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Understanding Meditation through Models - Part 3
Robert Elias Najemy
As in the previous example, the mind has no reality of its
own. Its reality is formed by its contents. It is like a plastic
bag or cellophane that takes the shape of whatever you put
into it. If you wrap up something long and slim then it takes
that shape. If you wrap up something sound, it assumes that
shape. It obtains the shape of its contents.
Thus the mind takes the shape of the thoughts, feelings, desires,
needs, habits, expectations which occupy it. When specific
thoughts, emotions or desires occupy the mind frequently,
or for long periods of time or, in some cases, incessantly,
the mind begins to crystallize around those thought forms.
It looses its flexibility and becomes almost permanently obsessed,
or associated, with a particular subject or concept. In such
a case the mind is not free to experience the present. It
is not free to think of subjects other than the one with which
it is obsessed. It cannot derive joy from what is offered
to it because it is stuck in that particular thought-form,
which limits its ability to connect with other realities from
which it could learn and receive joy.
In many cases, these thought forms around which the mind has
crystallized, are negative thoughts and beliefs, such as that
we are weak, that we need someone else or something else for
our happiness, or fear for ourselves or loved ones. In such
cases, these negative thought forms often actually create
the negative realities upon which our mind is dwelling.
Meditation is the process through which we temporarily (and,
eventually throughout the years, more permanently) empty the
mind of these various thought-forms, which have crystallized,
and give this inflexible form to the mind. The mind becomes
softer but stronger, more responsive to the present moment,
experiencing greater unity with all.
Climbing for the Coconut
We can imagine that a coconut, which is high in the palm tree,
is like our spiritual reality, and that its shadow on the
ground is the physical reality. Our physical reality with
all of its physical objects is actually simply a shadow of
the spiritual reality from which this material reality is
manifested.
We see the shadow on the ground and seek to grab it, just
as we seek to accumulate riches, objects, relationships etc.
But the shadow passes through our hands and we are left with
the sand on which it was projected. In the same way we are
left with nothing after all our efforts to find happiness
through the material world.
After a number of years of vainly trying to find happiness,
seeking after shadows of these coconuts on the sand, one day
it occurs to us to look upward and we notice perhaps for the
first time the coconut high up in the tree. We begin to realize
that the shadow is the result of the coconut and that, if
we can get the coconut, we will also have its shadow. It is
not so easy, however, to climb the palm tree. It takes strength,
stamina, perseverance and much practice until we are able
to reach that height. This is the process of meditation and
all spiritual effort. Once we realize that we will have both
worlds - spiritual and material - when we obtain the spiritual,
then we begin to direct our energies in that direction, withdraw
our attention from the shadows and start directing it towards
the spiritual realities from which those shadows are created.
Moving Up the Inner Stair Case
Our mind, with its various centers of consciousness, is like
an apartment building with seven stories. The view from each
story is different. The higher up you are, the more you see,
and the clearer you see. You can see the same events and external
realities but you see them completely differently, because
you have a higher viewpoint. The higher up you are, the more
objectively and in their proper perspective you see things.
Meditation is the process of moving up that inner staircase
to the higher stories, where all is much clearer and more
in perspective. At first you can only temporarily visit these
higher stories. Eventually, after many years of meditation,
and other spiritual practices, you can begin to reside there
permanently.
See related articles:
Understanding Meditation
Through Models - Part 1
Understanding Meditation
Through Models - Part 2
Robert E. Najemy, author of 25 books and life coach
with 30 years of experience, has trained over 300 life coaches
and now does so over the Internet. Become a life coach. Over
600 free article and lectures at www.HolisticHarmony.com
Article Source:
http://www.articlewheel.com
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