effortless meditation

We often approach meditation like any other activity in our lives - as something to achieve and to be mastered.  This approach, for most of us, implies goals and lots of effort to reach some goal and, of course, accompanied with considerable frustration.

True meditation is at the root just relaxing - relaxing into the reality of the present moment and whatever is arising right now.

So … during the meditation period just relax, notice what is happening and welcome it.  If you need a technique just (in your mind) quietly say 'yes' to whatever is arising in the present moment.  For example, if you notice racing mind, welcome it with a loving mental 'yes'. If a dog barks, in exactly the same way, welcome it with a 'yes'.  

When we stop all the struggling and welcome presently arising reality the mind becomes quiescent. and we find that deep and abiding Peace is at our root.

give 'yes' a try … oh, by the way this works for traffic jams too!

bob

Christmas message

Dear Ones,

Here's some Christmas cheer - not in the form of one more thing to buy or give or get and store away in a closet - but some good news in the original spirit of Christmas before we turned it into just one more shopping event.   Jesus claimed that God is Love … He is not the only one!  Here are three more quotes that I pray will bring peace to your heart.

From the Course in Miracles we have:
God is but Love, and therefore so am I. (Lesson 172)

In the book "Proof of Heaven" by the neurosurgeon Eben Alexander M.D.,  he states that the main message he got when he was in heaven was:

"You are loved and cherished, dearly, forever."
"You have nothing to fear", and
"There is nothing you can do wrong".

In a similar vein, I was reading a saying of the Prophet Muhammad which goes as: 

"On the Day of Resurrection, a caller will cry out, 'Let every people follow what they worshiped!'  They will be asked, 'Is there a sign between you and Him that will let you know Him?' They will say, 'Yes! So their legs will be uncovered and Allah will give permission to all those who used to prostrate to Him by their own free will to prostrate. 

And Allah will make those who used to prostrate only to be seen by others or to ward off criticism unable to prostrate.  Their backs will be made as a stiff single part, so whenever they try to prostrate, they topple on their backsides.

Then they will come upon the bridge over Hell and intercession will begin.  They will murmur, 'O Allah, bring them to safety!'  And the faithful ones will pass over the bridge in a wink of an eye.  Others will pass like lightning, others like the wind, others like birds, others like strong horses.  Some will cross over whole and safe, others will be sent across bruised, while others will be flung into the fire of Gehenna.

By the One who holds my soul in His hand, none of you will be more vehement in pleading for justice than the faithful ones will at that time for their brothers who are in the fire.

They will say.  'Our Lord, they fasted with us! They prayed with us! They made pilgrimage with us!' He will say to them, 'Bring out of it all the ones that you know.'  So their forms will be forbidden to the fire as they enter it and they will bring out many people, until they say, 'Our Sustainer none are left of those You have commanded us to extract.'  Then He will say to them, 'Go back and bring out whoever you find that has a dinar's worth of goodness in them'.  And they will bring out many people.  And He will say to them, 'Go back and bring out whoever you find that has half a dinar's worth of goodness in them.'  And they will bring out many people.  Then He will say to them, 'Go back again and bring out whoever you find who has an atom's weight of goodness in them.' And they will bring out many people.

And this will go on until they say to Him, 'Our Lord, we have left no one in it who has any trace of goodness in them.'  Allah will then declare, 'The angels have interceded, and the prophets have interceded, and the faithful have interceded.  Only the most Merciful of those who show mercy (Arhamur-Rahimin [Allah - the Most Compassionate]) is left to intercede!'

And He will bring out with His grasp the people who have never done any good and He will throw them into a river at the mouth of Paradise called the River of Life and they will emerge from it like pearls.  When the people of Paradise see them, they will know them, 'These are Emancipated of God.  He has made them enter Paradise without any of their own actions, and without any goodness that they offered!'  

And God will say to them, 'Enter Paradise! What you have seen is yours.'  They will say, 'Our Sustainer, You have given us what You have not given anyone of the worlds!'  He will say, 'I have for you what is even better than this.'  They will ask, 'O Our Sustainer, what could be better than this?'  He will say, 'My contentment with you, for I shall not be displeased with you after this ever again.'"

Peace be upon you,
bob

understanding

Our educational systems encourage us to absorb as much information as possible to be effective in the world.  This may well be true in physics, psychology and neuroscience.

However, in terms of understanding our "inner selves", this approach is 180 degrees off of the mark. To quote Rumi:

The quieter you become, the more you are able to hear. 

Meditation is emptying … surrender to the Silence to know the truth about Yourself.

bob

gratitude

Meditation is emptying - just sitting in Silence - just Being. 

When we drop our considerations about ourselves, others, and the world we come to gratitude.

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.”
- Cicero

Gratitude is the stain left on us by our practice,
bob

practice

There is a saying:  "To understand Islam practice Islam". As Islam is surrendering to God (Allah),  this saying can be read as: to "understand surrender to God practice surrender to God".

Reading books about meditation or obtaining some teaching is fine in the beginning , however a little bit learning goes a long way - real insight always comes from  practice, practice, and then even some more practice. 

Meditation, like Islam, is surrendering.  During our practice periods we surrender all concepts we have learned about the world, ourselves as well as what we think is good or bad.  We hold onto nothing.

Empty yourself utterly and you will understand meditation.

To understand meditation practice meditation. 

bob

two meditations to find the Peace of God

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. (Matthew 7:7)

Simply do this; Be still, and lay aside all thoughts of what you are and what God is; all concepts you have learned about the world; all images you hold about yourself.  Empty your mind of everything it thinks is either true or false, or good or bad, of every thought it judges worthy, and all the ideas of which it is ashamed.  Hold onto nothing.  Do not bring with you one thought the past has taught, nor one belief you ever learned before from anything.  Forget this world, forget this course, and come with wholly empty hand unto your God. (Course in Miracles Lesson 189)

so simple,
bob

why empty?

Meditation is about emptying ourselves utterly.  Why would we want to 'empty'?

Is it not our desires and ideas about how it 'ought' to be that enslave us.

When we relax our grip on life, we come to see that life is unfolding just as it should and peace returns to our hearts.

The prophet Muhammad said it so well: 

"If people knew what lies in abandonment of desires they would race toward it, and if they knew what blessing lies in the prayers of the night and early morning they would crawl to do so." 

peace be upon you,
bob

'yes' meditation technique

One of my favorite meditation techniques could be called "yes meditation".  "Yes meditation" does not attempt to achieve anything at all but simply validates everything, without exception, that arises during silent meditation.

Many of us have a tendency to recoil from what we experience during meditation.  Unpleasant memories or "busy mind" are good examples of this.    Avoiding unpleasantness breathes life into it and causes it to persist.   Awareness is curative.

"yes meditation" welcomes everything by just mentally saying 'yes' to everything (thoughts, feelings, body sensations) that comes into our awareness during our practice period.

Meditation is the search for what to give up.  Can you see how this technique fosters emptiness?

already free

You are already completely free and content.  You just overlook the obvious!

Meditation is that practice of turning our attention away from that which arises in thought (mostly fear based) towards that which is hidden in plain sight - the Vastness and Purity of the present moment -  the Mystery in which we abide and are.

During your practice periods snuggle up to the Mystery; let go of your worry - just allow the Mystery to do what it does so perfectly.

"And so, as for those who believe in God and hold fast to Him, He will cause them to enter into a Mercy from Him and (bestow on them) a Bounty; and He will guide them to Him along a straight path" (Quran 4:175)

allow, enjoy, trust the Mystery,

bob

undoing

Meditation unlike almost every human activity does not necessitate more doing.  It is at the root an undoing; it is unlearning - a letting go of "how you think it ought to be".

Where has all your striving to be 'spiritual' or to achieve some 'enlightenment' lead you? All those books and all those 'teachers'!  Why not try something different?

Take refuge in Silence; let go.  If you become silent enough there is nothing that you will not know.

Empty yourself utterly … or stated another way:

Say, 'I seek refuge with the Lord of the dawn, From the evil of what He has created, And from the evil of the utterly dark night when it comes, And from the evil of those who blow on knots, And from the evil of the envious when he envies. (Quran 113)

peace,
bob

striving

Is it not the case that the one characteristic that all of us humans share is the desire to be happy?

We are taught, especially in western societies, that if we get something or achieve something or become something we will be happy.

Not that there is anything wrong with getting or becoming but don't we find that they do not bring lasting happiness?  In fact, it can become a tiresome treadmill  … all this striving.

Meditation is emptying.  Perhaps it is the case that when the striving ends immutable happiness arises naturally.  

Give it a try - empty yourself utterly,

bob

Who are you?

Who are you that is doing all this emptying, surrendering, and detaching.  Who are you?

Think about it -  When we say "This car is MINE".  Is the car really MINE?  The company that built the car at one time said it was THEIRS.  When you sell the car the next person will say that the car is HIS or HERS, the junk yard proprietor will say that it is HIS … and so it goes on and on … this business of me-ing and mine-ing. 

To remember our essential nature is the ultimate purpose of practice. Here are a couple of pointers to That.

To Him [God] belongs everything in the heavens, and the earth, and everything between them, and everything beneath the ground.  - Quran 20:6

“When you forget the self you become one with the ten thousand things” – Dogen 

"The smallest sprout shows there is really no death,
And if ever there was it led forward life" - Walt Whitman

peace on you,
bob

meditation's goal

If we can even talk about a 'goal' for meditation practice it would be to discover that we have always been where we ought to be and that it could not have possibly been otherwise.

realizing this, meditation becomes effortless.

Peace upon you,
bob

the cave

"There was something sacred about this place.  No longer distracted by anything external; he was finally able to bask in his own existence.  And found it splendid.  After a while he forgot his plans and obsessions."

"Perfume" the movie.

empty yourself utterly.
bob

reverence

The sweetest fruit of regular practice is reverence.

Reverence is a feeling or attitude of deep respect tinged with awe and love; veneration.  I'm reminded of a passage from the Quran (24:41):


Do you not see that all those who are in the heavens and earth praise God, as do the birds with wings outstretched?  Each knows its own way of prayer and glorification:  God has full knowledge of what they do.

What is your own way of reverence?

bob

distractions

Meditation is that practice of turning our attention away from that which comes and goes towards that which does not come and go (The Eternal).

O people, God's promise is the truth; therefore, do not be distracted by this lowly life. Do not be diverted from God by mere illusions.
Quran 35:5

peace upon you,
bob

love and grief

"If you are in love with the Infinite,

why grieve over the ground washing away in time? - rumi

Meditation is that practice of turning our attention away from that which comes and goes and turning it toward the Eternal.

peace on you,

bob

surrender practice

Meditation is the practice of surrendering 'our way'.   During our practice we notice that often our thoughts and therefore our feelings are not aligned with present reality.  For example we may be thinking about something that happened yesterday and perhaps feeling some anger about it,  While in the present moment there is only the whissshh whissshh sound of the overhead fan in the room.

When we surrender 'our way' our recoil from life (as it presently presents itself) diminishes and we come to see the wonder and mystery of it all.  Gratitude is the fruit of our practice.

may Peace be upon you,
bob

reduction

Life is about reduction. Is it not true that what we acquire weighs us down and that what we release unburdens us? Ultimately we will release everything … why wait for the rude shock at the end?

Meditation is the practice of reduction: ultimately letting go of the idea of me and mine. When this happens, the peace and freedom that is always present shines through and we become overwhelmed with gratitude.

The key, as with anything, is regular practice … practice reduction and ride the horse in the direction it is going ... with or without 'you'.

 Salaam, bob

attachment

Buddhism teaches us that the cause of our suffering is attachment.

 Meditation is the practice of turning our attention away from those things that come and go to That which is eternal. 

In other words, meditation is the practice of non-attachment: letting go of of thought-things.

detach from thoughts,  then detach from the idea of detachment … live free.

bob

meditation

The "meditative state" is impossible to describe in words, however the following Rumi poem points to that wonderful place:


It takes courage of inner majesty to stand in this doorway,
where there is no celebration good fortune,
where talk of luck is embarrassing.


However your robe of patches fits is right.
If you are God's light, keep moving east to west as you have been.
Do not pretend something other than the truth.


Measuring devices do not work in this room
where the love dervishes meet.


No tradition grows here, and no soup simmers.
We sit in pure absence without expectation.
(The Big Red Book - translation by Coleman Barks)


empty yourself utterly and see,
bob

Light

Meditation is emptying; empty yourself utterly. In that empty innocent state we open ourselves to the Light.  Poets, like Rumi point to that Light.


Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing,
there is a field.  I'll meet you there.


When the soul lies down in that grass,
the world is too full to talk about.
Ideas, language, even the phrase each other
doesn't make any sense.
(Essential Rumi - translated by Coleman Barks)


peace upon you,
bob

gratitude

Why do we meditate?  There are many views on this. But ultimately, are we not at out best when we are grateful or appreciative? 

When we meditate, we become empty.  When we become empty we notice that everything (every breath, every noise, every smell, every person … everything) is a gift.  Regular practice leads to the appreciative state.

[Quran 2:152] You shall remember Me, that I may remember you, and be thankful to Me; do not be unappreciative.

Perhaps the goal of life, not just our practice, is to become grateful.

peace on you,

bob

meditation on God

Meditation can be described as that practice of turning our attention away from that which comes and goes to that which is Eternal (The Divine).


A sweet meditation on God comes from the Quran (24:35):


God is the Light of the heavens and earth.  His Light is like this: There is a niche, and in it a lamp, the lamp inside a glass, a glass like a glittering star, fueled from a blessed olive tree from neither east nor west, whose oil almost give light even when no fire touches it - light upon light.


meditate on this; find freedom from your cares.


bob

meditation on God

Meditation can be described as that practice of turning our attention away from that which comes and goes to that which is Eternal (The Divine).


Jesus in the gospel of Barnabas (chapter 17) describes The Divine … meditate on these inspired words:


Jesus answered: 'Philip, God is a good without which there is naught good; God is a being without which there is naught that is; God is a life without which there is naught that liveth; so great that he filleth all and is everywhere. He alone hath no equal. He hath had no beginning, nor will he ever have an end, but to everything hath he given a beginning, and to everything shall he give an end. He hath no father nor mother; he hath no sons. nor brethren. nor companions. And because God hath no body, therefore he eateth not, sleepeth not, dieth not, walketh not, moveth not, but abideth eternally without human similitude, for that he is incorporeal, uncompounded, immaterial, of the most simple substance. He is so good that he loveth goodness only; he is so just that when he punisheth or pardoneth it cannot be gainsaid. In short, I say unto thee, Philip, that here on earth thou canst not see him nor know him perfectly; but in his kingdom thou shalt see him for ever: wherein consisteth all our happiness and glory.'


peace on you,
bob

Questions?

Meditation does not answer questions that arise from the mind; it shows them for what they are - unanswerable.

Questions only lead to more questions - all so called answers are just questions in disguise.  It is the nature of the mind to keep itself busy with questions.

When we, through our meditation practice, see the real nature of the mind, it disolves and peace reveals itself. 

peace on you,

bob

why meditate?

Why meditate?  This is the big question; why do we do anything?  


If we try to get to the root of why we do what we do and why we believe what we believe, is it not to be happy.  No one likes to suffer.


Meditation makes us happy … how?  Meditation is emptying ourselves utterly.  When we are empty we are open, we are innocent and we are accepting of whatever is happening in the present moment. In fact, we see that each moment is a miracle and a gift from the Divine.


Are we not happiest when we are being given gifts?


peace upon you,
bob

Be here now. Be someplace else later. Is this too complicated?

Meditation can be thought of as the practice of being just where you are right now.  This is because, in silent meditation, nothing whatsoever is happening (except perhaps some noises in the room and perhaps the sound of someone breathing).  When nothing is happening we get to see how our mind wanders here and there: making plans, reviewing past hurts, worrying, telling us that we are not meditating correctly and so forth.  When we are sitting we are just sitting in spite of what our minds are telling us.


If there is a goal in meditation practice it is to learn to "just sit".  "Just sitting" is perhaps the most challenging thing we can undertake because - if we can "just sit" then we can "just wash the dishes", "just walk", "just argue with a friend", "just chew", and, of course, "just be"… "just be content with God's astounding gifts".


regular daily practice is the key,
bob

sitting in Silence

Meditation can be thought of as taking a break from oneself -- I mean taking a break from the small self. 

When we sleep, when we are fascinated by nature, or when we are engrossed in our work we are unaware of our 'problems'.  Who are we without our problems?

Silent meditation (just sitting in Silence) points to our pristine nature; always available, always peaceful, and always free of problems.

Regular practice (sitting in Silence without expectation) removes the barriers to lasting happyness. 

Give it a try,

bob

harmless

With regular meditation practice we come to see that thoughts are harmless.  In the present moment, thoughts are just thoughts … much like the sounds of the birds outside are just the sounds of birds outside, or the feeling of the air on our skin is just a sensation on our skin … they are just appearing and clearly cannot injure us in any way.  This idea is stated beautifully in the following (Course in Miracles lesson 190):

It is your thoughts alone that cause you pain.  Nothing external to your mind can hurt or injure you in any way.   there is no cause beyond yourself that can reach down and bring oppression.  

Just noticing that thoughts are harmless is a good meditation; it brings me great Peace.  Give it a try!

bob

empty yourself

I am always looking for ways to talk about meditation.  I heard an interesting commentary from a friend (Carlos) who suggested that:

Life in modern times is like a buffet on a cruse ship … so much to eat, food always available, and in great quantities.  We are just full to the brim.

BUT the cruise ship (of modern life) has no bathrooms.  

So … meditation is like going to the bathroom.  Constipation is no fun!!!

peace upon you … empty yourself utterly,

bob

iPhone app (PrayersToAllah)

I have published a couple of iPhone apps to introduce the Quran to Westerners ... they are "GodsNames" and "PrayersToAllah".  PrayerToAllah was just released today.  PrayersToAllah (free from the iTunes store) is a collection of prayers to God (Allah) from the Quran.  Take a peek; it may enhance your prayer life


peace,
bob

remembering Peace

meditation is that practice of turning our attention from that which comes and goes (our thoughts) to that which is eternal (The Divine).

When we forget ourselves we remember Peace … regular practice is the key,

bob

becoming comfortable with discomfort

When we begin meditation practice we are hoping for relaxation, peace, and perhaps even a blissful experience. It often does not work out that way!

The 'best' practice is when we are welcoming whatever is happening around us … noisy mind, noises in the room, rude friends who are practicing with us, a leg that won't stop aching, a goat running through the meditation hall … whatever.

Meditation can be thought of as becoming comfortable with discomfort. Life is often full of discomfort … anyone knows this. If, in our meditation practice, we learn to welcome discomfort we have a chance to do that in our 'ordinary life' as well. This, I believe, is a good thing.

give it a try: welcome everything during practice,

bob

best practice

We make 'spiritual practice' unnecessarily complicated. We have, teachings, levels of attainment, gurus, special practices, diets … the list goes on and on.

We can learn from the Buddha. After trying everything else he just sat under a tree in silence. Just sitting is silence is enough … it was enough for the Buddha; why do we need so much more?

think about it ... or even better give it a try,
bob

effortless uncovering

Meditation uncovers our obsession with the past and the future, as well as our lack of control over anything. This uncovering leads to the pristine state … vast, timeless, and peaceful. The pristine state cannot found through effort - when we stop efforting, we see that the unblemished state within is always there.

The key to real peace is regular practice. As we are in regular practice all the time anyway (mostly practicing being miserable), we might as well practice in a way that leads to uncovering the pristine state.

why not,

bob

meditation practice

Silent meditation is that practice of being comfortable in the present moment independent of whatever life is presenting.

When we relax and stop recoiling from life, we begin to sense that life is not broken, and that it is the way that it is for a reason.

When we understand that, we come to know our purpose for being here: that we might embrace gratitude, surrender, and charity.

The method is simple: empty yourself utterly.

bob

what is valuable?

Meditation is surrender … just letting go of everything that we think, feel, and experience. When we let go in this way, we are letting go of that which is valueless, and we discover that what is most valuable cannot be relinquished.

"I will not value what is valueless, for what is valuable belongs to me" (Course in Miracles Lesson 133)

turning

Meditation is that gentle act of turning away from that which is created and turning toward the Creator

When we let go of 'things' we find space, freedom, peace; interesting huh!

bob

striving

In the early stages of our practice we are seeking; seeking some sort of enlightenment or Truth … something that we can get (or that will come to us) that will bring us lasting happiness or peace.

As we progress in our practice we come to realize that all this is delusion. The delusion that there is something "out there" to be found that is going to bring us lasting love or peace or whatever.

The purpose of meditation is to smash this delusion; to disappoint massively! In our disappointment we stop all the striving and find that what we have been seeking so frantically has always been there as a gift. It was our striving that was the problem.

see?

bob

absolutely harmless

Regular meditation practice leads us to see that thoughts are absolutely harmless. Here are a couple of quotes that point to this truth.

It is your thoughts alone that cause you pain. Nothing external to your mind can hurt or injure you in any way. There is no cause beyond yourself that can reach down and bring oppression. (Course in Miracles lesson 190)

Any good that befalls you is from God, and any bad that befalls you is from yourself. (Quran 4:79)

see?

bob

perfect surrender

While hiking along the trail next to the San Gabriel river just outside Georgetown today, I noticed a small bush. It came to me how surrendered that bush was … waiting for rain, waiting for sun, waiting for insects … just waiting for whatever happens next without any resistance or expectations whatsoever … some sort of perfect surrender.

Our daily practice teaches us that surrender (and the realization that ultimately we are no different that that bush) is the path to lasting peace.

(Quran 13:15) All that is in the heavens and the earth prostrates itself, whether willingly or by force, before God; and so do their shadows in the morning and in the evening.

bob

give it a break!

When we meditate we notice how the mind is ceaselessly planning, reviewing, and working towards some end (trying to get enlightened; hoping to still itself; thinking about some better future, and so on). This leads nowhere. Seeking only leads to more and more seeking … do you see? Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj says it perfectly:

Unless you make tremendous efforts, you will not be convinced that effort will take you nowhere. The self is so self-confident that unless it is totally discouraged it will not give up. Mere verbal conviction is not enough. Hard facts alone can show the absolute nothingness of the self-image.



Who is working so hard?

bob

why rent a cheap room?

Some say that fear is the opposite of love … but I think Hafez says it better:

“Fear is the cheapest room in the house.

I would like to see you living

In better conditions.”

― Hafez

bob

what we want most

What do we want or need more than anything else? Could it be: a better job, a more harmonious relationship, more energy, less trouble, fame, more money, better friends, or some profound truth?

With a little reflection this question is an easy one to answer; we most want to be loved and to be loving. If we know Love in these ways then everything becomes just peachy.

To know Love is the goal of our practice.

Here's a poem that captures it well:

Oh Beloved,


take away what I want.


Take away what I do.


Take away what I need.


Take away everything 
that takes me from you.

Rumi

give Silence a turn.

What is this meditation business about really?

We entertain so many positions, mantras, teachers, and techniques. Their purpose is to show you that they cannot work! When we drop all of our techniques and all of our efforting, Silence can begin its work.

Silence is open, forgiving, nonjudgmental, and pure. Why not let it have a turn? Just stop!

peace on you,

bob

prayers are always answered

Prayers are always answered. If we don't 'hear' the answer, the problem could be that our past conditioning, or our expectations, or our thinking that 'we know best', blinds us to the guidance that is always given.

"If My servants ask you about Me, I am near. I answer the call of the caller when he calls on Me. They should therefore respond to Me and believe in Me so that they will be guided aright. "(Quran 2:186)

regular prayer

Prayer, like meditation, is a time when we turn away from things and turn towards the Divine, The Graceful, The Compassionate, The Loving, the Unseen, the Creator, The Light, … (the attributes are many).

At the root, prayer is remembering God. There are so very many ways to remember (re-member) God. I have found prayers of gratitude and thanks to be most effective in bringing about a sense of Peace and Wholeness.

Again as with meditation, regularity is the key. The Quran suggests praying three times per day: before sunrise, between noon and sunset, and between sunset and the cover of night. I have been amazed at the sense of comfort that comes from this practice … give it a try.

peace on you,

bob