MEDITATION TIP OF THE WEEK

MEDITATION THIS WEEK MARKS THE FIFTH WEEK OF A NEW KIND OF POST ON THIS SITE, IT’S CALLED “TIP OF THE WEEK.” TIP OF THE WEEK WILL BE PART OF A WEEKLY SERIES OF EASY TO REMEMBER, SHORT AND BASIC TIPS ON MEDITATION. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK, IS IT HELPFUL?

When we learn to meditate, there can be a period of time when we encounter a “claustrophobia of self.” It usually takes the form of thinking, “Am I doing this correctly?”, “Am I making progress?”, “Is this working for me?” “Will I ever get this right?” This kind of self-talk is normal, it happens whenever we’re doing anything that’s supposed to bring a change or benefit in our lives. But, after a while, it can become pretty boring, even annoying, to stay stuck in this mire of self-absorption.

While this may not be the way that everyone thinks about meditation, what I’ve learned in my studies of mediation is that we meditate not only to benefit ourselves, but to benefit others as well. Actually, particularly in schools of thought coming from Buddhist practices, we meditate for the benefit of others as a primary motivation.

So, how can forgetting about ourselves during our meditation practice benefit not only ourselves but others as well? Glad you asked.

When we drop our preoccupation with ourselves during our meditation practice, it actually helps to strengthen our practice. How? What causes us the most hardship in life is our constant focus on “me,” “my,” “mine,” and “I.” Our constant attempt to make ourselves happy and to be free from suffering thwarts itself, leaving us vulnerable to even the slightest changes in our lives.

When we begin to meditate, we may encounter this same inner dialogue, except this time we’re trying to free ourselves from it! Meditation can help to free us from this “self” identification, even ever so slightly, by opening our mind to the realization that everyone – without exception – wants the same thing that we want, to be happy  and to be free from suffering, especially the suffering of this preoccupied, selfish mind!

As we meditate and gain glimpses into our “meditative mind,” we experience a state of mind free (to varying degrees) from that kind of grasping. We may then wish for others that they too may have this kind of peace and contentment, free from grasping at happiness and fear of suffering. Does this make sense?

So, the tip of this week is:

Drop your focus on “self” during your meditation and just rest in a state of being, being in peace, being content, with whatever arises, with whatever and however your meditation is happening.

Let go of trying to do “anything,” and instead just keep a little wish bubbling in your mind that wishes for others, freedom from their troubled mind. You may even find that it helps to release your troubled mind…just a little.

Why this post, this week? Starting this week, I’ll be doing a series of posts on compassion in meditation and how to access compassion, for ourselves and for others, while learning to meditate.