“When by meditation the senses are stilled then the pure blessedness of the soul is perceived” – Pantanjali, the complier of the Yoga Sutras.

When using meditation as a spiritual practice the goal is to achieve and attune to the highest consciousness possible; so that enlightenment, liberation, or God-realization can be attained. This is done by quieting our minds and not getting caught up in the extraneous random thoughts that pop into our consciousness. When we calm our minds we are still aware of thought, but we try to observe each as if we are an unattached observer. In this way, we begin to live more in the present moment; and it is by living in the present that we truly understand who we are.

In meditation the point is to transcend, get beyond, the active or conscious thinking of the mind. We may find this difficult at first, because our minds never stop working; even when we are asleep; and therefore, unwanted thoughts will continually rise to the surface. But, the point is to not get caught up in them; and to not even to struggle or fight against them. For, the very act of fighting our thoughts goes against the whole idea of meditation. Meditation is supposed to bring calmness and serenity into our lives. Not struggle or frustration. Therefore, the idea is to be aware of thought; but as they come just release them and let them go.

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Another reason that many of us find meditation difficult is because we find it hard to remain in the present moment for very long. We have so much going on in our lives that at times we feel torn or pulled in many directions. We are so worried about the future, or feeling guilty about the past, that we very often miss the present altogether.If we would awaken ourselves to the truth that it is the chioces we make in the “Now” (Present moment) which determines our future, then many of our lives would become more enjoyable and fulfilling. In fact, by being aware of the present moment & the chioces we are making in it we’d have more control over the consequences that we bring upon ourselves. But instead, when thoughts come to us during meditation we give them too much attention and begin to get entangled in them. Threfore, many of us get frustrated, think meditation is something difficult, or since it takes alot of practice to become an unattched observer of our thoughts we think that we are not progressing as fast as we should, and ultimately we give up.

We need to realize that years of old habits are not overcome in a day. The more we practice meditation the easier it will become. Also as we learn to master our minds, and become emotionally unattached to our thoughts, we will notice ourselves less reactive to what comes at us, and thereby create more peace in our lives.

Therefore, no matter how difficult it may be at first, persevere and keep practicing your meditation. We don’t learn to play an instrument in a day, nor do we learn how to paint like Leonardo Da Vinci, on our first attempt. Everything takes practice & time. The Inventor, Thomas Edison, failed 999 times before he finally developed the light bulb. If we can cultivate an attitude like his, and nurture even half as much determination, we will surely succeed; not only in meditation, but also in anything else that we attempt.

May God Bless you and guide you in your practice. And remember to – Always Heed the Spirit,

Anthony