There has been a lot of discussion in spiritual circles about the function of meditation when it comes to approaching awakening. Do we need to meditate to become awakened? Do we need to exert effort, or do we simply need to surrender? Let me be direct and clear: meditation is integral to awakening, provided it’s approached correctly. To that point , it’s essential to clarify what meditation involves and how it should be approached.
- Meditation is not intended to keep us aware all the time.
- It is not confined to a cushion but should be integrated into daily life.
- It is not something that should be approached with grand expectations.
What is meditation, then? It is simply the skill of directing our attention. Instead of being driven by thoughts, meditation allows us to directly see how thoughts and attachments emerge and how we engage them. The essential part of awakening is getting the mind know, and meditation is the key tool in this process, alongside curiosity, intention and openness. In essence, we can meditate anywhere and at any time by gently being aware of the present experience: whether it involves sound, sensation, taste, smell, forms and colors or thought. Meditation doesn’t demand constant awareness! Meditation is exclusively about NOW, and how to get more alert about what is the present moment about. Moreover, it involves resting in the present moment without interference, embracing everything as it is, while maintaining gentle awareness.
When practiced in this manner, meditation, or paying attention, becomes an integral part of the awakening process. It directs the mind towards the actual. Gradually, the mind becomes more alert, more immersed in the present moment. It serves as mental training that grounds us and teaches us how to rest in the present experience. This, in turn, may spark our curiosity about awakening and the no-self nature of reality. And this is exactly what happened to me.
In my journey, meditation emerged as a pivotal catalyst. Initially, I embarked on meditation with no awareness of awakening, enlightenment, or the concept of no-self. My understanding merely grazed the basic tenets of Buddhism and the notion of true nature. Yet, as I delved deeper into meditation, I found myself immersed in longer stretches of natural tranquility and a profound sense of unity with my surroundings. These profound experiences led to further insights and sustained periods of profound peace. These moments inspired me to dig deeper and this is how I discovered awakening, the direct pointing to the no-self reality of our experiences. So I say with no hesitation: I owe everything to the transformative power of meditation.