Beyond Happiness

Author:Ezra Bayda [Bayda, Ezra]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Shambhala Publications
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

8

Meditation

Meditation is no longer an esoteric activity practiced primarily in monasteries; it is now commonly recognized as beneficial for all sorts of things, including reducing stress and promoting good health. For these reasons, many people are inclined to try it, and this is certainly a good thing. But using meditation to relieve stress or as an aid to good health is still in the realm of chasing after personal happiness. When we use meditation as a tool to feel better, to become calm, or to lower our blood pressure, we are basically trying to change life to suit us. But what good is it to have nice experiences during meditation if we don’t also address the anger and fear that we all carry within us, which will inevitably undermine our good feelings? Enjoying periods of calm is understandable; but if we use meditation as yet another way to feel better, and at the same time expect it to bring us the deeper happiness of true contentment, we will probably be disappointed.

There are, however, many different ways to meditate that are not an attempt to bypass life’s difficulties. Some forms of meditation can, in fact, not only help cultivate the roots of genuine happiness but also aid in working with what blocks it. The meditation technique described in this chapter, which is a form of Zen meditation that I’ve been doing for many years, is geared to serve this dual purpose. I’m also including specific instructions on how to meditate at the end of the chapter.

Sitting in meditation is one of the best ways to allow the mind and body to settle down. The intention, when sitting in stillness and silence, is to be as fully present as possible with whatever you are experiencing. The point is not to feel calm, although this certainly might happen as the mind and body settle. The point is to be aware, and to cultivate the ability to reside in what is. It’s interesting that the word reside literally means to sit, remain, or abide.

The path of spiritual practice implores us to do the simplest yet most difficult thing: to sit still and just be present. To reflect without thinking. There is no action involved, only stillness and observation. In meditation, we let whatever comes up, come up. We invite it in. We welcome all of it, including the resistance, the boredom, the judgments, the endless mental spinning. We let it come up and then we watch it. We don’t think, we don’t analyze, we don’t judge—we simply watch and experience.

When things come up that we don’t like, we try to remember that these thoughts and feelings are our teachers, in that we can learn from them. They’re not an enemy to conquer or get away from. In other words, don’t try to change your experience—just be aware. Simply watch with curiosity as your experience unfolds, without trying to make yourself different. Doing this means we’ll no longer have to live out of our cherished self-images—for example, being a calm, clear, or “together” person.

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