The special knack of meditation is to develop the one who pays attention, the watcher. When we do a simple sitting meditation, we sit comfortably with our eyes closed and just begin to watch the energies that move within us all the time: thoughts, sensations, emotions. We develop the knack of simply watching these distractions go by with a feeling of friendly acceptance.
How do we acquire this knack? We begin by being a witness to the mind, by becoming separate from the mind.
If you watch a dog, you are clearly not the dog; if you look at a tree, you are separate from the tree. The same applies to the mind. Watching is the key. Watch the mind, without repressing, without preventing, without judging, and slowly you will begin to disidentify, realizing that you are not your thoughts, sensations, emotions.
Simply by watching the disturbance of mind, body, and emotions, with non-judgment and acceptance, slowly, over time, the traffic of the mind begins to slow down, and you move from being controlled by the mind to connecting with the wisdom of your heart and the wisdom of your body. This brings you more balance and clarity as you access your inner intelligence, wisdom and intuition.
Patience is needed, but this knack of witnessing brings rich rewards. It is a thread of awareness you can weave into the fabric of your everyday life.
The Mind Is Your Friend
The mind is our bridge from the subconscious to the conscious, our gateway of expression to the outer world. Be grateful for it. Find ways to appreciate the insights, understandings and creativity it brings. Don't see it as an enemy, but as a friend.
As this friendship with your mind deepens, it no longer disturbs you. You are not fighting the mind, you are simply letting the thoughts pass by. When you befriend your mind and allow it to subside into it’s natural place in the background, qualities of relaxed awareness, humor, compassion, and self-acceptance arise to the surface.
Whatever you are doing – driving, eating, working in your office -- do it watchfully. Or, if you are not doing anything, just breathing, resting, relaxing on your couch, bring yourself to an awareness that you are a watcher. Yes, you will forget, over and over again. You will get involved in some thought, feeling, some emotion, some sentiment--anything to distract you from being the watcher. Just remember and come back to your center of watching.
By making this a continuous inner process, you will be surprised how life can change its quality. Once you reach that place of watcher, or witness, you begin to see yourself with more clarity and objectivity. You see the dramas in your life with perspective and compassion, and insights and understandings begin to arise naturally.
The ego/mind wants to make life complicated, but life is not complicated. Mind always wants to control. But watchfulness is beyond its control. It is beyond it, above it, and in fact can be death to the control the mind can have over you.
Don't Fight, Just Watch
Situations Are Neutral
— William Shakespeare
Imagine yourself sitting by the side of a stream. If you throw a stone into the stream, the water becomes cloudy. Now you cannot see the bottom of the stream clearly. What can you do to make it clear again? Does it help to wade into the stream and try and make the water clear? No, you’ll actually make it even more cloudy.
The same is true for the mind. Simply sit and witness all the thoughts as they rush by in a seemingly endless cacophony of noise. There comes a moment when the mind settles and everything becomes clear, just like the stream. There is nothing for you to DO, but rather for you to be in a state of NON-DOING, sitting silently, watching – all becomes clear, your solutions arise naturally and effortlessly. This is what they call, in the Zen tradition, “effortless effort”. You are there, fully present, and the mind settles by itself.
With too much doing, you muddy your mind and create confusion. By watching, with relaxed awareness, clarity arises and solutions present themselves.
Meditation: Befriending the Mind
Benefits
Directions
Find ways to befriend your mind. The mind is your bridge from the subconscious to the conscious, your gateway of expression to the outer world. Be grateful for it. Find ways to appreciate the insights, understandings, and creativity it brings. See it not as an enemy but as a friend.
As this friendship with the mind deepens, your mind no longer disturbs you. You are not fighting it; you are simply letting its thoughts pass by. Your ego/ mind wants to make things complicated, but they are not. Life sings a different tune when you are not controlled by the mind. Your natural joy, spontaneity, self-acceptance, love and compassion arise quickly and easily.
About the Author
Pragito Dove M.Ed., C.C.H. is an internationally acclaimed author, hypnotherapist, meditation master and angel tarot card reader. Pragito spreads awareness and healing thru her signature processes the Diamond Heart™ and Diamond Body™ Healing Modalities, which make positive and permanent changes in your life. Learn more about her at www.DiscoverMeditation.com.