what is going on inside us. Meditation is a gift to ourselves, and others.. and once you have tasted the benefits im sure you will continue.
If my Mother can do it, then ANYONE CAN!
I say this because my mum is basically an atheist who would laugh at any spiritual idea. She would even get almost angry at the mention of the word meditation or God. Then one day, somehow it all changed for her. My X wife Clara met her once when we visited her. I went out for the day to work, and left Clara with my Mum. Clara is a bit special in some ways.. When i came home, i was extremely surprised to learn that they had been meditating together with a candle. They had bonded, somehow, and i did not believe my eyes or ears!
Nevertheless it was true, and to this day 5 years later my Mum continues to meditate. She even visits her local bhuddist center which is pretty outrageous if you knew my Mum! She used to be the most negative person i knew. She had NOTHING good to say about anything or anyone, and was always highly stressed out and criticising everything and everyone.
Now she is like a different person, totally! ITs amazing, a miracle really.. She is happy, and she is positive. Words cannot really explain it. SO, as i say, if my Mum can do it, anyone can!
SO finally I would like to share with you a very simple meditation that I have written myself. There are many ways to meditate, and as you gain experience with meditation the way you choose to practise it may well change. This process below is really a fantastic one to start with, and just perfect for people who say that they cannot meditate because they can not stop thinking. This one is for you!
How To Start Meditating
It is best to meditate in the morning, when there are least distractions. You can meditate anywhere you like, so just choose a place that you have some privacy and quiet. If that has to be the toilet, so be it! You could even meditate in the car before you drive off to work or wherever you are going. Wherever you choose, try to mediate in the same place each day. This builds up familiarity, and also builds up the energy so that you can more easily slip into it as you practice. It's usually a good idea to use a timer to count the minutes for you, and that way you have a clear goal and will likely meditate for more than 2 minutes.
Now simply close your eyes slowly, and breath in and out as you normally do. You don't need to try to change your breath or do anything differently, but instead just observe it and notice that you are indeed breathing. Notice the weight of your body, and if you are sitting straight or not. Try to sit as straight as you can and cross your legs if possible. You can also sit on a chair if you are not comfortable on the floor, that works just fine too! Whilst you are noticing your body and posture you will no doubt have thoughts coming to your mind. Let them come. Then let them go and remind yourself that for the next 15 minutes you are going to let these thoughts go. This is your time, so tell yourself that these thoughts can wait a few minutes. Come straight back to your awareness of your breathing, and continue. New thoughts may come VERY quickly, and that is normal and totally OK. Just do the same thing each time. There is NO need to get frustrated or angry when they come, because you are not trying to stop them. You are NOT doing it wrong! What you may notice is that the time between thoughts gets longer quite naturally, or the effect of them on your feelings reduces. You MAY find quite the opposite too, and feel even more tense because you are not distracting yourself from them.
After 15 minutes are up, you can open your eyes and get on with your day. I OFTEN have some brilliant ideas pop into my head either during or just after meditating, and I don't even have to try! Even if I don't have a brainwave, I feel SO much more relaxed and able to take on the challenges of the day in a positive and productive manner.
MEDITATE DAILY AND BE HAPPY :)
So well said about Meditation and how your Mom also could connect with it through Clara. Thanx for the information of this Tree, I had never heard of it before.
thank you dear! yes its not very well knows outside of Sai Baba circles.. but its here! :)
After reading your blog, I realized that the tree and your heart is attached to it
That looks like a 'zen zone' to me, so much peaceful. The faces of the 'sadhus' as well as yours say it all.
nicely put.. yeah !
love that last meme... we rush and rush till life's no fun.. all we've got to do is live and die but we're in a hurry and I don't know why..Alabama song
So much still to learn..
thank you! and love the image thanks for sharing!