The daily hunt for food, fighting for your life and surviving under harsh living conditions has ceased to exist for most of us. Unless you include fighting for a seat in your daily commute to the office, life today is less ‘fight or flight’ and more ‘stop, relax and think right’. Even though we have all the food we need, a roof over our heads and usually at least one friend or family member to share experiences with; we are still unhappy. The reason for this is that we are always grasping for pleasurable things or ruminating over negative things. We are never simply being in the moment and enjoying what it gives us.
The fact that we have too much choice and an influx of information in our lives gives us extremely busy minds that seem unable to simply be in the moment witnessing the beautiful experience of existence as it is. Add this to the fact that we still have the ‘fight or flight’ instinct that is now being expressed not physically but in the mental stress of our daily lives, and you can see that we all need something to help support our mental processes.
Meditation is an ancient practice that is being used to reduce stress in today’s society with great success. It also increases your sense of wellbeing and improves the way you look at the world and yourself. There are many different way to meditate but they all involve relaxed concentration. Focusing gently on the feeling of your breath entering and leaving your body, looking at a mandala or chanting some sacred sounds involve calm awareness of what you are doing.
You can also try “mindfulness” – simply witnessing all your actions with a calm mind and detachment. Buddhist monks often do this while they are walking. You will find it extremely calming to just be aware of each step, the feeling of your foot connecting with the earth, the movement of your body and the witnessing of any thoughts that might pass through your mind. When thoughts arise they usually give rise to more thoughts so it is far better to just watch your thoughts come and then let them pass; watch them just flow away.
The mind is like an ocean and consciousness is the surface. When thoughts arise they are like bubbles that rise up from the bottom of the sea and disappear when they reach the surface. The more you become aware of your thoughts, the more you can let go of them and free your mind. This sensation is extremely liberating and helps us to completely let go of stress, worries, fears, attachments, desires and many other feelings.
It is very easy to get started with meditation. All you need to do is search for a local meditation group or buy a book on the subject. Nowadays, meditation is an essential complementary medicine for your wellbeing and an excellent means to achieve a high level of wellness in all areas of your life.
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