After all, what is this some people call "meditation?" What is this thing called meditation? What is the importance? What is the value? What does it really matter?
First, we need to understand what Real Meditation is. Nowadays, this word is a very known and used word. We call meditation various techniques or practices to quiet the mind, to silence the mind. So, this is what has been called meditation.
When I use the expression "Meditation" in these meetings, in Satsang, I put it in a different way, completely different from this. When I talk about Meditation, I mean Real Meditation. Real Meditation is not to silence the mind. It is not to quiet the mind. Even because, through a technique, through a practice, through this so-called "meditation practice," it is possible to achieve this result, but it is not in this sense that I use the word "Meditation." To me, Meditation doesn't have that purpose.
Real Meditation is what is present as the expression of your own Being, as the very expression of your own Real Nature, your Divine Nature. So, Meditation, as I talk about, is something possible when the way is completely paved. It is necessary to pave the way for Real Meditation to express itself.
Meditation is your own Natural State. So, it's not a practice. It's not an exercise, something technical, mechanical you practice to get this result. So, Real Meditation is possible when the way is completely paved, so that It can flourish. So, Meditation is an art. It is the art of Being, of Being What You are.
The basis for this Meditation is self-observation. So, to observe yourself, to observe what goes on inside, to observe your reactions, to observe thoughts arising, feelings arising, emotions arising from thoughts, the reactions as memory responses, as thought's responses, the sensations... When all these are observed, in this self-observation – what some people have also called self-inquiry – we have the real basis for Meditation. Meditation as an art, as the art of Being.
So, Meditation is an art, the art of Being, of Being What You really are. That, which is really You, is disidentified, free. It is not contaminated by this sense of personhood, by this particular conditioned vision sense. It is not contaminated by psychological conditionings, by these belief patterns, by these patterns of internal disorder. Something so common in this confused state, which is the egoic state.
Therefore, Meditation is the end of confusion, but you don't go up to Meditation. Meditation is something that flourishes when this way is entirely paved.
Your Freedom isn't in controlling thoughts or in silencing them. Your Freedom lies in observing them, in becoming aware of them. Once you are aware of thoughts, they are no longer controlling you. Once you are aware of the entire movement of thoughts, thoughts vanish by themselves. They stop reinforcing a present identity.
See, it is in this reinforcement of that identity that lies the confusion. Because you are not aware of thought's movement, when it comes, it captures you. It's the same with feeling. It's the same with emotion. It's the same with a physical sensation. Whatever captures you, it ends up giving you a false identity.
So, your suffering lies on this false identity, something that takes place in the lack of self-observation. And without this self-observation, there is no Meditation.
So, notice: Meditation is an art! This way, the art of Meditation is simply Being! Being is to be free from this false identity, this false "me."
So, in Zen, for example, the expression is: "Meditation is Enlightenment." Then, notice: there is no distance between your Divine State, your Natural State – which is your Real State – and Meditation. So, it's not a practice. It's not an exercise.
So, are some meditation practices (so-called "meditation") comprehensible? Yes! Are they good? Yes! Psychologically, physically... but that's not what we're dealing with here.
When I point out Meditation, I'm talking about something that blossoms, something that awakens, that flourishes, based on this self-inquiry, based on this self-observation. Without this base, you don't have that real quality of Meditation, you don't have Real Meditation.
Then, Meditation is Being. It doesn't require time, place… You are driving the car; you are walking; you are eating; you are lying down, before sleep; you're lying down after you've finished sleeping, and there You are in your Being! This is Meditation! So, Meditation is something present in your Natural State.
Of course, for this to "evolve" to that point... and here the word "evolve" must be put between quotes, since it's not something you're going to develop to get there. I use this expression only in a didactic way so that you understand there is a whole process of self-observation internal discipline.
So, while you don't exercise this discipline of self-observation, of observing the internal movements of thoughts, to no longer be entangled with them, to no longer mistake yourself with them, nothing will happen. There will be no Real Meditation until then. So, there's a whole "process."
Be aware of yourself! Now, notice: becoming aware of yourself is something that, curiously, doesn't take time. Then, this word "process" isn't appropriate either, since that's something you do here and now. If you don't recognize this here and now, through this self-observation, there will be no Meditation, and this doesn't require time.
So, your job in this art of Being, which is Meditation, is to become aware of yourself, here and now, aware of everything that goes on. And as you become aware of that, there is a break, there is a disidentification, a disidentification with this false center, this character. It's when the Freedom of your Being, which is Silence, which is Peace, which is Truth, which is Love, reveals Itself.
This is your "union with the Divine". Actually, it's your Recognition of Being One, One with the Divine. There is only Him! So, we can call it Consciousness, Truth, God, Being, and we can also call it Meditation. So, Meditation is Being, and Being is Consciousness, and Consciousness is God, and That's Peace, That's Love.
In India, there is an expression for this. They call "Ananda", which means Happiness, Real Happiness.
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