Meditation

Meditation 

Meditation is a practice where an individual operates or trains the mind or induces a mode of consciousness, either to realize some benefit or for the mind to simply acknowledge its content without becoming identified with that content, or as an end in itself.

The term meditation refers to a broad variety of practices that includes techniques designed to promote relaxation, build internal energy or life force (qi, ki, prana, etc.) and develop compassion, love, patience, generosity, and forgiveness. A particularly ambitious form of meditation aims at effortlessly sustained single-pointed concentration meant to enable its practitioner to enjoy an indestructible sense of well-being while engaging in any life activity.

The word meditation carries different meanings in different contexts. Meditation has been practiced since antiquity as a component of numerous religious traditions and beliefs.Meditation often involves an internal effort to self-regulate the mind in some way. Meditation is often used to clear the mind and ease many health concerns, such as high blood pressure,depression, and anxiety. It may be done sitting, or in an active way—for instance, Buddhist monks involve awareness in their day-to-day activities as a form of mind-training. Prayer beads or other ritual objects are commonly used during meditation in order to keep track of or remind the practitioner about some aspect of that training.

Meditation may involve generating an emotional state for the purpose of analyzing that state—such as anger, hatred, etc.—or cultivating a particular mental response to various phenomena, such as compassion. The term "meditation" can refer to the state itself, as well as to practices or techniques employed to cultivate the state. Meditation may also involve repeating a mantra and closing the eyes.The mantra is chosen based on its suitability to the individual meditator. Meditation has a calming effect and directs awareness inward until pure awareness is achieved, described as "being awake inside without being aware of anything except awareness itself." In brief, there are dozens of specific styles of meditation practice, and many different types of activity commonly referred to as meditative practices.

Being spiritual, at its core, is just being aware of the spirit inside and attending to its needs. My body has material needs of food, cleanliness, exercise etc. which I fulfil duly as it keeps me running. Similarly, my soul too has needs of purity, positivity, righteous living, love etc.  So when my soul is deprived of its needs, how can I realign my soul and body to become one, which is the secret and primary need of success in any field?

self-beingRighteous living pertains to, but is not limited to, doing the right thing always, which we have made very difficult for ourselves in today’s life. We have become so used to doing things as per our convenience, that we don’t care whether what we are doing is morally and ethically right. So, who is really harmed here? Not others, but only our soul, which is getting engrossed and heavy. We can really feel the difference when we do something good, especially something good for others; we feel good and light. It’s a beautiful feeling, isn’t it!

So what I am trying to speak of here is a basic need, and the primary teaching in every religious and spiritual institution – the right way of living. If there is anything more important to spirituality than this, it is the right way of thinking, which again eventually builds up to righteous living.

Now one may ask how do I know what is right and what is wrong? Well, the soul always knows it, and guides us too! What we have to do is be aware of the presence of our soul inside. Believe me, you can listen to it. But to be able to listen to your inner Self takes a lot of practice, and this practice is best known as meditation. So I believe including this very practice of listening to the soul in our daily life, acts as the first and very important step towards finding spirituality in our daily life.

As they say, “Keep calm and meditate”.