I suppose it’s about time I talk about meditation. I rarely speak of it but, on the occasions I do, it is mostly to emphasize its importance and effectiveness when it comes to spiritual growth and evolution. Meditation is such an intimate, private, and purely subjective experience, unique to each who engages in it that it can be difficult to define and discuss with others. Add to this the fact that different religions or spiritual disciplines, different philosophies, and different cultures all have a different or unique understanding, concept, or definition of meditation, what its purpose is, and its benefit. This only compounds that difficulty. It can be one of the most challenging concepts to define because all of the different interpretations and all the different techniques are valid. There is no right or wrong in general but even more so when it comes to a subjective experience such as meditation. Rather than waste time trying to express or define what meditation is, I believe it would be more productive and effective to begin by discussing what meditation is not. This will help to dispel a few very common but also very hindering misconceptions regarding meditation.
First and foremost, meditation is not an action or an activity; indeed it is quite the opposite. This is probably the most common misconception and also one of the biggest stumbling blocks. One does not “do” meditation. The very idea of “doership” is an ego-based concept and to engage in meditation from this perception not only limits its effectiveness but also supports and strengthens the ego identity. Meditation is the result of the elimination or cessation of all activity, both physical and mental. With the removal or letting go of all activity, stillness, and silence prevail and lay the groundwork or prepare the space. It is in stillness and silence that meditation happens.
Another common misconception is that one is “doing it wrong” if they’re not getting any results or not getting the results they hoped for. Meditation is not a quick fix. As mentioned previously, there is no right or wrong, particularly with a subjective experience like meditation, so drop whatever expectations your mind has conjured. Also realize, especially if you have never meditated before, that skills and techniques are developed over time with consistency, repetition, and practice. It will almost certainly feel awkward or clunky in the beginning. Learning something new always does. It might feel like a waste of time because it seems like nothing is happening. Keep practicing anyway and I assure you that feeling will change.
Meditation also does not have to be a “formal” affair. Setting aside 20 minutes twice a day is a wonderful practice, but not doing so does not mean that you’re doing it wrong. One can simply develop the habit of coming to rest in between activities and giving full attention to the stillness that prevails during those in-between times. Even amidst activity or as an event is unfolding, giving full attention to that activity or event can turn ordinary or mundane events or activities into meditative experiences. What matters is giving your full attention to the moment, to the here and now. Incorporating these simple techniques throughout the day will be far more effective and will help you develop the necessary skills more quickly than just the “formal” meditation times.
Another major misconception and stumbling block regarding meditation is this business of quieting the mind. Despite the wide variety of meditative disciplines and practices, all of them begin by telling you that, to meditate, you must first quiet your mind. I am telling you here and now, this is impossible. The term “quieting the mind” is a poor use of phrasing or terminology and attempting to do so is an exercise in futility. The mind as it is defined is the storehouse of all mental activity, particularly the seemingly endless flow of thoughts. The mind is always busy with mental action and activity. The only way to “quiet” the mind would be to eliminate it which cannot and will not happen as long as there is life energy flowing through the body. The mind is as much a part of living as breathing and equally automatic in its activity. Also, as mentioned earlier, “you” quieting “your mind” once again implies the ego-based concept of “doership”, that it is you taking action to quiet the mind. It is the ego identity that believes one takes action. Besides, how can one “take action” to eliminate action and activity? Again, it is an exercise in futility.
Do not let any of this discourage you though, for all hope is not lost. This topic of quieting the mind provides a nice segue to the next topic I wanted to discuss. There are ways to circumvent or bypass the ever-busy mind which will provide the same effect as “quieting the mind” but which will work and be effective. Call it grounding or bringing your attention to the moment or to the here and now. As there are many different meditation techniques, so too are there many ways to bypass the mind. Some disciplines use repetition of a mantra, some use prayer beads, others use focusing on a particular focal point, some will employ a particular concept or affirmation to focus on and some give attention to or follow the breathing. I prefer following the breath. It doesn’t require anything outside as some of the other techniques do, nor does it make the use of the mind which is the very thing that one is trying to bypass by employing one of these techniques. Breathing happens automatically so the only thing required to follow it is attention and focus. None of these techniques are wrong though and all can be effective so simply find one that works for you and stick with it. One general rule with meditation that is true, regardless of the particular discipline, is that consistency is key. All of these different techniques have the same goal and the same effect: they shift your attention away from the mind and its constant flow of thoughts and bring that attention to the here and now where the mind cannot disturb stillness and silence. The only way the mind can disrupt the stillness and silence of the here and now is by pulling your attention out of the here and now. The running commentary or flow of thoughts can only ever be created based on events that have already happened. Even when the mind is projecting possible futures, the source material for those projections is recorded experience. In other words, the mind’s focus is always on the past or the future. With your attention focused on the here and now, the mind and thoughts take a back seat or fall into the background. Without any attention being given to them, it’s as if the thoughts have ceased and the mind has become quiet. Again, stillness and silence prevail and the space in which meditation happens has been created.
This brings us to the next topic of discussion: Meditation is always on or about something so what should one meditate on? Sticking with the grounding technique for a time is encouraged as it not only helps one focus but it also helps to develop the necessary skills to maintain stillness and silence. However, once this is accomplished and one can remain sufficiently grounded, a deeper focus is needed to go beyond this initial stage. The space left by stillness and silence needs to be filled with something. Stillness and silence do not fill the space, they create it. They are the constant foundation or background upon which all movement and activity appear and disappear. As the title suggests, I recommend meditating on the Self, on Consciousness itself. It may seem like an odd concept to consider at first, something akin to trying to look at one’s face without a mirror but I assure you it’s not as difficult as you might think. You only need to know what to look for and what to focus your attention on.
Consciousness is everywhere and in everything. It is formless and all-pervading so it flows through every manifestation, including your body, so that seems like as good a place as any to begin. In the body, Consciousness can be recognized as sentience or as one’s sense of being, or sense of self-awareness. It is the knowingness that lets one know they exist and are alive. So long as there is life energy flowing through the body, this sense of self exists. Consciousness is your constant companion and has been with you for as long as the body has been alive. Because this sense of Self is there constantly and automatically, it is often taken for granted and can be easily overlooked. Make no mistake though, it is an absolute miracle. It is truly divine, as all Consciousness is. It saddens me to think that so many squander this precious gift but the fact that you’ve read this far and are still reading now lets me know that you will not waste this opportunity.
Now more to the point: how exactly does one meditate on their Consciousness? Now that you know what to look for, simply shift your attention to the sentience or sense of Self in the same way you shifted your attention to whatever grounding technique you employed. Concentrate and narrow the field of focus so that your attention rests exclusively on Consciousness, allowing all else to slip out of the field and into the background. Let any thoughts that arise fall out of the field. Let any emotions that surface fall by the wayside. With practice, you will even be able to let the body sense drop away. This is not to say that you ignore or suppress these things when they arise. Acknowledge their temporary appearance but remember that they are indeed temporary. Simply let them come and go without giving them any interest because it is interest that breathes life into them and binds you to them. Anything temporary is not relevant to the constancy of the stillness and silence of the meditative space. It is only a distraction. Just like a random car passing by on the street or a wave passing by on the surface of the ocean, these things will come and go quickly and easily if you let them. Eventually, again with consistency and practice, you will come to a point where you will be able to let go of all the content of Consciousness: feelings thoughts, the body sense, even the entire world. All that will remain in your field of attention is Consciousness itself. Once there, just simply stay there for as long as your current skills and abilities will allow.
At this point, you might be asking yourself why. Why meditate on Consciousness or meditate at all for that matter? What will it do? What effect will it have on me? What benefit will it provide? Until now I have discussed the “what” and the “how”. Next, let us discuss the “why”.