Understanding Meditation
Anyone who has meditated regularly for any length of time can tell you in their own words how meditation works. The scientific community may be able to provide their own evidence of its benefits, but this will always be limited to what can be shown from the viewpoint of an outsider looking in. The real proof of how meditation works can only be experienced by the one meditating.
Those who meditate have direct experience with the benefits during the course of meditation and can also likely attest to the tangible results that carry over into day-to-day life. Being such a one, and having meditated off and on for over thirty years, I can personally attest to its value and will endeavor here to reveal how it works, from my own direct experience and understanding.
Experiences in Meditation
Nothing can replace direct experience, however beginners or those just starting out who are considering meditation (or considering deepening their meditation) will want to hear more about what to expect. Sitting still for a considerable length of time waiting for the magic to happen can be disheartening and discouraging, so it may help to hear what perseverance promises.
The beginner may be questioning how meditation works, however those who have been meditating for years may also be interested in hearing an explanation from another who meditates and feels he can offer a few insights into how it works. There are many forms of meditation. How meditation fundamentally works is independent of what form one uses.
How Meditation Works
What is meditation? Let us define it as conscious or unconscious contact with source. When I use the word “source” I am referring to the source of life itself. This source is not an origin in terms of time, but is alive and active in the present, expressing itself through all that is. I differentiate conscious from unconscious because some forms of meditation are much like sleep in that they offer a distraction that allows the body to rejuvenate similar to sleep.
Conscious meditation is a more effective form of meditation. This means remaining alert and aware during the course of meditation. We are all dependent on the one source of life. This source is eternal and formless. It expresses itself through energy and form and we call this nature. The natural world is the expression of this source. Our bodies and everything that we truly are energetically is an expression of this source.
The Benefits of Meditation
Meditation allows this expression to purify itself and recall its original nature. Patterns of energy are distorted by thoughts and ideas. These thoughts and ideas are supported by our egos and our sense of division and isolation. We believe that we have to make things happen. Sitting still and emptying our minds of thoughts, we become revitalized and re-energized by that which is bigger and more fundamental than our sense of self (ego).
In stillness and meditation we are able to witness and recover the purity of nature’s patterns and this allows us to relax, heal and become enlightened. All the benefits of meditation that can be shown scientifically are evidence of this purification process. The practice of meditation is a natural one. Cultivating a conscious practice and building your own individual awareness of its benefits can only come from sitting still. This means encountering and passing through the experience of boredom.
In the next post, we will examine how meditation differs from contemplation. Stay tuned by subscribing.
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