TEN Differentiates – What Meditation Is and What Meditation is NOT

1.

What meditation Is

Being here and now continuously and consistently

What meditation is NOT

Jumping into future or moving into past during the act of mediation

2.

What meditation Is 

Relaxing – without any effort and at will.

What meditation is NOT

Managing to relax but only for a brief while. Inconsistent ability to relax.  Doing something to relax, struggling and striving to be calm composed and centered. These may represent preparatory process of mediation. 

3.

What meditation Is

Continuous flow of energy into one object (where attention is focused in the moment) with zero dissipation to surrounding

What meditation is NOT

Struggle to focus, performing various techniques of concentration, awareness etc.  With concentration, the practice is in continued focus on one object. In awareness techniques, practice is in being a witness principle. Both of these methods are aids to cleanse or quieten the mind and make it capable of meditation. They are meditation preparatory process but not meditation itself.

4.

What meditation Is

Non—interference of the Mind

What meditation is NOT

Analysis by the mind, continued chattering and commentary of the mind interpreting every happening outside or every image/thought within

5.

What meditation Is

Complete sense of the being or consciousness, the highest level of awareness. A silence of mind and perfect sense of harmony or peace. Unexplainable, indescribable

What meditation is NOT

Sitting still without moving, eyes closed, while senses are continuously focused either towards pain or the bodily difficulty in maintaining the position or watching a mental image or listening to the commentary produced by own mind calculated to make one feel good for some time.

6.

What meditation Is

Peace that is unshakable throughout the day consistently. Feels love, or compassion even for the disturbing agents in one’s life.

What meditation is NOT

Temporary peace gained during a deemed meditation period by temporary suppression of all disturbing agents for a small time-frame. This false peace gets exposed after meditation period is complete when one finds the sense of peace within getting quickly replaced with irritation, anger or frustration due to any major or minor disturbances from external surrounding. You may choose to display it or not display it outside yet the disturbance inside is telling!

7.

What meditation Is

The meditation process is about cleansing of the tendencies, the impressions on the consciousness – the root of all desires that make us powerless against the various desires that overcome us.

It is also the total acceptance of one’s hard tendencies, blemishes, and the continued practice in washing them again and again with compassion, love and tenderness till it is completely eradicated.

What meditation is NOT

Meditation preparatory process may start with mild suppression of certain minor tendencies in the name of discipline, yet it is not about forceful suppression of the stronger desires or tendencies. 

Suppression of hard tendencies (eg: anger, lust) in the name of meditation only causes karma to act and results in us being overcome with desire later if not soon. It needs first to be exposed as existing in oneself and then it should be followed up with gentle acceptance. Regular practice and FOCUSING MORE on ACTS OF GOODNESS and continued gentle acceptance of failure every-time hard tendencies surface , are sure ways to reduce or annihilate these hard tendencies.

8.

What meditation Is

Meditation is a jump into the dark, unknown, unconscious, becoming fearless by the ceasing of all mental/logical talks from within.

The state of absorptive meditation only results from grace of a higher being or higher power.

What meditation is NOT

Meditation is not about choosing the logical rational path, but about willingly surrendering to the unknown without expectations. As long as one is fearful and concerned with security, the jump into unknown is an obstacle that needs to be overcome. 

Meditation process may begin as a calculated practice, but the state of meditation is never a calculated activity. All calculated practices can only usher cleansing or reduced tendencies. The JUMP can happen only with surrender. 

9.

What meditation Is

Meditation is the possessing of poise or equanimity towards both happiness and suffering.

Pain or suffering does not cease due to meditation, it just refuses to sway or shake a true meditator from his sense of peace or tranquility. True meditation brings in a natural sense of detachment from pleasures as well (ability to let go – stop clinging to stories of past success, glory etc.).

What meditation is NOT

Meditation does not refer to the acquiring of supernatural powers and extraordinary capabilities. Few may chance upon them on the path towards unknown yet getting attached to them due to it’s ability to bring mass adulation becomes an obstacle and brings stop to further progress. 

10.

What meditation Is

Meditation process is about increasing awareness towards internal sensory organs (antahkarana). Practices like different forms of yoga (Raja yog, Nyan yog, bhakti yog, karma yog) are meant to be aids in arriving upon this meditative stage where one is more attuned to working of the internal sense organs (Ahamkar, manas, chitta and buddhi) . As light continues to fall increasingly on the internal sense organs, changes begin and true meditation or silencing of mind becomes a possibility

What meditation is NOT

Focusing only on either 1. physical aspect or 2. ritualistic aspect of different forms of yoga that can be easily displayed to the world does not lead to meditative stage instead it hinders progress.

Physical aspects examples: managing complicated postures, sitting still for hours (even when internally one is aware only of body signals of pain)

Ritualistic Aspects example: Knowledge and ability to quote scriptures, chanting of complex mantras etc.

Individual progress may or may not be visible to others till a certain threshold is crossed. Till that time, every moment or time spent on meditation may seem like a waste of time. Mental urges for validation from outside world is a hindrance to meditation.

11.

What meditation Is

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What meditation is NOT

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Maybe, you can add your thoughts or concepts on this!