The Goal of Meditation

So what’s the goal and purpose of reaching inner silence or releasing all that stress anyway?

STRESS RELEASE FIRST:
Think of your nervous system as a surface and stress as a hammer that is slammed into that surface repeatedly.

Hammer on Stone
If your nervous system is inflexible, like stone, that hammer can do a lot of damage that takes many years to slowly wear off the stone.








Hammer on Sand
If your nervous system is more resilient and flexible, like sand, the hammer still has an impact and leaves an impression, but the effect is smoothed over easily.







Hammer on Water
If your nervous system is even more flexible, like water, the hammer still makes an impression, but it is almost immediately smoothed over with no lasting impression.







Hammer on Air
And finally, if your nervous system is as flexible as air - the hammer still hits, but it leaves no visible mark, virtually no impact at all.

How much happier and more relaxed would you be?

How much more resilient would your body be against disease and sickness?

How much clearer would your perception be, and stronger your energy?

How much more effective would you be, in the mundane everyday world, and in your esoteric pursuits as well?

Clarity + energy + focus + direction = RESULTS.


INTO THE FUTURE
There is a lot of research available on the benefits of meditation - reduced blood pressure; reduced anxiety; reduced levels of adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol; increased happiness, increased memory function, and much, much more. Google "Benefits of Meditation" to see more - here is a link to just one site that I respect on the subject: BENEFITS. Some people meditate solely because of the health benefits or because it makes them feel more relaxed. That is all they want out of it, which is absolutely fine. They will continue to receive those benefits as they continue to meditate.

Some people want to delve into the deeper aspects involving "enlightenment" or the spiritual aspect of meditation. That is available as well. As people solidify the experience of transcending into their daily lives, there can be subtle changes in their experience of reality. These have been described as the classic “higher states of consciousness” to which many meditation techniques allude.

Over the last 25 years or so, the TM organization has been teaching “Sidhi” courses based in the Vedic Upanishads. Many people who pursue those classes are experiencing some of the ancient powers like yogic flying and others. (I know any high school kid can Photoshop an image to look like woo-woo cool stuff, but I am here to tell you I have seen it with my own two eyes, it's a trip!)

Of course, the point is not to have some flashy experience (although flash is kind of cool, too!) The value of these advanced techniques is to imbue and solidify more of the subtle levels of creation into the surface level of life in which we function everyday. It's like infusing the root of a tree with super food and watching all aspects of the tree improve and grow. I have heard it said that human consciousness is truly the last, great unexplored frontier - I am so excited to be on the forefront of that exploration!

So that's it...that's my bit on meditation. Whatever brought you to the table, yay for you! I encourage you to get out there and find what works for you. I certainly did for me, and it has been a wonderful journey. I wish you success in your pursuit and joy in your journey.

LINKS
I hope this information has been valuable, or at least thought provoking. If you are interested in pursuing meditation, I suggest you check out some of the links below. While I do not vouch for the information contained within, they do offer a wider insight into the subject. Enjoy!

http://www.tm.org/

http://www.learningmeditation.com/

http://www.thiaoouba.com/medit.htm

http://www.wildmind.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meditation



And finally, my personal thanks to my teacher, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who helped form the core of who I have become in ways I cannot yet even fully appreciate. I am so grateful for the time I had studying and training with him. I dedicate this site in his memory.

Jai Guru Dev
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
1917-2008