Issues in Meditation

Some people have asked me that when they close their eyes it is blank and dark. And after trying meditation for just 1 month or few days they say nothing is happening.

So I thought of writing this post to answer their queries.

Say, for example, a person starts to meditate when he enters the age of 25 ...For 25 years he is used to looking outwards. So it is difficult for him to get adjusted to the new practice of looking inward. Patience, time and effort are required to first train himself to become comfortable with this practice. In order to experience the benefits of daily meditation, you need to first form the habit of daily meditation.

One has to understand that if it is blank when they close their eyes...  for whom is the blank? Find out. You cannot deny yourself at anytime. The Self is ever there and continues in all states.

Enumerated below are the points which have to be kept in mind

1. Transformation of mind is a very slow process. The nature of mind is such that once it is transformed from one state to another it never comes back to the original state. So the transformation is permanent here. One has to not worry about the time taken, instead he should train himself to make his mind still and silent through daily practice.

2. Thought process recommended: Think that you are keeping one step ahead in the journey each time you practice meditation. The journey of a thousand miles starts with one simple step. Never affirm or think that "nothing is happening" because this becomes a barrier or hindrance which again takes a long time to remove.

Some of the reasons for failure in meditation

1. Lack of Patience:

Just like a seed requires lot of time and proper conditioning (manure, sunlight,  water, etc) to grow into a big tree and bears fruits, similarly it takes lot of time and effort to experience the benefits of meditation. So patience is very important. Meditation is a deep cleansing process. Our real identity - Self - is covered under the dust of thoughts, dreams, illusions and emotions of thousands of years spanning uncountable past lives.  The removal of this dust and the revelation of our true self will take time. And also during this process a person develops patience.

2. Misunderstanding the real purpose of Meditation:

Mediation is the first step in the path of realization of self and realization of GOD. It is only through meditation a person can connect to his soul. All other benefits of meditation are the natural outcome of meditation.

3. Expectation:

People expect too much from meditation. They want things to happen very fast in a time bound manner. They ask, “Can we get powers or can we achieve other super human qualities?” This kind of attitude will never take them anywhere. They will never be able to come in touch with their soul. Meditation is a way to know your true self. So let it be just that.

4. Most people do not make a sincere effort from heart.
Majority of people who meditate are

-irregular in meditation

- does not make a committed and  determined self effort
.  

Even when people find time to meditate they don’t make use of this time since they are tired because of extremely busy and demanding life styles.For such people I advice one thing “Where there is a will there is a way". Life should not control us. We are leading our life so we should control life. We should create necessary conditions to uplift us. Unless we make things happen nothing will happen.

Authored by GANDHARV