Many of us think meditation is concentration, but in fact, it is not. To do any work, you need concentration and focus. But meditation is about defocusing, and concentration is a benefit of meditation. While concentration requires effort, meditation is absolute letting go. And when that happens, you are in a state of deep rest.
Another common myth is that meditation is about controlling one’s thoughts. Thoughts do not come up in the mind by invitation. They are like clouds in the sky. Controlling your thoughts involves effort, and the key to a relaxed mind is effortlessness. Shake hands with your negative thoughts. They will then disappear. In meditation, you transcend thoughts and move into a silent space deep within.
Usually, we think people who do not have anything to do can sit and meditate. I tell you it’s a wrong notion. It is like saying somebody who doesn’t have to go to the market can keep all the money. But what is the use of that money? People say they don’t have time. But it’s the same 24 hours that a Prime Minister has, and so does the peon. But see the amount of work each one does. You make time. When you feel something is a big load for you to carry, you are underestimating your capacity, your capability. The more pressed for time you are, the deeper rest you must take, and more essential is meditation.
You do not have to sit for hours to have a deeper experience. The connection with that inner space, your source, can happen in a fraction of a moment. A 20-minute meditation twice a day is enough to take you inward and benefit you.
You also do not need to sit in the Lotus Posture all day as you meditate! The Patanjali Yoga Sutras say, ‘Sthiram sukham asanam’. He says that while meditating, it is more important to be comfortable and steady. You can sit cross-legged, on a chair, or on a sofa – it is all fine. When you start meditating every day, the quality of your meditation will improve.
Meditation is not a religious practice. Yoga and meditation are ancient practices that transcend all religions. Like the sun shines for everyone and the wind blows for all, meditation benefits all. We encourage people from all backgrounds, religions, and cultures to come and meditate in a spirit of celebration.
Today, meditation is not a luxury, as it was once thought, but a necessity. I would call it mental hygiene—just as we have dental hygiene, we need mental hygiene. Meditation helps us stay centred and steers us away from aggression and depression. We need to be sensitive to ourselves, to others, and to the environment. Meditation makes us more conscious of our surroundings and the emotions of those around us. It helps prevent antisocial behaviours that could harm both ourselves and others. There was a time when people sought meditation and enlightenment in the mountains or by the sea. Today, meditation needs to reach every door, every home.
This World Meditation Day, on 21 December, join the world’s largest meditation event with the global humanitarian and spiritual master, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, on Gurudev’s Official YouTube Channel.
