There can be a lot of confusion around the term “meditation”. It seems that every spiritual teacher is teaching a different method of meditation. Some even claim it is only their method of meditation that works! And then, there is the question of what exactly meditation is!
To top it off, some of us meditate for years and years and years without any seeming long-term benefits. Sure, we may feel better for a few hours after our meditation, but has it really made a long-term transformation in our lives?
If I may, I would love to present to you the path I took toward mastering meditation.
It’s been a pretty long journey for me, and definitely a very good one. It started with mindfulness meditation in yoga class. I had no idea that I could feel that level of peace and calm within myself. I immediately immersed myself in a whole slew of meditation methods. I went on to meditate for several hours each day, using several meditation methods, ranging from concentration meditation to contemplation meditation. I had several amazing revelations, visions, and spiritual awakenings during this time. I saw and felt with absolute clarity the very truth of this universe, and the way energy moves. This laid a strong foundation for me to continue my spiritual journey. Before I go on with my story, let’s question what meditation is:
My definition of meditation is communion with your higher self/soul/spirit/God… whatever you want to call this higher presence.
In order to most effectively and powerfully commune with this higher presence, it is in our best interest to enter a space of deep introspection, acceptance, surrender, and being in the moment. Many different methods of meditation work, and they all work when the above factors are present. All these methods of meditation are only bringing you to this place. Sometimes meditation does not work for people because they are not being brought to this place through the method they are using. This is okay, it is by no means the fault of the person, everyone is different.
Back to my journey in meditation… after many years of practicing different types of meditation, I eventually hit a wall in my spiritual growth. I wasn’t sure why I wasn’t moving forward. What was I doing wrong? I tried to perfect the methods I was using. Surely I must be able to do something better! However, I had come to a point where I have to completely let go of my ego, the meditator aspect of myself. I have to stop meditating as the meditator, and instead meditate as that beingness of who I am.
Through beautiful synchronicity, I came across Marlies Cocheret and Adyashanti. Through them, I learned the method of meditation that bypasses all methods and structures. Methods and structures are created in the mind, and they have no place in true communion with the divine. It simply does not match up. However, most methods of meditation do in fact use methods and structure to calm the mind. Therefore, we end up having this identity, this meditator identity, that is meditating.
When I let go of the meditator, when I simply fell into surrender, into presence, and acceptance of all that is, without using a single method… that is when I truly learned. What I learned cannot be put into words, for words cannot explain it. It is something to be experienced, it is to be.
I have developed my own meditation based on what what I learned, and combining several methods from all the years that I have meditated and been a meditation leader internationally. This meditation is available here.
So, now, I wonder how to explain to you, the blog reader, how to do this meditation. If this is a meditation without method, how can I explain it? I will do my best:
Realize that you are already enlightened, whole and complete. This meditation is about simply being. Be in the presence of who you are. When feelings and thoughts arise, accept them, love them. Allow yourself to fully feel everything that arises. Feel everything without judgment or expectation or attachments. Just simply be with all that arises, with all that you are, with all that is around you. There is no need for you to sit a certain way, breathe a certain way, or focus on anything.
This meditation can be difficult for the mind to grasp, because it is beyond the mind. This is exactly what makes this meditation so profound and effective. I invite you to simply try it out, understanding that your mind may never quite grasp it. I truly believe that you can do this right away right now. If you would like to have a voice guiding you through this, you can always download the meditation by clicking here.
If you have any further questions, please comment on this post. I will be happy to answer them.
Happy meditating!
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