Why do you need to practice meditation
? What is the purpose of meditation ?The
purpose of meditation is to have control of your mind. At the moment you are a slave of
your own mind, it directs you rather than you giving the orders. You do not have inner
peace due to the chattering that is going on in your head and you do not have the ability
to shut it off. Meditation is a training that will make you a master of your mind. It is a
gradual process and good results will come from patience and perseverance in practice.
There are no quick short-cut method to meditation.
What are the difficulties that one can encounter in the
practice of meditation ?
There are many obstacles to overcome in the practice of
meditation and these are usually cause by our ignorance.
Expectation of quick result. We want everything we do to
give instant result with immediate gratification. It is a result of modern living and
contributes to stress and mental illness and emotional pain.
Impatience. As above.
Knowledge base. Too much theory and not enough practice.
Many books on meditation are available, there are books that describe 101 different method
of meditation. If you think that it is value for money, you are very wrong. This type of
book only serve to create more confusion for a beginner to meditation.
Fear. Some people thinks that they will see ghosts and
spirits when they practice meditation. Some fear that they will go mad. This fear is very
common among locals and it is due to misconception and the influence of movies.
No time. Too tired to meditate, all their energies
expanded in materialistic pursue.
Environment not conducive for meditation. A common wrong
impression that we must go to a quiet place to practice meditation.
What mind-set should one have to practice meditation
?
Right expectation, right understanding, right effort and
right posture are important assets for the practice of meditation. These provide strong
foundation for the practitioner to progress.
