Why do more people drink alcohol than people who meditate? Why do more people eat fast food than get exercise? Smoking is a leading cause of death in the U.S., as are poor diet and alcohol use, so why do we love everything that is bad for us and keep away from things that do us good?
Presumably it's because we really don't like ourselves too much. Once the cycle of self-dislike gets started, then it takes a huge amount of determination and effort to make changes. And the mind is a perfect servant, as it will do whatever it's told, but it's a terrible master as it fails to help us help ourselves.
Which can be even harder when our mind is like a deranged monkey, leaping from one thought or drama to the next, never allowing us time to be quiet, peaceful and still.
But meditation can save our life! This may sound farfetched but meditation is a direct way to cut through the chaotic monkey mind constantly making excuses and supporting our neurosis. It's that fundamental. Yet so many people pay it so little attention. Drinking alcohol can kill and meditation can save, yet there are far more people who drink.
Seven Ways Meditation Can Save Your Life
It is known that stress is responsible for 70-90 percent of illnesses, and that quiet time is the most effective remedy for a busy and overworked mind. In a stressed state, it is easy to lose touch with inner peace, compassion and kindness; in a relaxed state, the mind clears and we connect with a deeper sense of purpose and altruism. Your breath is your best friend. Anytime you feel stress rising, heart closing, mind going into overwhelm, just focus on your breathing and quietly repeat: Breathing in, I calm the body and mind; breathing out, I smile.
Anger can lead to hatred and violence. If we do not accept our negative feelings we are likely to repress or disown them, and when denied they can cause shame, depression and rage. Meditation enables us to see how selfishness, aversion and ignorance create endless dramas and fears. It may not be a cure-all, it's not going to make all our difficulties go away or suddenly transform our weaknesses into strengths, but it does enable us to release self-centered and angry attitudes and generate a deep inner happiness. This can be very liberating.
A lack of appreciation easily leads to abuse and exploitation. So, start by taking a moment just to appreciate the chair you are sitting on. Consider how the chair was made: the wood, cotton, wool, or other fibers, the trees and plants that were used, the earth that grew the trees, the sun and rain, the animals that maybe gave their lives, the people who prepared the materials, the factory where the chair was built, the designer and carpenter and seamstress, the shop that sold it -- all this just so you could be sitting here, now. Then extend that appreciation to every part of yourself, then to everyone and everything in your life. For this I am grateful.
Every time you see or feel suffering, whether in yourself or in another, every time you make a mistake or say something stupid and are just about to put yourself down, every time you think of someone you are having a hard time with, every time you see someone struggling, upset or irritated, just stop and bring loving kindness and compassion. Breathing gently, silently repeat: May you be well, may you be happy, may you be filled with loving kindness.
There is a reservoir of basic goodness in all beings but we often lose touch with this natural expression of caring and friendship. In meditation, we go from seeing our essentially selfish and ego-bound nature to recognizing that we are an integral part of a far greater whole, and as the heart opens we can bring compassion to our fallibility and humanness. Meditation is, therefore, the most compassionate gift we can give to ourselves.
Simply through the intent to cause less pain we can bring greater dignity to our world, so that harm is replaced with harmlessness and disrespect with respect. Ignoring someone's feelings, affirming our hopelessness, disliking our appearance, or seeing ourselves as incompetent or unworthy are all causes of personal harm. How much resentment, guilt, or shame are we holding on to, thus perpetuating such harmfulness? Meditation enables us to transform this through recognizing our essential goodness as well as the preciousness of all life.
Without sharing and caring we live in an isolated, disconnected and lonely world. We take meditation "off the cushion" and put it into action as we become more deeply aware of our connectedness with all beings. From being self-centered, we become other-centered, concerned about the welfare of all. Then, reaching out beyond ourselves becomes a spontaneous expression of genuine generosity seen in our capacity to let go of conflicts or forgive mistakes, or in our desire to help those in need. We are not alone here, we all walk the same earth and breathe the same air; the more we participate, the more we are connected and fulfilled.
The very nature of life includes change and unfulfilled desire and a longing for things to be different from how they are, all of which brings discontent and dissatisfaction. Almost everything we do is to achieve something: if we do this, then we will get that; if we do that, then this will happen. But in meditation we do it just to do it. There is no ulterior purpose other than to be here, in the present moment, without trying to get anywhere or achieve anything. No judgment, no right or wrong, simply being aware.
Meditation enables us to see clearly, to witness our thoughts and behavior and reduce our self-involvement. Without such a practice of self-reflection there is no way of putting a brake on the ego's demands. Stepping out of the conceptual mind, however, does not mean stepping into nowhere or nothing; it does not mean that there is no connection to a worldly reality. Rather, it is stepping into sanity and, more importantly, into even greater connectedness. Then we have no more need to do ourselves harm!
How can you bring more goodness into your life? Do comment below. You can receive notice of our blogs every Tuesday by checking Become a Fan at the top.
See our award-winning book, "Be the Change: How Meditation Can Transform You and the World," with forewords by the Dalai Lama and Robert Thurman and contributions from Jack Kornfield, Marianne Williamson, astronaut Edgar Mitchell, Jane Fonda, Ram Dass, Byron Katie, Gangaji and others.
Our three meditation CDs -- "Metta: Loving-Kindness and Forgiveness," "Samadhi: Breath Awareness and Insight" and "Yoga Nidra: Inner Conscious Relaxation" -- are available at www.EdandDebShapiro.com.
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Philip Goldberg: You Know You Should Meditate, So Why Don't You?
The Benefits of Meditation | Psychology Today
Relaxation Techniques for Stress Relief: Relaxation Exercises and Tips
Meditation: Take a stress-reduction break wherever you are ...
Meditation Health Benefits and Stress Reduction
Ed and Deb Shapiro - Oprah.com - Live your best Life - Oprah.com
Somehow I missed this earlier this week.
How beautiful and what a lovely read for a Friday morning - just before I do my meditation. There is something so warming in your words. With so much jarring going on in the world, it is very lovely to take a few minutes to join you on your island of sanity!
Thank you!
Joy, Peace, laughter and much dancing to you,
Anne
It's always great whenever you are here!
Yes how true -
imagine what it would be like -
if everyone just stopped & meditated for even 5 minutes a day during these unusual times -
with chaos hanging around -
& if people were a little kinder
how different it could be!
I can feel that meditation is in the midst of saving my life right now.
little brother
I have been through so many challenges & through the blessings of meditation can be here to tell it!
do know that I hear you!
Life is a mystery unfolding - May all things go well for you!
Ed
saved in the context of our blog is somewhat (is poetic license french queen13)
it expresses the exquisite wonder of meditation.
The ordinary magic (everyday gift) of meditation is actually beyond words -
I am speaking of 40 years experience!
But uplifted, the quality rather than quantity being at issue - now that's a different matter! :)
I listen to progressive rock, close my eyes, drink some ice cold water, stretch out and just chill.
Clear my mind entirely of thoughts (which if you've read my posts, you'd know that it wouldn't be difficult).
& day!
Just one line notes, from the tiny to the cosmic, just to remind me. Just a few random samples:
tea & my nice tea cups & scones
the rich taste of sweet potato
the pipes didn’t break and didn’t freeze solid
the infinite palette of colors in the world
warm bathroom and a hot shower
Having my cooking appreciated!
living in an era when insulin and other meds are available
The act of noticing, by making note of them, that I'm grateful for these things helps to make me even more grateful for even more things. I seem to have found a positive-feedback loop here! :) Hadn't thought of it as meditating, but I suppose in a way it is.
Actually everything is meditation when done with 'mindfulness' -
awareness is the name of the game!
when we sit for meditation & cultivate mindful awareness or we move with & do with mindful awareness - & our intention is to wake up - our heart & mind like a flower opens!
I am part of a women's group called "Mother Madness" that has met for many years. We are very diverse women, yet once a month we come together, sit on pillows around an altar with candles and sacred objects, we smudge one another, breathe many sighs of relief, and often sit together for a bit to meditate or share a visualization. It is so restorative for everyone, and when we connect hands, it is even more powerful. This process offers an opening to much deeper conversation, connection and a sense of restorative rejuvenation afterwards... I highly recommend it in addition to any solo practice- find a group and share some quiet moments together!
One of the three jewels of Buddhism is 'sangha' - community!
your group sounds wonderful.
when we meet in the heart we live through the heart.
Life is a precious gift!
Ed
meditation is a gift to ourselves - it allows us to sip the nectar and enjoy the journey.
Meditation can end the illusion of the little man or woman in the head. Extinguish it completely. And that can save your life. Well not your life..
The life of the radiant being you have been keeping prisoner beneath your daily soap opera.
http://tinyurl.com/3873rrp homunculus
I recommend viewers check this out :-))
http://tinÂyurl.com/3Â873rrp homunculus
In joy - Ed
your simple reply says much!
May the dharma spread an reach many!
many tashi delegs
Jygpo - Ed
I've been meditating for 30 years this fall, and can definitely say that it has made my life wonderful, through the ups and the downs.
Some fabulous articles on meditation can be found here: http://bit.ly/fkaQOF and http://bit.ly/fU6fab
http://bitÂ.ly/fkaQOF and http://bitÂ.ly/fU6fab
What a blessing! This place, you, me, us, this, this life, this moment. Meditation helps to keep me on the "gratitude track", on the BE HERE NOW track and THAT is good! And so it is!
Abundant blessings to you, as always,
Judith
happy when you comment - it feels like coming home
and so it is!
May all people be happy! you sure help!
"may all beings grow to like themselves enough to give up the habitual pattern of suffering, may they all know reality as it is, not as the ego hallucinatÂes."
I hope you all appreciate this as we have!
Joy In the dharma -
Ed (Jygme powa)
Thank you zeeduya :-))
Meditation, on the other hand, is not about avoiding those states but going into them -- sitting in the discomfort, the emotions, the angst, until it dissolves. Learning to accept discomfort and pain is also *part* of the meditative experience. We learn to sit in the discomfort exactly as we learn to sit in the pleasure
I think it's important to talk about because so many people think they "failed" at meditation because the experience didn't match their expectations. They think that meditation ALWAYS results in tranquility, equanimity and bliss and since they didn't feel that, they are mediation failures.
I think it's vitally important to tell people whatever they experience -- it's all right. Some times anger or fear or sorrow arises... it's okay. Just let it be -- don't become attached to it -- just let it have its moment.
After all, there are only 2 kinds of meditation: The Good One, which is the meditation you actually did and The Bad One, which is the meditation you never got around to
"After all, there are only 2 kinds of meditationÂ: The Good One, which is the meditation you actually did and The Bad One, which is the meditation you never got around to"
Second course I panicked again, but less so. The third course hardly any panic, but lots of negative emotions and annoyance that I sat through (or if it would be too bad, I would take a walk). Two weeks ago I did my fourth course and finally I could accept (but of course I'm generalizing also, for the sake of this story) that the anapana is slowly built up, and might never be perfect, that the equanimity is the true lesson here, and the same with vipassana. Maybe you won't feel a thing in your body for days, or having a storm of sensations, but not letting it define you as some non-changing being is the slowly learned lesson. To me, at least. Many more lessons to come for the absolute beginner here.