I have had three meditation teachers:

A friend introduced me to a Zen Master,

who introduced me to Silence,

that introduced me to the Presence that created the Silence.

Those who believe, and whose hearts have rest in the remembrance of God: for without a doubt in the remembrance of God do hearts find rest [Quran 13:28]

peace on you 

take a break

Meditation is taking  a break from who you think you are that you might realize who you really are. 

(Quran 32:9) Then He proportioned him, and breathed into him of His Spirit. Then He gave you the hearing, and the eyesight, and the brains - but rarely do you give thanks.

not mine

Meditation is the practice of seeing things as they ARE, not seeing them as I think they OUGHT to be.  In other words, meditation is planting both feet smack in the middle of Truth.

The mother of all suffering is ‘me’-ing and ‘mine’-ing.  That is, believing that things, people, thoughts, emotions are 'yours'.  They are not!

Everything belongs to God … This is clear either through cold hard logic or through the words of all the prophets of God.

From the Quran [Chapter 3: verse 109]

To God belongs what is in the heavens and what is in the earth, and to God, all matters will be returned.

A most freeing meditation is to simply notice that anything that arises in awareness during the Silent period is not ‘mine’ - that is it belongs to God.  

Some examples:

I might think of ‘my’ car - then notice that in truth it is not ‘mine’ - then mentally state:  NOT MINE.  This is an easy one.  The manufacturer of the car called it ‘his’, the dealer that sold the car called it ‘mine’, you will call it ‘mine’, the next person who ‘owns’ the car will call it ‘mine’, and the metal recycler will call it ‘his’.

I might feel an ache in ‘my’ foot - then mentally state:  NOT MINE. This one is easy too as ‘you’ did nothing to create it or repair it when it needs work.

I might hear the sound of water running - then mentally state:  NOT MINE. Totally easy to see that it is not ‘yours’ - the water does not know it belongs to ‘you’.

Give it a try … such freedom in the Truth.  Ohhh don’t forget to thank God for all these gifts - all that arises in awareness.

peace on you,

bob

Meditation is discarding!

Meditation is discarding!

To find something it is just a matter of discarding anything that is not what you are looking for. 

To find the peace within, just discard anything that is not peace.  So simple!

Truly it is in the remembrance of God that hearts find peace
Quran 13:28

Meditation is the search for Truth

There is more truth to be found by watching a stick of incense burn than can be found in listening to all the political rhetoric in a year.

A burning stick of incense teaches impermanence, the cycle of birth and death, and the oneness of all things.  Pretty good for a mere stick.

Peace on you,

bob

Return Home

Meditation is returning home

During silent meditation we see all that we are attached to in the world.  All worldly attachments just show up without effort.  Just sit in Silence and notice everything that comes to mind ... then let it go.

Meditation is the practice of letting go of the world.  Then we come to see things as they really are.

Jesus said, "Whoever has come to know the world has discovered a carcass, and whoever has discovered a carcass, of that person the world is not worthy."  Gospel of Thomas

Meditation is simple

Meditation is simple


Just let go, let go, let go, and then let go of letting go.

What is let go of?
Everything that arises in consciousness while sitting in silence.

What happens after some practice?
We come to our natural state: reverence.

How does this happen?
Practice, practice, practice.

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

escape

Is it not our dependence on worldly things that imprison us? 

Meditation is the escape from that prison. 

If anyone thinks that God cannot support him in this life and in the Hereafter, let him turn completely to his Creator in heaven, and sever his dependence on anyone else. 

He will then see that this plan eliminates anything that bothers him.(Quran 22:15)

meditation is the search for what to give up

Meditation is the search for what to give up.  Empty yourself utterly and you will come to see things as they are, not how you think they ought to be.

So ... Sit in silence and as thoughts, feelings, and body sensations arise, notice them (not pushing them away or grabbing on to them) and drop them like when one releases a rock in ones hand.  The rock falls of it's own weight when the hand is opened.

Practice this daily and you will come to see your original nature ... what freedom!

Peace on you,
bob