The essence of meditation

When there is a big problem you can’t resolve, it is common that you just let your mind fly a bit, beyond the problem…

When you are so happy that laughter cannot express it and you decide that, instead of sharing with others, you just let your thoughts fly very high…

When you are feeling so peaceful that your mind gets calmed and even reality seems to slow down…

Meditating is basically to abstract yourself from reality and turn your mind – which generates thoughts, ideas, feelings and emotions – towards something else.

By meditating you allow yourself to go out of the box you are at the moment and find other possibilities, other avenues to ride the chariot of your mind.

I have been meditating for almost 40 years and although I can name you at least 10 benefits and I can describe the method to meditating by heart, I still have to capture its essence every single day.

Because every day my mind tries to dive into the problems that come up in my life.

Every time I am happy, my mind generates so many thoughts on how to share that happiness with others.

Whenever I get some moments of peace, I want to go to sleep or just relax by watching or reading something.

To meditate may be a struggle, or a game in which you are the one who will be victorious. It depends on several factors, but with a good method, you will be able to control your mind.

However, the essence of meditation is not about controlling; it is about liberating and focusing. I have learned that, instead of controlling my thoughts and mind, I can free them from several subtle chains and I focus onto something powerful and beautiful.

When the mind finds solutions, pleasure or peace in that direction, meditation becomes natural, the struggle ends and you win this subtle game.

 

Do you want to meditate?

I recommend you go to Brahma Kumaris and check the raja yoga meditation.

What to forget, what to remember

Forgetting and remembering are two sides of the same coin: consciousness.

I am not talking here of oblivion where memories are erased or blurred as if they were behind a fog.

Nor do I speak of the memory as the obsessive thought that does not allow us to erase something from the mind.

I speak of the conscious act of recovering valuable memories, since along with them, virtues, values ​​and inner powers will arise. These memories can be the solution to a problem present at work, a conflict with another person or they can give rise to hope in the face of a serious health situation.

I speak of the conscious act of reducing guilt, both of oneself and of others; forget so much that we stop blaming. I'm talking about the conscious act of forgetting bad times with a person because you understand them and you know that we all go through bad days. I speak of the conscious act of instead of allowing negative memories, to strengthen the present wonder.

For this, do this simple daily exercise:

Think: What will I remember today that will bring into my life qualities or powers that I need so much?

Think: What are the alternatives I have to relate to a person, so that I forget bad moments of past interactions?

That will help you improve your quality of life and will also give other people an opportunity to improve in your eyes.

Religions and rituals

I never thought I had a religious experience, until many years late in my life, but still there was something that amazed me: Jesus Christ, who founded the Christian religion, was not a Christian…

Fast forward and I am exposed to a new notion in relation to religion by the simple word dharma. And it means much, much more than just religion: the lifestyle, a form of relating the others, a mission in life… In that sense, Christ was the first Christian.

That simply made so much sense! Religion is more than rituals and scriptures, priests and hierarchy; religion as dharma is how someone lives according to a set of principles and values, instead of how to pray or which cloth to wear.

And that applies in all aspects of our life. Let’s take for example our approach to the work: am I working just because of money or because of my diploma? Am I working according to my vocation and the energy it generates in my life?

Much of our lives we just live as a ritual… it is time to identify our dharma and align our reality with it.

A simple life in which treasures are…

If you think of treasures the image is… treasures! Money, gold coins, a masterpiece…

But when your life is simple, a treasure can be:

• A beautiful sunset.
• A wonderful garden.
• Lots of smiles around you!
• A challenging fulfilling project in your work.
• A healthy relationship.
• To have more than enough, but no excess.
• The chance to live again.
• An old computer or cell phone that works very well.
• To be a mother (HAPPY MOTHERS’ DAY!).
• To be someone’s child.
• To be… Just to be…

Because when you are able to appreciate these intangible treasures, you will feel you are really a billionaire!

A simple legacy

In the future, people will be talking about this time: the lockdown and fear; perhaps of the vaccine, or the socio-political situation. But it would be great if we were able to leave such a legacy and that is what would be remembered.

Personally, I feel we are generating something special through changes in our behavior and we are leaving a legacy of simplicity.

Yes, it does not sound too fancy or too special, but there has been an amazing effect on people as they had to live on basic things. Sometimes, it was due to the lack of resources or the lockdown itself, but most people I know, they have learned to live with less, and they are appreciating the change.

However, it is not really less, because when you live in simplicity, whatever you have is so valuable and it is there to be used or enjoyed. Simplicity does not mean scarcity or lack of prosperity; it means focus and gratitude. It means a deep sense of contentment.

One of the videos circulating around was a couple living with a 4-year old; they were able to build a slide in their small apartment for their daughter! Their simplicity enabled them to overcome the sense of stress, to enjoy and to have fun!

 

What is your experience?

Are you enjoying this simple life, and if so, how to keep living like this?