simplifying meditation practice

Complicating meditation practice with all manner of striving is natural - striving toward certain ‘spiritual’ experiences like: a quiet mind, feelings of bliss, and special insights.  Unfortunately striving only leads to more striving - striving never arrives at real peace.

How can we lose this habit of striving during our practice?  

The Quran declares that the only purpose of this life is to worship God.  This declaration can certainly point the way.

I have not created the jinn and the humans except to worship Me. [Quran 51:56]

The key word here is worship. In Arabic the word translated as worship is ibada (ee-bah-da).

‘Ibadah’ is derived from the root word ‘abd, which means a servant, to be a slave/obedient, to exhibit humble submission.

In pure surrender (worship) there is no striving - just patiently sitting in Silence without any expectation whatsoever.

So … try sitting without expectation.  You will be amazed at how quickly you find what you were always looking for.

peace on you,
bob

The Wisdom that bring lasting peace

The small man builds cages for everyone he knows. while the sage, who has to duck his head when the moon is low, keeps dropping keys all night long for the beautiful rowdy prisoners. [Hafiz]

Many meditation techniques attempt to imprison or cage the mind in order to quieten it. Such cages include: focusing on the breath, reciting mantras, and disregarding thoughts. While these techniques may temporarily quieten the mind they will not lead to lasting Peace.  

Lasting Peace comes with Wisdom.  The Wisdom that comes only by sitting in Silence expecting nothing. What is the nature of such Wisdom?  What are the ‘keys’ to which Hafiz is referring? 

To God belongs everything,
God is in control of all things,
Everything in this world is temporary. 

To God belongs everything in the heavens and everything on earth, and all matters are controlled by God. [Quran 3:109]

Ahhhhhhh the Wisdom that brings lasting Peace.

peace on you,
bob

True Seeing

Meditation is the practice of “true seeing” - seeing things as they ARE not as I think they OUGHT to be. When in the state of “true seeing”, it becomes clear that nothing that appears is yours - NOTHING! No one can make even one atom let alone a spec of dirt, a rock, or a leaf. 

So … when sitting in silence just let go of all thoughts about to how things OUGHT to be.  Let go of everything you have ever learned, or experienced. Let go, let go, then let go of letting go.  You will come to “true seeing”. What a wonderful (filled with wonder) place it is. Everything there points directly to the Divine.


God created every living creature from water. Some of them move on their bellies, some of them walk on two legs and some of them walk on four. God creates whatever He wills. God is capable of all things.
[Quran 24:45]

O people, an example has been cited so listen to it: those you call on beside God will never create a fly, even if they all got together to do so. In addition, if the fly should strip them of anything, they would not be able to recover that from it; weak is the seeker and that which is sought.
[Quran 22:73]

Peace be on you,
bob