In our fast-paced and often chaotic modern world, the concept of meditation has gained significant popularity as a means to find inner peace and tranquility. However, amidst the various interpretations and presentations of meditation, a fundamental misconception has arisen. Nowadays, meditation is often perceived as the state of having an empty mind, free of thoughts and emotions. While quieting the mind is undoubtedly an important aspect of meditation, the true essence of this ancient practice lies in something far more profound - Universal Love.
The idea of thoughtlessness or nothingness in meditation can be misleading and discouraging for many, as achieving a completely thought-free mind can be an arduous task, if not impossible. The mind is inherently active, and thoughts naturally arise. Attempting to suppress or eliminate them entirely can lead to frustration and a sense of failure. But, meditation is not about eliminating thoughts; it's not about emptying the mind. It is about filling up the mind with something that we can only find deep within ourselves.
The essence of real meditation lies in filling the mind with Universal Love. Love, the most potent force in the universe, is the driving power that maintains the harmony of celestial bodies, the cohesion of atoms, and the vitality of human existence. Yet, love is often misconstrued as limited to the affection we feel for other physical beings or material possessions. True meditation reveals that love encompasses much more.
Infinite love transcends the boundaries of the physical and embraces the spiritual. It is the love that connects us to the boundless Consciousness that permeates all existence, a love that springs from the very essence of our being. When we tap into this source of infinite love, we connect with something far greater than ourselves, something that unifies all life and empowers us with a profound sense of unity and oneness with the universe.
Meditation is also not the elimination of all emotion, to be flat, some may say undisturbed. In fact, sometime ago I conducted a meditation session with a small group of people who came to our center for a weekend. They rented our facilities but invited me for a 1-hour practical workshop about meditation. I explained about mantra meditation and invited them to chant our universal mantra with me while I played the guitar. We alternated moments of chanting with moments of silent meditation with the mantra. At the end I asked them to share their experience. One person said that she had a very strong emotional experience and that surprised her because she thought that in meditation one should remove all emotions. Then others also expressed that they had also experiences that touched them deeply. I explained that real meditation should lead to the deepest and most profound experiences a human being can have and what they felt was just a glimpse of what can come with the regular practice. Then I decided to write an article about it. I wanted to tell that meditation is not about nothingness nor thoughtlessness. It is about fullfilment and realization. Even Buddha, as I understand, searched for Nirvana, not for an empty mind. Maybe we think today that Nirvana is an empty mind but for me it is a full mind.
The journey to accessing this reservoir of love within us begins with practice. We need to learn the technique of meditation, the mantra that can awake Universal Love. In the external world we must first cultivate compassion for others and acceptance for ourselves. But the most important thing is to practice twice daily the meditation system.
We see here a two-fold approach. One part is to practice meditation individually twice a day for some minutes which could start with as little as 5 or 10 minutes. The other part is
acknowledging our imperfections, embracing our humanity with kindness and understanding, and applying some principles in our relationship with ourselves and our relationship with others.
As we establish a foundation of self-love, we can extend this love outward to others and the world around us. This interconnectedness is at the core of Universal Love – recognizing that we are all part of the same fabric of existence, and that love knows no boundaries or divisions.
Meditation acts as a bridge that allows us to access this universal source of love. The regular practice let’s us connect stronger with the inner source.
Don’t expect your meditation practices to be just moments of inner peace and bliss. There are obstacles within our mind that cover or seal away that inner source from the surfaces of our mind. A meditation session may as well be the moment you are struggling to remove those obstacles and to remove them you will be engaging with them. Therefore, don’t ever feel unmotivated because your meditation was a struggle with your mind. That struggle means there was progress.
Make an analogy with physical exercises. If you want to be physically in shape, you may go to the gymn to exercise. That gymn session will be a struggle for your body. You will sweat, your muscles will get sore, your body will be challenged but the result, in the long run, is that you will be in good physical shape.
Meditation is like mentally going to the gymn. Your mind will be challenged, it may think even more, your might find difficult even to repeat the mantra just a few times. But in the long run you will notice that your mind is better. And it will be better in ways that you were not expecting. Much of the literature about meditation creates misunderstood expectations around the practice. But you will only understand what really happens if you do not limit your mind with your expectations.
At the same time, don’t consciously concentrate on observing the thoughts and emotions that arise within you. Even trying to observe them without attachment is actually putting your mind in that direction. Your effort should be to concentrate on the mantra that can open ourselves up to the vastness of Universal Love that resides within.
Practicing meditation with the intention of filling our minds with Universal Love can have profound effects on our lives. As we connect with this boundless love, our relationships become richer, our actions more compassionate, and our perspective more expansive. We begin to see beyond the surface-level differences that separate us and embrace the inherent unity that binds all living beings.
Furthermore, meditating on Universal Love can lead to an increased sense of gratitude and contentment. Instead of constantly seeking external validation or material possessions to find fulfillment, we discover that the true source of lasting happiness lies within us – in the infinite wellspring of love that connects us to everything around us.
In conclusion, the modern portrayal of meditation as thoughtlessness or emptying the mind fails to capture the true essence of this ancient practice. Real meditation is about filling the mind with Universal Love, a love that goes beyond limited affection for physical beings or possessions. By connecting with the infinite Consciousness within us and all things, we unveil the power of love to transform our lives and the world. So, let us embrace meditation as a means to open our hearts and minds to the boundless love that flows through the universe, uniting us all in a tapestry of oneness. And let us embrace this practice of meditation is what can give us the inspiration and capacity to transform the world within us and outside us.
