Day 6: Why are we doing this?

 


All the benefits of meditation are an outcome, not the goal of the practice. - Ajanta Suri, Yogi Press

I started this meditation challenge year ago because I read a really terrific book by Henry Shukman called One Blade of Grass. A Zen Memoir. The story inspired me to renew my meditation practice and made me curious about it. Most of us are aware that a practice will lower blood pressure, relieve stress, provide inspiration and support well-being on mental, physical and emotional levels. But if benefits are by-products, then what is the deeper purpose? Why are we doing this?

The experts seem to agree that the deeper purpose of meditation is to help us discover our true selves as the pure consciousness that we are; to drop the baggage of possessions, identity, fears and separation through which we see the world. The purpose is to be here now, fully present in the moment without the "brain shortcuts" that keep us separate. Our brains are amazing machines. It's ability to recognize patterns makes it fast and that has survival benefits. For example, orange, black stripes, big teeth...TIGER!. Once you have encountered a tiger, the brain files that information so that next time you see a flash of teeth you recognize it that much quicker. Survival.

On the down side, we stop seeing what is there. The brain identifies objects, and situations based on small bits of information and fills in the rest. The result is that sometimes what we think we see is our pattern of awarness, and not necessarily what is there. This is where meditation and mindfulness come in.


The deeper purpose of meditation is to show us who we really are, in an expanded reality. Meditation can free us from tunnel vision and allow us to be open to a new vision or experience. When we can do that, we raise our conscious awareness and probably the consciousness of humankind. So enjoy the benefits and then be open to more.


Keep going. 🙏🏻

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