What is meditation? Before defining meditation, we already generally accept that meditation is good. Compared to just a few decades ago, the world has changed significantly. The development of civilization has become complicated while providing us with more convenience. In relationships with people, we live in a world where we have to meet and communicate with more people than before. As a result, the stress from human relationships increases, and the intensity increases.
Meditation brings positive changes to our bodies and minds. Studies have shown that meditation can relieve anxiety, lower blood pressure, and improve health.
The Goal of Meditation
Meditation is a practice that has gained widespread recognition for its numerous benefits. In a world that has seen significant changes and advancements, where the complexities of modern civilization often bring added convenience, we also find ourselves interacting with more people than ever before. Consequently, the stress stemming from these interactions has intensified.
Meditation is a tool that introduces positive transformations to our physical and mental well-being. Extensive research has demonstrated its ability to alleviate anxiety, reduce blood pressure, enhance cognitive abilities, and even slow aging.
Various meditation techniques exist, including breath-focused meditation, single-topic meditation, and guided meditation accompanied by soothing music. The overarching aim of meditation is to reestablish a stable mental state and foster personal growth, ultimately leading to a more wholesome and complete self. It necessitates relinquishing one’s existing thought patterns to achieve a higher state of being.
Reconnecting with Nature
Human beings are a combination of body and mind. Since birth, we have unconsciously captured sensory experiences and stored them in our minds, forming a mental library of our life’s events. We perceive and judge the world based on the contents of this mental repository. Over time, this mental storage becomes akin to a river cluttered with various forms of mental debris, causing it to stagnate and flow less freely.
We, as humans, are intrinsically linked to nature. Our original essence is harmoniously entwined with the natural world. However, when we stray from our innate inclinations, mental clutter accumulates, hindering our well-being. These negative emotions and thoughts stagnate within us, making it difficult to focus, think clearly, and lead a fulfilling life. This can result in mental health challenges like anxiety, depression, and fear, which, in severe cases, harm us and impact those around us.
Yet, just as a river can cleanse to restore its clarity and vitality, meditation sheds the accumulated burdens and pain from our minds, unveiling our genuine inner selves. These mental accumulations, amassed over time, can become more insalubrious than the riverbed’s filth, affecting us and polluting the world. Through meditation, we release the remnants of our mental clutter, not just for our well-being but for the betterment of the world.
Unveiling the True Self
The more we discard this mental baggage, the more evident it becomes that it is our own creation, and by letting it go, it dissolves. Through this process, our original, authentic self emerges from the shadows of this mental debris, akin to a river purified with clean water. The world also reaps the benefits as we cultivate mental and emotional health. Just as a lamp illuminates its surroundings, let us begin with ourselves, reflecting on our inner selves and cleansing our minds to contribute to a brighter and more beautiful world.
If you seek a means to cleanse your mind, explore the following video.
