In our fast paced and hectic culture, we are often externally focused on the ways and means to achieve Joy and happiness by striving. This is not necessary ... Joy, happiness, and contentment are already within us, as a part of our Innate Nature. All that is required is for us to look within and find the Goodies: the Joy, Love, Bliss, and Peace that we essentially are. The Buddha said (I paraphrase): “Don’t believe me, check it out for yourself!�?He advised that we test everything he or anyone said with discriminating mind and intuitive spirit - our own internal processes of one kind or another. I agree ... don’t believe me, check these things out for yourself!
One of the traditional ways to “check these things out�?is by the practice of seated meditation. In this time honored practice, we merely assume a comfortable position and then internalize our attention. Essentially, we merely alertly rest in the internal Being nature. This can also be viewed as “witnessing in the Stillness.�?There is no need to strive to attain conscious awareness of That which we already are, so we merely alertly relax into our Bliss consciousness, which is always shining, shining - like the Sun.
Techniques are often used to focus the mind and to bring us to the stillest place in any given meditation session. When we reach a very still place of “resting in Beingness,�?we merely let go of the technique and enjoy the Stillness! Here are a couple techniques you can use to assist the process.
To perform a breath watching technique, merely get comfortable and then closely “witness�?or observe the breath, as it naturally flows in and out. Observe all parts of the breath, including the pauses that naturally occur between the in-breath and the out-breath. Focus the mind on this process of witnessing. When you reach a place of Still Beingness, let go of the technique and enjoy.
Another technique that may be used is to merely observe the visual field that appears when the eyes are closed. This can be characterized as often composed of shifting patterns of light and dark, or colored light with intermittent patterns. Once again, we merely observe this field with full concentration. If the mind drifts and you become involved in the thought process, merely bring the attention back to observing the visual field, when the drifting is noticed. Once again, when you reach a place of Stillness, release the technique and merely rest.
At first, meditation practice is often viewed as “difficult�?because of the intrusion of the thought processes from time to time. No problem! Don’t overly attempt to control the thought process, merely bring the attention back to the object of concentration (breath or field) in a detached and fluid way. Our eventual aim is to transcend thought and mind entirely, and merely rest in the inner Stillness, the very nature of which is Joy, Intelligence, Wholeness, and Oneness.
So dive down deep inside of yourself - look deep within the Stillness. In its All-embracing Love you might find a place of contentment, Joy, and Peace that is not dependent on any external circumstance. You might find yourself howling out the Eternal “Yes!�?to our wonderful world, in Radiant Joy.
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