Your life is in your hands : the path to lasting health and happiness by Chopra Krishan

Author:Chopra, Krishan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Health, Mind and body, Medicine and psychology
ISBN: 9781862045002
Publisher: Shaftsbury, Dorset ; Boston, Mass. : Element
Published: 1999-09-05T16:00:00+00:00

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Meditation: Experience of the Inner World

Behold, the Kingdom of God is within you.

—JESUS

The path of meditation leads inwards.

In prayer you are talking to God;

In meditation, God is talking to you.

—DEEPAK CHOPRA in Instructor's Manual on Meditation

I magine a calm, peaceful lake on a full moon night. The image of the moon in the water is perfectly reflected, round, silver white, cool, soothing, and beautiful. The look of it enthralls your soul.

Now throw a stone into the lake. Or imagine a wind whipping up waves. The reflection of the moon is disturbed, broken up into a thousand pieces, each shattered bit agitated. Of course, deep down, the lake is absolutely quiet and still. Soon the waves subside and the reflection of the moon is back in its full glory and splendor.

The human mind is in its essence, deep down, like the calm, silent lake. But on the surface it is troubled by ceaseless agitation. Every day thoughts, memories, concerns, keep up an internal chatter. A few unkind words may produce a rush of

negative thoughts and feelings, rough waves further spoiling the calm waters. These waves, whether of anger, jealousy, worry, play havoc with you. Negative molecules rush through your system. If this process is repeated many times it stresses your body, buckles your immunity, and ultimately leads to ill health, even serious disease.

How can we prevent these negative emotions, these mental agitations, and the storms of molecules and chemicals in our system that are the cause of misery and ill health?

We have already discussed a number of techniques, including music and the arts, sports and exercise, laughter, etc. These are all helpful. But most helpful of all is meditation, the journey inward. For as the mind learns to go inward we fathom the deeper, more silent realms of our own nature. The deepest level is the unbounded, blissful Self, a field of quietness, silence, peace.

For a person who practices meditation regularly, day by day more of that inner silence “sticks" to the awareness as we go about our activities. Stability in the face of adversity grows; negative thoughts and emotions gradually disappear and give place to spontaneous positive thinking. The mind expands, happiness increases. You manage stress more effectively. As the American psychologist, William James, wrote:

The turbulent bellows of the fretful surface leave the deep parts of the ocean undisturbed, and to him who has a hold on vaster and more permanent realities, the hourly vicissitudes of his personal destiny seem relatively insignificant things. The really religious person is accordingly unshakable and calmly ready for any duty that the day may bring forth.

In the usual course of events, we know our environment and our outer self, our body. We also know something of our inner self, our mind and intellect. But we do not know our real, innermost Self. With meditation, we come into contact with this part of our being.

The experience of meditation teaches you how to relax, not how to become lethargic; how to enjoy living, and how not

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