Meditation as a Vehicle

Not sure where to start your journey but know that it's definitely time to incorporate something new into your routine? You can use meditation as a vehicle to quiet your mind.

Many people come to me concerned that they "can't meditate." Most often they arrive with a misconception of what meditation is really all about. They think that in meditation, they aren't supposed to have any thoughts. Then, if they've ever attempted to meditate on their own and can't stop the incessant internal chatter, they are sure they "can't meditate."

Let me set your mind at ease. This notion that in meditation you will have no thoughts is actually an unfortunate misnomer for the would-be meditator.

Meditation is not about ridding yourself of your thoughts, since that's virtually impossible for anyone to do. Meditation is a vehicle, it's literally about noticing that your mind has drifted into thoughts and then practicing bringing your mind back to a place of stillness - over and over again. The noticing IS the practice.

Meditation and mindfulness are about practicing the art of being present over and over again such that when you are out in your daily life interacting with your partner, your friends and co-workers, you can arrive to each and every one of your relationships with that same presence.

If you were to take a little inventory of your own life, where are the areas that you lack presence?

• Was your head down looking at a text when someone talked to you?

• Was your mind spinning with the day’s priorities and your child asked a question that you didn't hear?

• Did you work so hard all day that you didn’t notice the sounds and sights of nature letting you know that spring is almost here?

The grand design of meditation is ultimately to reconnect you to your innermost Self,
that Self with a capital "S", that is your ground state of being.

That Self that's been covered over and ignored or bypassed or forgotten in all of life's daily priorities. We can't get to that Self when we are consumed with doing-ness, with the incessant list of priorities and stress that goes along with it. The only way to connect to that Self is to be still and reconnect to it. And the only way to do that is to sit still, stop moving if only for a few moments, and retrain your mind to return to presence.

The silence never left, we left. We've become so uncomfortable in the silence that we get nervous when it's too quiet. We look for ways to fill the silence with texting, emailing, music, Netflix, food, gambling, shopping....you name it. Anything to avoid being still in our own selves. Why? What are we afraid of discovering in the silence?

Silence is not a place to get to, it's a place to return to.

Consider joining us for a meditation course at Satsang House and rediscover your Self.

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