More Meditation Thoughts
Meditation is both easier and more difficult than we may often imagine.
An imperfect metaphor
Imagine that there is a star–a source of energizing sunlight. Where ever and whatever it illuminates receives energy and experiences increased, facilitated development. Shine it on the plants behind the house, and they begin to grow more quickly. Shine it on the sand next to the house, and the ants become more vigorous and active. Shine it onto two people walking down the street, and their conversation grows more profound. Wherever it shines, it brings energy and supports evolution.
Moreover, there’s no ‘wrong’ place to shine it. Its benefits will extend as far as its scope, breadth, and depth.
This star has a name: Your Attention.
You can shine it anywhere and on anything and it will be beneficial.
And so, in this way, meditation is easy. The star is going to shine regardless of where it’s directed. And wherever it’s directed there will be benefit.
Where things can be difficult is in relation to expectations, priorities, or even legitimate needs that we may have. We may have difficulty directing attention to certain areas, or have difficulty keeping it there long enough to experience whatever benefits we are desiring. That’s where the training part enters the picture; because with time and practice we can grow more adept and influencing where that ‘sunlight’ of attention is directed. And as humans tend to do, we quickly develop hierarchies of ‘better’ and ‘worse’ places to direct attention. This is not precisely ‘wrong’, yet it’s also not necessarily ‘right’.
If we get overly fixated on one particular way or developing, deepening, and directing attention, then we’re missing the deeper point of the entire thing.
On the other hand, this practice of training attention can yield many interesting and beneficial adventures and openings.
This, by the way, is related to that whole subject of ‘no thoughts’. In fact, there is always thought. Thought is neural processing. If mind is an ocean, then thought is water. If there is an ocean, then there is water. But when people describe ‘no thought’, what they’re usually describing are the ‘wave patterns’ in the water.
If you are at the surface of an ocean, wave movements are dramatic, constant, and active. There may be storms. There are tides. There are great beautiful surfing waves. Constant movement.
If you dive deep enough into the ocean, now the movement is different. There is not this constant dramatic, blowing here and falling there. There is a sense of stillness. This is not because there is ‘no water’. It’s because the water is moving differently at that altitude. It’s the same with subjective sensations during meditation. There’s always thought because the nervous system is alive. But the waves and movement of neural activity can be much more still. And people have learned to praise that stillness. And so then we become upset and dissatisfied when we don’t get there.
Fact is, the water at the surface is just as ‘good’ as the water down below.
Same water. Just different waves.
Wherever you direct your attention will be beneficial. You don’t have to ‘stop your thoughts’. You just need to observe and feel them. Learn about how they move.
Whatever and wherever you direct attention will be beneficial. Over time.
And yes, there are also numerous traditions that tell you what the best places are to direct attention. “Shine it on the mountains.” “Shine it in the forests.” “Get it really intense and focused and then you can shine deeper into the water.” And so on.
They are not bad. But as with most things. The best one for you is probably the one that you can do.
Don’t be like the person who curses his 2 billion dollars in diamonds because he’s convinced that he’s actually supposed to have 1 billion dollars in gold.
Start from appreciating the treasures that you do have and then extend and expand from there.
