Isn't Meditation Religious? The great thing about meditation is that our philosophical or religious belief are not important.
Meditation is process of immersion in consciousness itself, beyond the structures of mind.
The beliefs of the mind become increasingly transparent and their power over us diminishes.
We dive deep into the heart of ourselves to gain access to our spirit - our true nature.
Therefore, mediation can (and is ) practiced by people of different religions or no religion.
But I don't have time To Meditate Many people like the idea of meditation, but feel they don't have enough time.
The truth is when you really want to do something you make time for it.
You can get up earlier or watch 30 minutes less TV.
Meditation requires an investment of time, but clearing the mind makes the the rest of the day more productive.
Nothing is better than the feeling of inner peace and no relationship is more important than the one with yourself.
O course I do not mean this in a narcissistic way.
Most of us are so busy running around chasing our lives and trying to keep up with our desires that our relationship with ourselves (and subsequently others) is superficial.
What is the point in being tremendously busy but unable to enjoy it and it doesn't make you happy? Meditation is not about retreating from the world; it is a journey of self exploration and discovery.
Whatever you do, if you have peace of mind, your work will be more enjoyable and productive.
Meditation is Boring! Unfortunately, our mind is often addicted to complication and drama and it takes time to unlearn bad habits.
Often the beginners experience of meditation is a confrontation with the inane chatter of their minds, and this is not comfortable.
When we are busy with our lives the chatter of our 'monkey mind' is less obvious, largely because we habitually identify with it as 'who' we are.
Confronting this 'who' we are when we sit for meditation can be an unpleasant shock.
Also the mind rebels, it enjoys it's unbridled freedom to constantly jump from idea to idea, desire to desire, judgment to judgment.
In the practice of meditation the free running mind is bridled and gradually trained.
It is trained to focus, it becomes disciplined, eventually it becomes the tool and not the master.
For centuries all human cultures have sought the spiritual benefits of meditation in one form or another.
Through it many people have discovered its ability to momentarily separate us from our material needs and desires and put us in contact with the greater part of what we are.
With time, practicing meditation will reveal as direct experience that we are not our thoughts, and open us to the 'mystery' beyond appearance and form.
We can use meditation to open up our minds to receive deeper wisdom, and insight into our own nature.
This helps to guide us down the road of self-awareness as we evolve towards enlightenment.
Anyone can reap these spiritual benefits of meditation.
The benefits include greater self-awareness and understanding, a deepening sense of being present in the here and now.
From self awareness develops self acceptance and in time compassion.
A deeper relationship with yourself allows deeper relationships with others.
Meditation can with time become your best friend.