To Meditate or not to Meditate?

Musings and Compilations by Satinder Dhiman

People resort to meditation for a variety of reasons. Some like to meditate just for fun while a
few others meditate to go with the flow. Still some curious ones want to try myriad forms of
meditation, having done some quick window-shopping on the net. There is actually quite a
variety of meditation forms out there to choose from: namely, [Om] Mantra Meditation, Chakra
Meditation, Kundalini Meditation; then there is Zazen, Vipassana, Mindfulness Meditation,
Transcendental Meditation, Taoistic Meditation, Qigong Mediation.
And if that is not already enough, and you want more peppered, nuanced, and customized
variety, you may go for Guided Imagery, Creative Visualization, Lucent Dreaming, Nada Yoga,
Third Eye Meditation, Navel-Gazing and so forth. Or else try the ubiquitous stress reduction,
count/watch-your-breath sort. Then there is also the option of eyes fully-closed, half-closed or
fully opento say nothing about the sitting, walking, and lying down meditation varieties.
Once a person was meditating with his eyes tightly closed.
He was also repeating an unintelligible mantra.
His wife noticed it and the following exchange ensued:
(questions by the wife, answers by you know who)
What are you doing?
I am meditating.
Why are you meditating?
To release my stress!
What stress? I am the one who does all the work:
shopping, cooking, laundry, paying the bills.
Why are you stressed?
I am just stressed.
And what is this thing that you are uttering, slowly?
It is a mantra. It is a very precious mantra.
[coming to the real question, the wife asks]

How much did you pay for it?

500 dollars.
500 dollars?!!
Last month, when we wanted to buy a vacuum cleaner,
you said, Honey, lets buy a used one.
We are on a limited budget!
And you spent 500 dollars on this trivial thing! I cant believe it.
What is this mantra?
I cannot tell you. My guru told me not to tell it to anybody.
What??!!! Not even to me? I am your wife!
Sorry, honey, I cannot. I took a vow of secrecy.
How can you keep secrets from your wife?
Sorry. I cannot. I really cant.
Thats it! I have had it. I am leaving right now!!!!
Saying this, his wife left him for good.
The man opened his eyes and joyously exclaimed:
This mantra thing really works!
There you have it. Without knowing what we want, we will not know the difference between
what we want to get and what we want to get rid of.
Knowing ones purpose is as pivotal in meditation as in any other serious pursuit.
Buyers beware. Mantras do work, albeit in some mysterious ways.
Above all, do stay away from quick-fix-it-all enlightenment-in-sixty-seconds variety.

The Bhagavad Gita provides succinct guidelines about the 'how to' of meditation in chapter six.
We quote the following quintessential verse on the means and the end of meditation:

.
anaih anair uparamed buddhy dhrtigr
/
htay

tmasamstham manah krtv

na kimcid api cintayet // 6.25
By the intellect held in firmness, may one slowly resolve the mind in the Self (tman).
Keeping the mind established in the Self, may one not think of anything else.
Lets see what people generally want to get out of meditation. Most people want peace of mind,
the calming effect. Some want to gain concentration; while others want greater clarity and
sharper memory. A few others want to cure their headache or migraine through meditation. While
all such reasons may have their relative legitimacy, we should remember that the wanting
attitude or the gaining mindset could actually be counterproductive to the very spirit of
meditation. Meditation accords the greatest avenue to get in touch with our deepest self, for the
profoundest secrets of the Self are revealed only in the silence of soul. If we approach meditation
practice with the mindset of acquiring something or what-is-in-it-for-me attitude, it may turn
out to be just another mundane activity. Perhaps, it is not what we gain but rather what
we lose which may determine the true value of a mediation practice, as the following story
splendidly illustrates:
The Buddha was once asked, What have you gained from meditation.
Nothing, he replied.
However, the Buddha added, let me tell you what I lost: anger, anxiety, depression, insecurity,
fear of old age and death.
Litmus Test: One can gauze ones progress on the path of meditation through a simple test.
Ask yourself: In the post-meditation period
Am I becoming more calm, humble, peaceful, considerate, tolerant, forgiving, cheerful,
understanding, accepting, responsible, life-affirming, celebrative, loving, joyous, and
compassionate?

Love, joy, and compassion are signs of being awake.

Anger, hatred, and greed are signs of being asleep.
Awakening to our real nature
the sole purpose of all spiritual practice.
Von Voyage and Godspeed.