Meditation: A friendly, meandering journey of finding the infinite within

Simply the mere idea of meditation is enough to get people to resist internally.  There is something frightening, to most, about the idea of being present with one’s thoughts.  It’s as if just being quiet and allowing one’s thoughts to rise is going to lead to insanity.  Or maybe somehow bring forth dark or “evil” thoughts.  So what we do instead is distract, repress, and fill with all sorts of things that mean absolutely nothing.  We then call this sanity. 

Becoming aware of one’s thoughts is reaching to the place inside in which change is possible.  It never leads to a bad outcome.  It may feel unpleasant for a spell, but ultimately one’s awareness is what allows one’s thoughts to be released.  Pretending they are not there is not the same as letting them go.  If one wishes to become lighter in thought and body one simply needs to develop awareness.  A moment to moment awareness is the goal but you don’t just start there.  Meditation is a skill developed over time.  Patience is needed to allow for a deepening of mind awareness.   One engages in techniques specifically designed to build powers of concentration in order to gain insight into the workings of one’s mind.  The techniques are numerous.  The individual effectiveness is varied.  One must chart their own course, but tools are available to show you the path. 

As one develops greater awareness of self, patterns of disharmony emerge.  You become aware of how certain types of thoughts make you feel.  You become aware of which foods nourish you and which foods do something else entirely.  Over time, with greater experience, you began to see what emotions or thoughts lead to craving certain types of food, beverages, and intoxicants.  You then are in a greater position to make a different choice, one that comes from a place of empowerment rather than one of reaction.  As you learn to navigate the unfolding mystery of all the varying nuances of being that you as a complex unit of memory, thought, experience, intellect, emotions (love and fear) make up, you can than begin to understand what your triggers are in life.  What motivations exist behind all the decisions you make in everyday life.  Once you can witness these things as an observer rather than the subject you then find yourself comfortably seated in the driver’s seat.  Your choices need no longer be reactionary.  You can now tackle the challenges life throws at you with greater levels of clarity and peace.  That doesn’t mean life will always go the way you want it to, but that your peace of mind will allow you to weather whatever storm comes up on this meandering journey we all tread.