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An Interior Decorator’s View Hello. I'm very new to this "walk on the path to spiritual
growth". I'm wondering, what will I feel while meditating? Should I
make any changes in my surroundings? Is it possible for me to be able to go
into myself, like meditate, very easily? I told you, I'm new to this, but
I'm eager to learn more. Please answer this for me: is it possible for me to
reach that meditative state almost right away? Hope to hear from you soon.
Always, Jerry
Dear Jerry,
Once you decide to sit...the practice will take care of itself.
The hard part is deciding to meditate, a little commitment, a little
discipline is all that is needed to begin. But that is too much for so many
of us busy people. To help create this new habit in our lives many people do
change something about their surroundings, but that is all it is
for...people build alters, arrange whole rooms…none of this is a condition
for meditating...just your personal preference. Meditation is a process…so
the beginning is different from what occurs later…just begin without any
preconceptions about what you’re supposed to feel or think…
In the beginning as you sit, observing you breathing, you’ll find
thoughts keep popping up in your head. As your mind struggles with the habit
of thinking…like an idle car with the engine still running, realize that
these thoughts are not the enemy of your meditation, but the opportunity to
exercise letting go…so gently let go each thought and return to your
practice. If the phone rings…again that’s not an interruption in
meditation, it is part of the meditation…answer the phone…go back to
your practice. Your body will also rebel …it‘s used to moving…an itch,
a twitch…just scratch it and let go…gently come back to your practice.
After several days…your body will create new habits of stillness...your
mind will do the same thing, don’t worry about the goal, or whether
you’re doing it right. Just do it and see what happens.
The fruits of mediation manifest in everyday life...the goal is to blend
your everyday consciousness with the meditative one. Eventually you will be
awake all the time. And this is not likely to occur quickly. You might,
however, achieve another altered state of consciousness quickly as a detour
of meditation. Our Western mind is trained for immediate gratification and
lots of bells and whistles. Let go of any preconceptions you might have
about specific goals for your practice.
Don't levitate, just sit and wait. You might also try reading "The
Accidental Buddhist."
The Dishwasher
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