How do We Benefit from The Practice of Meditation?

Too many times, the idea of enlightenment, achieving
it and understanding what it means and consists of is
something that is not comprehendible.

Many will not believe that such a thing can be
achieved or that any effort involved in such a
practice that promises to brig them to such a state is
a waste of time.

Some Christian practitioners have even stated that the
problems that we have should be placed in the hands of
Jesus and God and that by practicing meditation we are
not doing that, thereby being sinful or disrespectful
to the teachings of Jesus and God.

Such an idea to meditation and its practice seems
quite nonsensical as the same approach would then have
to be applied to activities like watching television,
eating pizza or going to the amusement park for the
weekend.

To meditate does not mean to sin, or go against any
religious teaching or teacher or to engage in
something that is evil, boring, or dangerous.

What the practice of meditation can do is provide us
with an opportunity and a way to get more focused, be
more relaxed and have and experience greater energy
and mindfulness in our being in living.

Many times, our mind and consciousness is in a state
of constant restlessness and agitation.

We rush from this to that and get attached, worried,
obsessed and angry about things that are not worth
such a way of being.

We may think about something or someone too much out
of habit instead of being able to redirect our mental
energy out of mindfulness and wisdom.

We may be overwhelmed by feelings that are unskillful
and troubling which are more a result of unwholesome
conditioning and our own ignorance then whether we are
Christians or not, American so not, rich or not, or
educated or not.

If we can establish the habit of practicing meditation
each morning before breakfast, we will experience a
greater focus and mindfulness in whatever we do
subsequently throughout the day.

It is easy to see that whether we go to work or go to
play, or just stay at home and do some reading and
housework, we will be able to do it better.

In addition, the effort used to sit in the posture
that we practice meditation in will be something that
makes us mentally and physically healthier, as it will
bring flexibility to the ankles, knees and hips, make
us more mindful about our posture and make our
breathing smoother ad more efficient.

These things, in addition to the mental states that we
become mindful about, weaken and strengthen through
our practice will make us understand that we benefit
from practicing meditation each day, and seeing how we
feel on these days that we meditate, as compared to
the days that we do not, will further strengthen our
resolve to make meditation practice a daily habit.

©2004 John C. Kimbrough

(John lives and teaches in Bangkok, Thailand. He can
be reached at johnckimbrough@yahoo.com)