As I discussed in a previous
article, meditation is not exactly
easy! It can seem as if every thing
and everyone (especially your own
mind) is conspiring to keep you from
finding the stillness you seek.
I read a great article once in
Spirituality
and Health Magazine about
a woman who went all the way to
Tibet and hiked up a mountain in
order to find the ultimate
meditation place. She believed her
life at home was too hectic for her
to have a great meditation
experience. In Tibet, she knew, she
would find peace of mind. And yet,
when she reached her destination,
someone else was on the mountain
making unbelievable amounts of
noise. It was so irritating! Here
she had spent all of this time and
money and energy to find the perfect
place that would allow the silence
within her to emerge, only to be
foiled by someone else. And yet, in
the midst of her outrage, she
finally got it:
Meditation wasn't about pushing the
world away to find the perfect
peaceful place. Meditation was
about learning to create peace in
her own mind regardless of what the
world was doing.
I have to tell
you, this was a relief for me to
read, and also a wakeup call. As a
busy mother of two young children,
it was easy for me to make excuses
not to meditate. There wasn't time,
and there certainly wasn't a
plethora of peace in my home. After
reading the aforementioned article,
however, I had no more excuses. But
I still wasn't sure how to
accomplish a daily disciplined
practice of meditation.
I tried movement as meditation: tai
chi, yoga as meditation, walking
meditation, mudras. Since I have a
hard time sitting still, these
methods were easier for me than a
traditional practice of sitting and
emptying my mind; however, I still
didn't make the time on a regular
basis.
The real breakthrough in my personal
meditation practice came when my
mother, spiritual director Mary Lou
Schneider, introduced me to the
writings of Eknath Easwaran (thanks
Mom!)
Eknath Easwaran was born in India
and raised in the Hindu tradition,
yet he was also educated in western
religions and had a deep respect for
Christian mysticism, Buddhism, and
all of the great spiritual paths.
He came to the U.S. in the 1960s
and established the first accredited
course in America on meditation (at
Berkley University). Sri Easwaran
created a non-denominational,
non-sectarian, Eight Point Program
for actualizing human potential.
The first two points of his Eight
Point Program are silent repitition
of the Holy Name, or mantram,
throughout the day (addressed in
previous articles) and meditation by
silent repititon of memorized
inspirational passages from the
world's great religions.
The first week I tried meditating on
a sacred text I'd memorized, I was
amazed at the almost miraculous
power it had to still both my mind
and my body. I have continued with
this practice ever since, and it is
now my primary form of meditation,
supplemented with use of the mantram
throughout the day as recommended by
Sri Easwaran.
The beauty of memorizing and slowly,
silently repeating the words of a
sacred text is that it gives the
mind something to do. It's too busy
to worry about what to make for
dinner or who you forgot to call or
whether your friend is mad at you or
where you might have left that
library book. And it's busy with
something wholesome and
nourishing--real soul food!
Over time, as you repeat the same
prayers or poems in your mind every
day for weeks and weeks during your
meditation time, it begins to alter
you at a subconscious level.
Without having to think so much
about how to be peaceful or happy,
you become more peaceful and happy.
It is a natural result of marinating
your mind in the sweet juices of the
sacred.
I began this practice with a Rumi
poem and then I added the prayer of
St. Francis of Asissi, which Sri
Easwaran recommends as a great
starter for anyone. For your
convenience, I'm re-printing both of
these selections below in case they
appeal to you.
The first few times you meditate
with whatever inspirational
passage you choose, you will mostly
be working on memorizing--reading
the words and then closing your eyes
to silently repeat a few lines at a
time. That's ok. Eventually the
words will seep into your mind and
they will come to you naturally, not
just when you are meditating but at
odd times. Often now when I wake up
in the middle of the night or first
thing in the morning, the first line
of one of these sacred texts will
pop into my head. I like to think
that the healing words have been
cradling me in my sleep.
Eknath Easwaran wrote numerous books
that are helpful for meditators
including:
Meditation,
Mantram
Handbook and
God
Makes the Rivers to Flow, a
book of sacred texts from many
religions. Although Sri Easwaran is
dead now, his work continues through
The Blue Mountain Center of
Meditation in California.
The Center offers retreats and
also produces a wonderful
newsletter containing selections
from Sri Easwaran's works and
stories written by people whose
lives have improved from integrating
the Eight Point Program into their
daily lives. For more information
on the books click on their titles
above; for information about
the Blue Mountain Center go to
www.easwaran.org.
So now you know the meditation
practices that are easiest for me.
They may not be the best ones for
you, but I'd encourage you to give
them a try. If they aren't a good
fit, try some other techniques.
Keep at it. It's worth the effort.
The bottom line is, the easiest way
to meditate is the way that works
for you.
I'll print two of my favorite
meditation texts below. I hope
you've enjoyed our articles on
meditation. In a few days, we'll
begin expanding on some of the other
tips for transformation we listed in
our first article. Blessings, Kim
Schneider
Everything you see
has its roots in the unseen
world.
The forms may change but the
essence
remains the same.
Every wondrous site will vanish
every sweet word shall fade.
But do not be disheartened.
The Source they come from
is eternal, growing, branching
out
bringing new life
and new joy.
Why do you weep?
That Source is within you
and this whole world
is springing up from it.
The Source is full
its waters are ever flowing.
Do not grieve; drink your fill.
Don't think it will ever run
out.
This is the endless ocean
---Rumi, Sufi
Poet and Mystic
Lord, make me an instrument of
thy peace.
Where there is hatred,
let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
Grant that I might seek
not so much to be consoled
as to console
to be understood
as to understand
to be loved
as to love.
For it is in giving
that we receive
it is in pardoning
that we are pardoned
and it is in dying [to Self]
that we are born to eternal
life.
--Francis of Assissi,
Christian Saint
Kimberly V. Schneider, LPC
Transformational Counselor
