Meditation Series (2) : Knowing the knower
Eklavya
Meditation : Knowing the Knower
In meditation, we come in contact with self, our true identity. By
regular practice of meditation, slowly we start knowing this self in
its various facets. We start recognizing ourselves distinctively from
our body and mind.
Now many of you may ask :
"OK, I now realized that I am separate from my body and mind. In
reality I am consciousness which is part of some supreme
consciousness. So what ? What's the big deal in it? Is this going to
help me in someway in coping with my already stressed life? ."
Here is the answer :
The very process of realizing this self through meditation brings
significant outcomes. To be centered in our self makes us calm,
provides us an everlasting peace and gives us a never ending bliss.
Moreover there comes a dramatic change in the way we perceive this
world. A positive change in our perspective, a feeling of blissful calm
and a unique joy comes through it. Moreover these positive outcomes do
not depend upon any external circumstances since the bliss of the Self
does not depend on any external factor. It is completely independent
and arises, unconditionally, from within.
In the course of any single day we are subjected to numerous sensory
inputs and our mind is constantly engaged in a never ending process of
thinking. We read the newspaper, study books, write reports, engage in
conversation & meetings, solve problems, etc and all these activities
result in a constant mental commentary inside us. Seldom or never our
mind gets any chance to be still and calm.
However , sometimes as if by accident most of us attain a state of
thought-free mind. If you have relaxed looking at a beautiful sunset,
allowing your thoughts to quiet down, this is close to meditation. If
you have been reading a book for awhile, then put it down to take a
break and just sat there quietly and peacefully for a few minutes
without thinking, this is also close to meditation. In these momentary
incident when our mind is not reflexively engaged in any thought, when
we are just present in the moment, we come close to this self or (to
say in another words ) we get centered in our self. And this contact
with self brings peace, bliss and joy. Though only for a moment, our
mind becomes peaceful, calm and focused.
Meditation is the systematic way to achieve the above mentioned
accidental/occasional encounters with self in order to get its
benefits on a permanent basis.
I hope by now, it should be clear to you what is meditation. Let me
summarize all this by giving this simple definition of meditation.
"Meditation is a systematic way of making our mind quiet so that we
can contact our true identity -self, which is the source of everlasting
joy, bliss and peace."
There are few other definitions of Meditation which I find very true.
(relate these definitions with the concept of self)
"Meditation is a state of choiceless awareness."
"Meditation is a state of no mind."
"Meditation is a state of once being when once true self is revealed to
him/her"
"The state of awareness when mind cease to exist is meditation."
"Whenever you are relaxed, when your mind is quite and observant, when
you are not reflexively engaged in any thought - you are meditating"
"Meditation is not thinking about anything. It is not contemplation. It
is not concentration. In fact, it is actually a process of thought
removal."
I believe that now you know what is meditation.
## Next Chapter: How meditation started ##
Eklavya
Series (3) : Knowing the knower' (not (2) as mentioned)
Regards
Eklavya