The association that gets tied to a word can take on more significance than the actual meaning of the word. The word "meditation" is a prime example. Many people hear the word "meditation" and think of a person with dreadlocks sitting in some sort of trance. Fortunately, society is coming to realize that this connotation is far from the truth. These days, people who meditate are high performing executives, athletes, students, etc.
There are many forms of meditation. But the kind of meditation I am talking about here is a normal state of consciousness that all people enter into, at least briefly, several times a day. For example, there's a brief moment before we go to sleep when we naturally slip into the meditative state.
Just as sleep is a normal state of consciousness, so too is the meditative state. There is a technique we apply when we go to sleep. We get under the covers, shut out the lights, put our head on the pillow, and close our eyes. Through that technique, sleep comes naturally, and we gain a certain level of rest which releases stresses and strains from the physiology. As a result, we start the day refreshed and energized.
The technique of meditation is simply a systematic way of entering into the meditative state whenever we wish. To experience meditation is to realize the profoundly unique level of rest the meditative state provides. As a result, all aspects of life benefit. We become better business people, students, athletes, and more balanced individuals emotionally, socially, and on all levels of life.
Meditation is like watering the root of a plant. All aspects of the plant benefit: the leaves, the branches, the trunk, the blossoms, and the fruit. When we meditate, we water the root of our physiology, which brings health and wellbeing to all aspects of us and our lives. Without meditation, we attend to each leaf separately, painting each leaf green to try to make it healthy. Without meditation, we may study hard in school, but just not have the mental freshness and clarity to do well. In our dealings with others, we may not have enough energy to give the relationship sufficient attention. The health benefits meditation affords are far reaching simply because the physiology is provided with the rest required for deep rejuvenation and radiant, good health. I believe the time is coming when people will realize the importance of meditating regularly.
These days many people, including those in successful professions, experience an identity crisis in one form or another. They might feel they are unsuccessful or they might have reached their goals only to ask themselves why they are not happy. Identity crises among young adults are epidemic. These identity crises are because people define themselves and their self-worth in terms of their outer life. The stability of their own inner nature has, by and large, been neglected. People rely on their surface accomplishments to define their self-worth. Certainly, we can be proud and invested in our accomplishments, but it is unhealthy for our sense of self to be dependent upon them.
Through meditation, we rest into the depth of who we are. From that, we develop a healthy sense of self-worth and inner satisfaction with whom and what it is we are. From that foundation, we have a solid base to attain our goals and deal with the inevitable ups and downs that we face in life. Real self-esteem is a physiological state that must be experienced to be known and believed. Meditation is by far the most powerful tool to attain that.
There are many forms of meditation. Some attempt to teach a person to concentrate. Others may teach a person to keep their awareness fixed on the present moment. Such meditations have their value, but those abilities are actually rooted in something deeper. What we're talking about is the Surya Ram Meditation, a meditation that nurtures all aspects of life. It cultivates the natural ability to concentrate and focus. Resting into this natural, meditative state on a regular basis provides the seed for a healthy, fruitful, and fulfilling life.