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Now that I’ve constructed the metaphor of the mountain, I’m going to knock
it down with one sweep of my hand �?like a wave washing away a castle in
the sand. Yes, the journey of meditation requires steady effort and application
like a climb up a mountain. (For more on effort and discipline, see
Chapter 9.) But that metaphor hides some important paradoxes: |
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The summit doesn’t exist in some faraway place outside you; it exists
in the depths of your being �?some traditions say in the heart �?and
awaits your discovery. (See the sidebar “Discovering the treasure in
your own house,�?in this chapter.)
You can approach the summit in an instant; it doesn’t necessarily take
years of practice. While meditating, for example, when your mind settles
down and you experience a deep peace or tranquility, sense your interconnectedness
with all beings, or feel an upsurge of peace or love,
you’re tasting the sweet water of being right from the source inside you.
And these moments inform and nourish you in ways you can’t possibly
measure.
The mountain metaphor suggests a progressive, goal-oriented journey,
whereas, in fact, the point of meditation is to set aside all goals and
striving and just be. As the title of the bestseller by stress-reduction
expert Jon Kabat-Zinn puts it, “Wherever you go, there you are.�?Or as
Dorothy says in The Wizard of Oz, “There’s no place like home�?�?and
the truth is, like Dorothy, you’re always already there! |
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Of course, you’re not going to give up all your doing and striving instantaneously
and just be, even when you meditate. That’s something you work up
to slowly by practicing your meditation and gradually focusing and simplifying
until you’re doing less and less while you meditate �?and being more and
more. The following are a few of the stages you may pass through on the path
to just being: |
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Getting used to sitting still
Developing the ability to turn your attention inward
Struggling to focus your attention
Being distracted again and again
Becoming more focused
Feeling more relaxed as you meditate
Noticing fleeting moments when your mind settles down
Experiencing brief glimpses of stillness and peace |
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