Recent reflections on meditation lead me in the following
directions.
Everything we see in this world has five aspects. It exists,
is seen and evokes an emotional response (desire or dislike or fear). It
also has a form and a name. Meditation is the process of becoming indifferent
to the name and the form, going beyond our perceptions and becoming one with the essence of the thing itself.
Life is sacred. Therefore, ALL lives are sacred. Life in
this planet is impermanent, mortal. Yet, all of this must have come from ONE
source. By logic, that source has to be immortal, permanent, self-generating
and self-sustaining, all pervading.
If I can see that primordial source (Brahman, God whatever
the name) in All lives and relate to IT, is it not an easy way to attain the
Bliss that Buddha and other realized saints talk about? Instead, why should I
look for immortality or eternal Bliss or Heaven or moksha or nirvana?
In Lord Krishna’s words (Uddhava Gita 22:48, 24: 12-19), the
easiest way to reach the Immortal and the Permanent is through the experience
of the mortal and the impermanent. In fact, meditation, chanting and religious
rituals are all meant to connect the universal with the individual, impermanent
with the permanent.
Why meditate at all?
The universe is a mystery. How did it start? Why? If, as
discussed earlier, all of us owe our origin to one Primordial Source
(Him/Her/IT), each one of us must have a part of Him, Her or It, however
miniscule that part may be. That “miniscule part” must be capable of making each
one of us become aware of that source given the right conditions. This is
particularly true of us, human beings, given our level of mental and language
development. It is almost our duty to reflect on that source through
meditation. If not, what a waste of the gifts we have!
By meditating on that source which is part of me, I should
be able to connect with His, Her or IT’s other parts in all other things and
lives in this Universe. That should lead to respect for life and compassion.
Inner peace and outer harmony will follow. Is that not a reasonable goal for
meditation?
Besides, by starting with meditation every morning, I set for myself a
positive, relaxed, serene tone for living through the rest of the day. It
teaches me to ”let go” and relax, everyday. It gives me a discipline. I may not
be able to reach and experience the “oneness” with the Divine and non-duality.
But, that need not be a prime motive to meditate for most of us, ordinary human
beings, such as myself.
