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