| I was just about to give up on my life when I | | | | that the universe is free from any kind of |
| was introduced to Eastern spiritual practices. I had | | | | limitation whatsoever. This is the nature of genius |
| studied everything that our Western world had to | | | | and mysticism. |
| say about suffering and what to do about it. And | | | | Have you ever lost yourself for a moment? |
| the more I learned, the worse I felt. Out of | | | | Perhaps in your work, or playing with your kids, |
| desperation for a better way of life, I began a | | | | or watching an intense movie? That is like flashing |
| daily meditation practice. I studied and practiced a | | | | on emptiness. You are free of your normal sense |
| mindfulness practice called shamatha in which the | | | | of who you are. There is no boundary between |
| attention is placed on the breath in a restful yet | | | | you and everything outside of you. In Buddhism, |
| alert manner. This practice showed me very | | | | this is seen as the experience of Big Mind. It is a |
| clearly what the problem was: ME! There was so | | | | momentary flash on the infinite nature of reality |
| much chaos and distraction taking place in my | | | | from which we are inseparable. In mindfulness |
| mind on a momentary basis that it made sense | | | | practice, this flash of awakening is deliberately |
| as to why I never felt right. The 'me' that I had | | | | maintained; everything that arises in the mind is |
| come to know was indeed full of conflict, speed, | | | | simply a manifestation of universal energy. There |
| and ambivalence. My thoughts constantly raced | | | | is no 'I' in any thought or feeling. It is impersonal |
| and pulled me in a million different directions. It | | | | energy that arises and passes. When we taste |
| was frankly appalling to see how frenzied my | | | | this freedom from personalizing the constant |
| mind was. All of this mental chaos created a state | | | | arising of thought, it is like we can finally breathe |
| of emotional inertia that kept me confined to a | | | | and surrender to the beauty of life. |
| very narrow range of the the human emotional | | | | Regular meditation practice enables us to rest our |
| spectrum. Basically, I was so stuck in my head | | | | awareness in this state of undistracted, empty |
| that I had lost contact with reality. | | | | stillness. Interestingly, this does not necessarily |
| From a meditative perspective, everything in the | | | | mean that the mind is quiet and obedient. We can |
| universe is inherently empty. Our concepts and | | | | still be thinking and have a recognition of this |
| opinions are devoid of any inherent reality. We are | | | | peace and openness. Over time, the mind does |
| convinced that we are real only because of the | | | | stop for periods of time. There is just absolute |
| deluded nature of our own minds. We simply don't | | | | stillness. But as a beginner, the main point is to |
| see things as they are. We see through the filters | | | | keep your awareness one-pointed on the present |
| of our concepts and thoughts, which seem to be | | | | moment whether you are thinking or not. Don't |
| very convincing. If we buy into our mental | | | | try to stop your thoughts. Just stay focused on |
| projections of reality, we will suffer. Meditation is | | | | the moment and be still. |
| the practice of developing space around these | | | | As your mind begins to become more expansive |
| constant projections. With regular practice, we | | | | and present, your life will begin to open up in |
| become less and less convinced that we or | | | | unforeseen ways. Old habits, fears, and harmful |
| anything else is inherently real and solid. | | | | relationships will fade away. You will become |
| The irony here is that recognizing our own | | | | genuinely invested in the ways that you can be of |
| non-existence is the very basis of freedom, joy, | | | | service to others. Why? Because the inside and |
| and love. Our clunky, solid sense of self is what | | | | the outside are no longer seen as separate. |
| gets us in trouble. So, when I say that everything | | | | Instead of being preoccupied with this contracted |
| is empty, it may be tempting to see this as a | | | | version of 'I', the enormous energies of the |
| negative statement. But even that is empty. | | | | universe call you out to offer your best to |
| When we flash on non-existence or emptiness, | | | | alleviate the suffering of others. This is the |
| we see the ultimate potential in all things. Instead | | | | beginning of freedom. It is the beginning of living in |
| of being pinned down by our dualistic perceptions | | | | spirit. Mindfulness practice is one the the vehicles |
| of good/bad, happy/sad, like/dislike, etc., we see | | | | that can take you there. |