What is meditation? How long does it take to learn? Is it years of painful discipline and no fun? Is it bells and cymbals and dancing about in funny costumes? Does it involve strange postures, ill-fitting trousers and dodgy diets? Well, if you want those things, sure, you can have them. But actually, there is nothing mysterious or complex about meditation. It is a simple and powerful practice which can be learnt by anyone.
Have you ever sat down on a summer’s day and watched the clouds in a clear, blue sky roll by? Maybe you have become entranced by a stream flowing along or cascading down over rocks and stones?
Or, we can be just sitting in a coffee shop looking out of the window watching people go by, not really analysing or thinking too much about anything but at the same time completely absorbed in the activity around us.
Without realising it we have been experiencing an altered state of mind. Some people call this meditating.
At moments like these, our critical thought, our brain chatter, has receded temporarily into the background and our attention has narrowed itself to a particular scene or object or thought. Our anxiety or stress level drops and for a short time we let go of those frustrations, issues and problems that may be troubling us. If we are aware enough of our own internal state we may also recognise a feeling of peacefulness or contentment in our bodies.
This focused attention of mind creates a ‘gap’ in our awareness where inspiration, often described as ‘the still, small voice‘, can sneak in and present itself. Inspiration can come in many forms, sometimes as a picture, a memory or a sound. Or, our attention may be drawn to some sign or activity in our field of view, providing a solution to a problem you’re facing in your life, ideas for improving your lot or just thoughts which lift your spirit in subtle ways. Sometimes we are even presented with the beginnings of a practical plan of action.
Now we didn’t decide on this and it just happened more or less by accident but this ‘gap time’ can be deliberately cultivated and enjoyed on a regular basis.
This is the aim and practice of meditation. Peace and quiet certainly help with the achievement of this state but it can be practised almost anywhere. Best of all you can start immediately. You don’t need mountain tops, bells, uniforms or gurus. Only a willingness to try and an openness to the experience.
It allows us to tune in, more and more, to our own creativity and intuition and our ability to solve the problems that we face. Through meditation we are opening up the doors to our own deep-seated guidance system and powerful unconscious wisdom.