Meditation for Thursday 19th May 2022
Most of us go through stages during our meditation journey where we doubt and speculate on things. When this occurs we often spend a considerable proportion of our meditation time ill at ease. Many times I have asked myself the question, why does this happen? Wise teachers tell me it’s brought about by impatience. I want to know answers and I’m looking for insight and I want it now! No matter how experienced we are as meditators this impatience arises time and time again.
The good news is that working our way through this impatience strengthens our practice so that when agitation occurs we are able to manage it successfully.
Like a broken record I repeat, don’t get caught into desiring quick results because that can lead to disappointment and frustration when the insights are slow in coming.
Some meditators only want to have pleasant experiences from meditation. While this in itself is not unreasonable as all of us are hoping for serenity and calm to come from our practice it is not the whole story. When we think this way it is a sign that we are impatient and not willing to allow the experience of agitation and suffering. Like Yin and Yang, a concept that describes how obviously opposite or contrary forces may actually be complimentary, we grow as meditators when we experience the whole raft of human emotions including doubt.
While I hope these reflections help and gathering together as a Thursday night community is useful ultimately we have to contemplate the teachings we receive in light of our own practice, our own routine.
As we persevere in our practice the doubts will shrivel up and die but occasionally they will be resurrected. Each time we become stronger and our insight helps us to understand the value of doubt.
With our back straight, eyes subdued and our hands in a comfortable non-clasping position let us at the sound of the gong begin to concentrate on the breath, our source of life.
MEDITATION
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There are a number of programs run by the Carmelite Centre that might be of interest,
Go to www.thecarmelitecentremelbourne.org