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