What is meditation?

Despite all its popularity, today very few of us truly know what meditation is. Some regard meditation is the mental concentration on something, others consider that we meditate when we imagine something that gives us peace or satisfaction. All these methods are being with one goal to slow down and, eventually, completely stop the incessant activity of our minds. These exercises are not really meditation - they are substitutes for meditation because it is normally very difficult to stop our minds all-together. In reality, meditation is a state of thoughtless awareness. It is not an act of doing - it is a state of awareness. We either in this state or we are not, regardless of what we are doing in life. Truly, a man can be in meditation while doing his day's labors as another man can be very far from meditation while sitting in a lotus posture on the top of a mountain.

When we take a look at the various explanations of meditation, another thing we often see is that meditation is defined as taking a moment to sit quietly or to ponder. True meditation, however is much more than this. It is a state of profound, deep peace that occurs when the mind is calm and silent, yet completely alert. This is just the beginning of an inner transformation that takes us to a higher level of awareness. This enables us to fulfill our true human potential. The problem, of course, is how to achieve this state.

Meditation is not...

Concentration
Concentration is an effort to fix the attention on a particular object or idea for a long period of time. The techniques used in visualization are another type of concentration.

Loss of control
Sounds, voices, colors and involuntary movements have nothing to do with meditation or spirituality. These are symptoms of loss of awareness and loss of control over some parts of ourselves.

Exercises
Exercises, such as postures and breathing, do not constitute meditation. They may help establish some balance if under the guidance of a true master (a realized soul). Their practice without a true spiritual goal only leads to an imbalance in the right channel.

Mental effort
Thoughtless awareness is achieved through the raising of the Kundalini. To get rid of blockages that prevent her ascent, we use the hands and introspection but never mental effort (e.g., the continuous repetition of "I must stop thinking").

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9 comment(s) so far, want to say something now?

• 
  Sharada Darbha
  Dec 3, 2009

  

  Its the only way to be human .
  one has to experience tha taste of the sugar to describe how sweet it is similarly one ha sto experience sahaj to be just human .For there is no other simplest way to understand what we are & what we were missing so far ……..

  2
• 
  anita paquet
  Dec 18, 2009

  

  Hi,

  I would like to know what locations in Toronto have free meditation workshops.

  Anita

  3
• 
  admin
  Dec 18, 2009

  

  Hi Anita,

  Please check the following link for meditation classes in Toronto
  http://www.freemeditation.ca/meditation-classes/ontario/#Toronto

  All the best

  4
• 
  John
  Dec 29, 2009

  

  Look, Meditation is a process by which you can control your nerve system according to you and live long life with out disease and tension free.

  5
• 
  dr.mani verma
  Dec 29, 2009

  

  i learned sahaj yoga by one of my very good frn marina.thnx to u marina.this has totally changed my life.
  i m getting more success,peace,love n joy day by day.

  love u shri mataj

  6
• 
  Aniket
  Jan 17, 2010

  

  Hi,

  I want to know what location in mumbai near (Thane) have free meditation classes.

  7
• 
  Nigel Coates
  Jan 27, 2010

  

  To me the definition of meditation is similar to ‘Love’. You can try to explain it to someone, but unless they have experienced it – they wont really ‘get it’.
  One of my first teachers set me the challenge to meditate while washing up. I thought he was joking – until i achieved it. It took me a little longer, but it was a pleasure, not a chore

  8
• 
  carlos villanueva aguilera
  Feb 6, 2010

  

  mi comentario se trata de los vídeos y meditacion guiada,que si fueran posible que fueran en español,ya que no domino el idioma ingles.
  Atentamente:Carlos villanueva a.

  9
• 
  srinivasa rao j
  Mar 2, 2010

  

  Very nice article i learned some new things from this and requesting you to continue this.
  with nirmal love
  srinivas

  10

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