The word ‘Meditation’ has always been surrounded by lots of meaning and misconceptions. It is a term widely misunderstood since long time. Now with the western part of the globe also rigorously taking active interest in meditation, it has furthered the problem of understanding the true meaning of meditation. Even most of the people of east where meditation (called Dhyana in India and other Asian countries) has been practiced for thousands of years, true meaning is lost.
Most people do something else or absolutely opposite in the name of meditation. So, to begin with practice of meditation we have to first understand what meditation is not so that we can save ourselves from wasting time following fruitless practice.
What meditation is not?
- Meditation is not a technique
This is the most common mistake beginners make when they start with any technique. They expect some unusual experience to happen and consider it as barometer to their spiritual experience. Such expectations distract your spiritual growth to great degree. Although there are hundreds of techniques of doing meditation, they are merely tools to assist you to be more aware and mindful of your inner and outer world. People think that practicing meditation technique for half an hour fulfills the purpose; but meditation is a way of being. It has to be there all the time 24×7 burning like a small candle enabling you to experience every moment as they are without any judgments and expectations from mind. That is true meditation.
- Meditation is not relaxation
There are few similarities between the outcomes of meditation and relaxation; but there is a huge difference between them. Both makes you calm, serene and peaceful and rejuvenates you after the practice. But awareness of ‘the self’ is the biggest chunk missing in relaxation. While listening to brainwave entrainment sounds or doing some other stuff, you reach a state of trance and you have no idea where you were when it ends. It makes you feel good but mind it, it is not meditation.
- Meditation is not concentration
Concentration can be considered as a runway for the flight of meditation to take off. Most techniques of meditation begin with some form of concentration on some object or sound or mental images. It is very useful practice to deepen your meditation; but it is not meditation. It can be said that concentration is one-pointed awareness on particular object and meditation is an all encompassing awareness of self without directed towards any object.
- Meditation is not contemplation
Contemplating is intensively exploring a single idea or thought. In many Zen meditations, monks contemplate on a particular Koan (a puzzle with deep spiritual meaning) as a regular practice. However it is not meditation. Meditation is about transcending the thought process and realizing the pure awareness or witness (which is our true being) which is beyond the thoughts.
- Meditation is not hypnosis
What is hypnosis? It is reprogramming of mind at subconscious level by reaching altered or trance like state of mind. It is very useful and important practice. Initially, hypnosis can be practiced to clear impurities of mind so as to enhance experience of meditation for beginners. However it is not meditation. Hypnosis deals with mental stuff and it takes participation in manipulating mental stuff in some way or the other. Meditation is passive. We have to just witness our thoughts without judging or changing them in any way.
What is meditation?
Now you have clear idea of what meditation is not. Let’s see what meditation is actually.
Meditation is the way of being present in the moment or being in the present moment. It is the quality of witness we all inherently have as pure consciousness which is our true nature. There are many techniques out there that can be helpful to experience profound benefits of meditation for beginners.
Tags: meditation and relaxation, Meditation for Beginners, reprogramming of mind, spiritual growth, techniques of meditation, What is hypnosis, Zen meditations