The Benefits of Meditation

Benefits of Meditationr
Maya

Hi guys its Maya,
Meditation to most people is one of those things which sound nice, is interesting at first, but does not have enough pull to get one really excited. Using a particular meditation to help you relax for 10 minutes seems enough, there doesn’t seem to be any more to it. Some people try visualisations, or even give a Vipassana retreat a go, but on the whole, unless you are a diehard spiritual seeker who has had much pain and discontent in your life, meditation is one of those things that you look at, are curious about, but turn from getting too caught up in.
I think this is because the benefits of meditation have not been discussed enough – and when it is discussed it seems to be spoken of in terms of – freedom from illusion, or mind, liberation from the body or samsara, and as interesting as that is – it doesn’t really sell the idea, the terms are too abstract. Unless you are caught in a corner with nowhere else to go, unless you are withstanding some crisis, pain or disillusionment, you do not have what is necessary to persevere with it, til you can see why people indulge and recommend it.
People also I think can get caught up in the surrounding philosophy and related fields, such as the psychic domain and this leads people into the future rather than working with what is happening now. Meditation next to future possibilities seems a little backward, colourless, or mundane. So it becomes easy to see why so many gravitate to clairvoyance and related fields the whole time dabbling only minimally with meditation.
When one first begins meditation, visualisations or some focus may be used, and the idea is to follow and stay with the particular focus or imagery – rather than get swept back into the thought dance that just follows associations around and around. As new meditators do not even realise that they are getting swept back into their thought dance at times, or even consistently throughout the meditation they cannot feel or sense what lies in between their thoughts. So the experience may be only so – so. Or if they are aware that they are getting caught back up in the music of the thought dance, they seem powerless against it, it seems hopeless.
If one is able to persevere through all this, and actually continue to meditate and reach beyond the thought dance, they then may encounter an experience they cannot explain with their mind which scares them, they for a moment lose contact with the world around them everything they know and love, and something else penetrates, and perhaps penetrates too deeply, thus scaring them away. Or they encounter some repressed emotion from a previous time, this overwhelms them, overcomes them, and easily waylays their interest in the field.
There are then many obstacles to meditation which could easily derail even the best of intentions – and at the end of the day, it is normally only when people are backed into a corner of pain or disillusionment that they feel and know the necessity of remaining with this technique.
I am here to let you know that you do not need to be amidst the grip of depression, stress or meaninglessness to find solace and comfort within meditation – for meditation offers much bliss, a greater sense of purpose, and a wonderful ability to connect with life, with what really matters and easily restores your faith in the goodness of life, and of being. Meditation will enable you to lever yourself up above the layer of thought in your mind so that you are not as swayed by them, you can see and feel them more clearly, and even though they are still there, still attempting to sway you into moods, and actions and behaviours, you have a far better ability to withstand them, and instead see their fleeting foundation, and powerlessness.
While the thoughts in your mind remain a type of God voice, an authority, you will never have the clarity to see that behind the impressive boom box voice of the wizard is just a little man hiding behind a curtain who is insecure. This ultimately is why people indulge meditation, this is the immediate ultimate and most effective initial aim. This will deepen with time, to bring forward greater experience and reverence for life, appreciation and connection. But if you can sense the benefit of being able to have control over your thoughts rather than allowing each and every thought to move and motivate you – just the sense of power and insight that comes from this, induces intense bliss, a sense of freedom like you have never known, and an authentic optimism and appreciation.
When you can look at your thoughts and not feel compelled into action as a result, when you can see your sadness and anger but not fall into them and let them invade and influence you, you have significantly altered your life path for the better, right up until your death bed. No one can take this from you, they can try, they can isolate, persecute, condemn or try and manipulate you, but the link between you and their words are broken, just as you can see the futility of your own thoughts, so too can you see more penetratingly into theirs. Thus leaving you free to consider their actions, behaviours, or coercions without needing to give in and follow them, refute or rebel against them, for you see so clearly the weightlessness of their intent.
This certainly makes meditation worth looking at again, yes? If so please sign up for the free ‘Opening Your Heart Centre’ course that I scribe from Mother Mary – at my site…..
http://www.messagesfrommothermary.com/free-course-registration-page/
Cheers Maya xx