Letting Go of Nothing by Peter Russell

Author:Peter Russell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: New World Library
Published: 2021-07-14T00:00:00+00:00

EFFORTLESS MEDITATION

THERE ARE MANY TYPES OF MEDITATION. Some focus attention on the breath, a mantra, an inner light, the heart, or perhaps some deity. Others focus on an intention, a prayer, a future outcome, or some spiritual aphorism. And their goals vary, too. They might aim to help us discover our true nature, transcend the ego, attain a higher state of consciousness, know God, receive guidance or healing, or become enlightened — the list goes on and on.

The meditation practices I am most interested in are those that allow the thinking mind to relax and settle down. The key is allowing it to happen. Instead of trying to focus your attention, let it relax. Let go of any expectation of what should or should not happen.

Simply notice your experience in the moment — the sensations in the body, the flowing of the breath, the sounds you hear. Allowing them to be there, just as they are. Not wanting some other experience; not trying to get somewhere else. This is the essence of letting go — simply letting in your experience, whatever it is, and letting it be.

What about thoughts? People frequently complain that they can’t stop thoughts from coming in as they meditate. Having thoughts pass through our mind is natural and unavoidable. Ask experienced meditators if they still have thoughts when they sit, and they’ll answer yes. The key is in how we respond to them.

At first you don’t notice you’re caught in a thought. Your attention gets absorbed in some idea. Maybe it is interesting or feels important. Or, as often happens, it might just arise habitually, a repeat of some idea you’ve had many times before. After a while, the thought runs out of steam. At that moment, you have become present again — present to the fact that you’ve been thinking.

Then, instead of continuing with the thought, as you might in everyday life, simply choose not to follow it any further. With the attention no longer absorbed in the thought, the present reveals itself again. You notice the experience of sitting there, the sensations, the breath, the feelings, the sounds around you.

But don’t then try to stay present. That’s very hard to do. Thoughts will soon arise again. The practice is not one of staying present so much as it is learning to return to the present — easily, and without effort.

The process is sometimes likened to teaching a puppy to sit. You hold its rear down and say, “Sit.” But you don’t hold its rear there. You let go, and soon the puppy scampers off. You show it again. And again. Gradually it learns and remains sitting for longer and longer.

It’s the same with the mind. We bring our attention back to the present; we sit in the here and now. When the attention wanders off, we gently return it to the present. Gradually, the ease and quietness of natural mind become more familiar — and more attractive — and we find we can settle down more and more easily.

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