Why indeed, meditate? Humankind has engaged in this activity for more than 2000 years of recorded time, possibly longer. Ancient practices that persist into our own time through many cultures and even religions do so because the benefits can be transformative, medicinal or just plain relaxing.
People like myself who have a monkey mind, a mind that flits from one thought to another as quickly as a firefly dims its light only to blink again can learn to focus and eliminate agitation, thus quieting the monkey mind who can find no place to rest.
Ricard says everyone of us has a mind and every one of us can work on it. We needn’t set up a cozy place with fluffy pillows, soft blankets and props. We can just sit comfortably, relaxing our shoulders while keeping our spine straight “like a pile of gold coins,” in lotus or half lotus position, hands resting palms up, chin tucked, tongue comfortable against the soft palate, eyes open or half closed and directed downward. And then stay there, just like that for up to 20 minutes focusing the mind on one’s breath or some insight.
Committing to such a practice on a daily basis, he says, not only benefits the person meditating but also the greater community of humankind. When we love ourselves and accept ourselves from a quieter gentler state of being, we are able to project that compassion and gentleness into the world at large. When we meditate we are not retreating to a remote place alone with our ego, we are expanding and shifting and opening to new possibilities, new ways of seeing ourselves and the world.
You will benefit from my clearer, more focused mind and we will engage in more compassionate, baggage free relationships by just dedicating a few moments a day to our well being. Sounds nice, doesn’t it? Of course, Ricard has a lot more to say about how and why to meditate but he has vowed to keep it simple and has added a dvd at the end of the book to facilitate our practice.
He offers suggestions on meditative subjects like “the antidote of love and compassion” and then gives short pithy statements from well known meditators to inspire that particular subject like D. K. Rinpoche who says “instead of hating so called enemies, the real target of your hatred should be hatred itself.”
This book can be read in about an hour. The benefits of meditation can last a lifetime.
Why Meditate? Working with Thoughts and Emotions by Matthieu Ricard (Hay House Books, 2010)
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