| After becoming compassionate and thankful to | | | | matter. The truth is that no matter how |
| the universe for all that it has given to you (being | | | | important, affluent and successful we are or how |
| the first and second contemplation exercises), | | | | ordinary, failure or simple we are, we all will be |
| come to the third step. This third step is unique | | | | forgotten by generations to come. But don't take |
| and very helpful. It is like this: | | | | it as a bad thing. After all we ourselves have |
| Just remind yourself that you are an ordinary, | | | | forgotten all man of past. Except a few rare |
| simple person. | | | | great personalities like Lincoln, Gandhi & |
| It may sounds strange. But it is not. I am using | | | | Jefferson etc how many men or women of 17th |
| the word 'remind yourself'. | | | | or 18th century are in our memories ? They all |
| You may say :- Hey! I am not an ordinary and | | | | have been buried in the past. And sooner or later, |
| simple person. I am so talented, so intelligent that | | | | one day we'll also be forgotten by future |
| only yesterday Boss gave me an appreciation | | | | generation. Yes there will be some exceptions. |
| letter recommending my out of turn promotion. | | | | Some great men and woman among us. But tell |
| Only because of my idea and original planning, my | | | | me honestly, how many greats of past are |
| company could execute that different project in | | | | remembered by us ? We remember them |
| time. How I can be an ordinary person. I have | | | | whenever there is a need to take some |
| been a consistent topper in my academic years. | | | | inspiration from past. We remember them on |
| Well, there may be many ordinary and simple | | | | their birthday or on their martyr day. But all in all, |
| person but I am certainly not one of them. I am | | | | our 'present day' life is full of its own quota of |
| so intelligent, so beautiful and handsome, so rich | | | | 'day to day' problems that most of us will spend |
| !How can I call myself simple and ordinary when I | | | | our life in solving them. |
| am not. | | | | Remember the immortal saying of Professor |
| If you are experiencing the same feelings as | | | | William James - " The keenest desire of human |
| above or similar to that then let me tell you a | | | | being is the desire of becoming important" |
| truth: | | | | Everybody wants importance. So don't expect |
| " THERE IS NO PLACE FOR EGO IN | | | | that you will be considered a VIP forever. There |
| MEDITATION." | | | | were VIP in the past. There are VIPs in present |
| Meditation, rather, will melt your ego and make | | | | (you may be one of them) and there will be VIPs |
| you a down to earth person. | | | | in future. And this'll go on and on. |
| Yes ! you are important There are many | | | | Actually our existence is just like an ocean. You |
| achievements, many great qualities, many awards | | | | are a wave of the ocean. You may be the most |
| and success stories which can be attributed to | | | | powerful, most thunderous, most beautiful and |
| you. | | | | most inspiring wave of this ocean. But in the |
| But tell me - does they really matters ? | | | | ultimate analysis you are just a wave. And the |
| One of the most important quality in the world is | | | | destiny of a wave is to merge again into the |
| to become truly simple and down to earth | | | | ocean. One day your little wave will also merge in |
| without pretending. | | | | the ocean of existence. Contemplate on this and |
| Our life on earth is limited. There was a time | | | | understand the reality. We all are simple and |
| when you were not there. Then you came in this | | | | ordinary in front of this huge cosmic play that is |
| world. And you are here, living life to its fullest, | | | | going on. |
| facing and solving its problems. And a day will | | | | The socialism is disappearing fast. After USSR, |
| come when you will no longer remain on earth. | | | | China has also started adopting the capitalist way. |
| Death will end your small journey of life. In | | | | It might happen that one day there will be no |
| between these two days of birth and death there | | | | country left professing socialism. But the greatest |
| is a life which you have to live. Just think ! How | | | | socialist phenomenon will remain in this world and |
| many people will remember you after your death. | | | | will continue making everyone equal. Do you know |
| Rest aside your death, if you are working, how | | | | what is it ? It is ... Death. |
| many people will remember you after your | | | | Death does not discriminate between poor or rich, |
| retirement. Very few ! and if they do, they'll do it | | | | healthy or ill, king or pauper. It makes everybody |
| only for a few days ! | | | | equal. All who have died are equal. Contemplate on |
| Life is just like that. Tell me for how many times | | | | this stark reality. Understand the ephemeral |
| you remember those colleagues who have long | | | | character of life.. and remind your self that you |
| retired. I can bet, seldom or never we remember | | | | are a simple and ordinary person. |
| them. It is not that we do not like them or | | | | Let me summarize all that I have described - |
| respect the good work they did in their time; the | | | | Before doing meditation, sit quietly in a |
| thing is that every day comes with new sets of | | | | comfortable position in a silent places. Then do |
| problems. We all spend our day in solving these | | | | these three contemplative acts: |
| newer sets of problems that we have no time to | | | | (1) Be loving to all - Spread thoughts of good will |
| remember those who have worked with us in the | | | | to each and everybody in this universe. Remove |
| past. It may sound bitter but the same thing will | | | | all kind of animosity and hatred from your heart. |
| happen in your case too. You may be a brilliant | | | | (2) Be thankful for all that you have gotten - Say |
| and outstanding person. You may have the | | | | thanks to God for all the good things he has given |
| uncanny ability of solving the problems in the blink | | | | you. If you are an atheist, be thankful to the |
| of an eye. You may be the most successful and | | | | universe. Almost 95% things in our life are alright. |
| intelligent person in your entire country. | | | | Forget about the rest 5%. |
| However, remember this : | | | | (3) Remind yourself the ephemeral character of |
| At present you are facing and solving 'a particular | | | | life - Life is small. We are just like a wave of |
| set of problems' that have arisen in a 'particular | | | | ocean that will merge again into ocean. |
| period of time'. | | | | Doing this three emotional contemplation will |
| In future in 'an another set of time', a 'very | | | | immensely help you in meditation. They will have a |
| different set of problems' will arise and there will | | | | very cleansing effect on your internal being. You |
| be people who'll solve them. Only when a difficult | | | | will be able to achieve meditative state very |
| problem having a precedent in the past will pop | | | | quickly. You will experience a deep mental peace. |
| up, then somebody will remember you and say " | | | | Though these 3 things are not meditation, they |
| hey this is similar to the one that Johnny had | | | | make the meditator highly receptive to all positive |
| solved 5/10/x years ago !" | | | | gain he/she will draw in meditation. I strongly |
| Why I am telling you all this. I just want to | | | | recommend you to do these contemplative acts |
| familiarize you with the ephemeral character of | | | | before meditation . |
| life. In the ultimate analysis nothing is going to | | | | |