ROVIN' AND RAVIN' WITH MIKE
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OK,
we know about meditation, some strange thing done by some strange
incense-burning types in some strange places where they drink their tea hot and
their coffee cold. But, there is more to meditation than just a flaky fad. It is
a practice almost as old as humanity itself (ourselves?), but it has much to
offer people trying to cope with the stresses of modern life.
Now,
we have to deal with is the question of religion. People in every religious
tradition, as well as people outside of all religious traditions have meditated
and can experience the benefits of meditation without being untrue to their
beliefs. When I spent a week in a monastery once, after biblical readings at
mass, we spent some time in silent meditation on the meaning of the passage.
But, meditation is adaptable to a belief in whatever "Higher Power"
you may hold, or to a belief in no "Higher Power."
The
simplest meditation practice that I know of comes from a Buddhist meditation
teacher, but it has no religious content. It simply involves sitting
comfortably—the classic but for me classically uncomfortable lotus position is
optional—and breathing. Close your eyes, or, perhaps, just half-close them.
There are no rules, no right way, no wrong way to meditate. There are simply
effective ways and ineffective ways.
As
you breathe, slowly, steadily, be aware of your breathing, and count your
breaths. When you reach ten, begin all over again. Hey, look at you. You are
meditating. Simple as this practice is, it combines the basic elements of
meditation—slowing downing, quieting oneself, reining in the mind, focusing
its intentions.
While
you can practice this meditation almost anywhere, anytime, meditators often
speak of a practice, a regular program of meditation at specific times and
places. If you have a special place to meditate, even if it is just a quiet
corner of your house, then, when you enter that place, you begin to enter the
meditative state. Some people like to sit on a favorite cushion or drape a shawl
or blanket over their shoulders. You certainly don’t have to go out and buy a
meditation set. Just look around for an item or two which would help you feel
comfortable. Music might help, but it might also distract. Obviously, loud,
heavily rhythmic music would not be appropriate.
So,
you practice meditation for a week or two, just sitting, breathing, counting.
What’s the point? What do you "get" out of this? Meditation is
usually a journey without a destination. You simply relax, see what comes along,
and relax. There are a number of scientific studies of the relaxing effects and
health benefits of meditation. You relax.
You
relax.
You
relax. What more benefit do you want?
But,
you can vary your technique. As I mentioned earlier, you can meditate on a
literary passage, from a sacred book, from a poem. You can meditate on a
beautiful scene, and you can meditate on a person. Meditation is not about
sitting alone on a mountain top for thirty years (well, not for most of us).
Meditation is a way to relationship, not a way to avoid relationship. You can
meditate on a relationship—not to worry about it, obsess about it (gee, I
shouldn’t have said that), but simply, to observe it, to be aware of it, just
as you become aware of your breathing.
So,
keep on breathing. (Please.) Remember that the word in Greek and in Hebrew that
are translated as "soul" literally mean "breath." Now, there
is an idea to meditate on. If you hear me say, "Breathe," you will
most likely breathe in, then out. But, in some traditions, a breath is
considered to begin with exhaling, then inhaling, so that one breath ends with
creative energy (the breath inside your body) rather than with relaxation, even
depletion. Try counting ten breaths like this, beginning on the out-breath.
The
greatest obstacle to meditation is boredom. Once you have learned how to be
aware of your breathing, vary your exercise. Try repeating a word with each
breath or one word as you inhale, another as you exhale. This can be "Rama,"
it can be "Hail Mary," it can be "Jesus." You can use the
word "Peace," the word "Love," the word "Truth."
An anonymous work from nineteenth century Russia, "The Way of the
Pilgrim," tells of a man who wandered around Russia repeating the prayer,
"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." He
finally distilled the prayer to two words, "Jesus… mercy…."
Beginning
on the outbreath, you can say "Jesus" (or whatever Higher Power you
acknowledge), breathing out, calling his name. Then, on the inbreath,
"Mercy," breathing the mercy into your body. Or, "Peace."
At
what point does prayer become meditation, meditation prayer? You soon learn that
if a question does not affect your daily practice, you let it go. In fact,
"letting go" is another aspect of meditation—for a few minutes, at
least, letting go the worry, the frustration, all the things that sour your
life, all the things that, perhaps, keep you from living your life.
You
are not likely to get any great insights in a blinding flash, but then, again,
you might. It is ironic that as you become more in touch with yourself, you
become less in touch with yourself. After all, the old mystical ideal of
transcending the self isn’t a very productive project if you don’t have a
clear idea of that self that you are transcending. You may not like what you
see, but meditation is not about liking, disliking, judging. Meditation is about
observation and concentration.
If
you do get an uncomfortable feeling or image, don’t run from it. It can’t
hurt you. You are, after all, letting yourself have this feeling. If you do make
this choice, then choose to learn something from the experience. But don’t try
to interpret it, any more than you would try to interpret a sunset. You don’t
even have to "Let" it happen. It happens.
What
are the dangers of meditation? As I’ve said before, if something is powerful
enough to do something positive, constructive, it can also do something
negative, destructive. I see two possible dangers to meditation. One is a
tendency to use meditation as an escape from reality rather than as a
confrontation with reality. There are a couple of ways of avoiding this.
Meditate with a friend, and practice meditation as intercession, offering up
your time and experience for the greater good of some particular person or group
of persons or, as the Native Americans would say, for "All my
relations" (all created beings).
If
you have suffered some serious trauma, perhaps in childhood abuse or in battle,
be very careful. You may bring up things that, in your case, you might not be
ready to deal with. Again, there is strength in numbers, and a meditation buddy
can help. Or, if you are receiving professional help, check with your
counselor/therapist before going very far with meditation.
Ordinary
life is about order, the normal, sometimes numbing order that shapes our daily
lives. We don’t need to escape from the crazy drivers, the dirty dishes, the
unhappy spouses, in order to meditate. But, with meditation, we can learn how to
deal with such problems more constructively.
A search for links for meditation turned up over 40,000 possibilities on Altavista, many of them associated with some specific religious tradition. There is a good non-sectarian site, that teaches the meditation exercise that Dr. Herbert Benson developed for his book The Relaxation Response.
You can read the Research from Harvard's Mind/Body Clinic about the health benefits of meditation. Turning Inside is another site about the relationship between health and meditation.
Moliere
had one of his characters express surprise to learn that he had always been
speaking prose. Similarly, if you do choose to add meditation to an already
hectic life, you may find that it is nothing new, nothing special, that it is
something as natural as, well, as breathing or keeping your feet dry and your
heart full of noble thoughts.
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