Meditation

By Ubasika Edna Lake

The important thing for a person who is interested in meditation is actually to do it. Thinking about what to expect, or trying to understand how it will work, is not really useful.

However, a beginner does need help and support and it is good to try out several “exercises.” These are not like physical exercises, but are ways of using the mind in order to discover how it works. What are the habitual paths it takes in your own, individual mind. These so-called exercises are meant to help you to come to an understanding of the nature of existence by investigating what you find in your own mind and body, and in the external world as you experience it.

When we start to meditate, there are some things we should keep in mind. We are not trying to make the mind blank. First of all, this is impossible and in any case, what could we learn from blankness? On the other hand, we do not want to let the mind roam freely, it is not a time for day dreaming. Neither do we want to use this time to focus on any problems we may have, nor to indulge in reflecting on past or future events.

In order to give the mind some kind of regulation, without being repressive or cramping, we take a meditation object which is not inherently interesting, and not likely to arouse strong emotion. The most commonly used meditation object is called “mindfulness of breathing.” There are several things to think about here; we do not have much control of the breathing process. It goes on all the time whether we like it or not. For the most part we take it for granted, but we cannot live without breathing. For the purpose of meditation, we do not think about how or why we breathe, but we try to notice what is actually happening in the body at every moment. As we breathe in the abdomen rises, as we breathe out, it falls. So we try to focus the mind on this movement, without trying to control it. we will notice that when the mind is calm, the movement is slow, but as soon as a thought enters the mind the movement quickens.

So this is what we are asked to do. Simply to sit in a stable position, with the back upright and the eyes closed, and we direct our attention to the rising and falling of the abdomen. “How boring is that? you may ask. It may be very boring, but if so we do not try to distract, or amuse the mind, we simply recognise boredom has arisen, and repeat the word “boredom”, silently, three times and then return to the rising and falling. By this means the boredom is seen merely as a temporary phenomenon, and not as an attack upon the self.

It may be that we become distracted by our thoughts. In this case we do not pursue the thoughts, but recognise that thinking is taking place, by silently repeating the word “thinking” until we are able to return to concentrating on the breathing movement. Whatever happens is observed in this detached way, we recognise the event, but do not react to it. If we hear a noise, we do not regard it as a problem or a distraction. We simply note that hearing has taken place. We may experience anger, distress, disappointment, impatience, or any pleasant or unpleasant feelings. These, too, are accepted as temporary disturbances of concentration, and are acknowledged in the same way.

Of course, it is not easy to take this detached attitude because we usually have the feeling that things are happening to me, and if they are things I do not like, I feel annoyed. If they are things I do like I want them to stay or continue, but everything changes and comes to an end. Just as the breath goes in and out, without stopping, so also, we find, do thoughts go in and out of the mind, all the time. We find, with practice, that the less we cling to the idea of “me” and “mind” the less anger and hatred we feel, therefore the less suffering we have, because we are bound to discover, for ourselves, that clinging to what is impermanent brings unhappiness. You may ask, “What is the point of this meditation?” The only way to find that out is to practise for yourself.