Thomas Leigh Diary

How I meditate #1: what meditation is and what it can bring into Your life?

What meditation is?

Before I give You some examples of how meditation can benefit You - let Me explain what meditation is - because it's not so obvious.

I could describe it as a state in which You use deeper relaxation as a background to help You in focusing Your attention in a specific, intended way. During the meditation You are focusing on some particular thing: most often on just being (or in other words: being aware of Yourself).

What does it mean: to be aware of Yourself? You can simplify this question to the form when it goes: who are You? But be careful: this time it is not about labels (engineer, teacher, teenager, man or woman, and so on) - it's about feelings. What is it like to feel Yourself? What is it like to be You, without labels? What remains?

While meditation You leave Your labels for a while and discover that answer. You are trying to reveal it. What does it mean, "to be Me"...? What does it mean... what is it like... who am I...? Who am I - when I leave all the labels...? What remains...?

These are key questions and crucial basis for You to be more grounded in so called "being". You don't need to answer it verbally, what is important are feelings: what You feel during this thought process.

An interesting thing is when You ask Yourself what do You feel right now - You need to focus Your attention in that direction ("inside You"), You might call it that You need to listen to Yourself - and You are right. While You live on a daily basis, managing various day-to-day activities, at some level You may be not aware. Especially habits can turn Your attention into "sleep mode", or "autopilot mode". Or just being busy. And when You live that way, You may not have so many opportunities to listen to Yourself.

But why You would need to listen to Yourself? The answer to this question will come to You as a result of meditation practice - I don't give it to You now, in order for You to have a surprise :) . Because it may be very surprising when You discover what has been hidden in You, so to speak, which couldn't be visible earlier. While meditating, You are free of distractions (various activities and thoughts) so You will be able to reach Yourself in a completely new way. And to discover Yourself again, as a new land - with all the curiosity.

The benefits

If I would be asked to explain what profits one can gain from meditation, I would mention as follows:

Inner Peace.

This quality began to mean much more for Me over the course of time. For example I've realized that being more rooted at the Inner Peace I can perceive things much more deeper. I can also appreciate their presence in My life more than before. The Inner Peace allows Me to see My Own creation - and Myself - in a new perspective: with freshness and vitality.

I often visualize the Inner Peace as a large, spacious, empty cathedral. Full of echoes, full of unique acoustics - it is also full of peace: when all is focused on one specific consciousness of Mine.

Besides the Inner Peace improves Your ability to concentrate and clarity of Your expressions/communications with others.

Concentration & clarity.

As I wrote before - those You can gather staying as long as possible at the Inner Peace. It is like charging, so to speak - and when You leave "the cathedral", You feel different, You feel changed. But the meditation alone can improve Your concentration and clarity - because what You are really doing while meditating is focusing Your attention on the particular "thread" - so called concentration :) . This is the very basic skill required and necessary to meditate. But have no doubt: whatever level of concentration You have now - You can improve it by meditation practice (performing the same practice in a repeatable fashion You should quickly realize that You can concentrate more and more).

Getting a balance.

Imagine Your life as the ocean. Imagine emotions You experience in this life - as waves. And then realize that You need - at least from time to time - to rest, to allow water to have a completely smooth surface. This is what You get by meditation: regardless of how many waves You experience - when You meditate, the surface of Your life is getting smoother and smoother. There is no wind, there is no sound, there is no movement - just stillness and You, filled with it, recharging and breathing deeply.

With that balance You can face Your life experience again - refreshed and renewed. Without tiredness and busyness You can handle much more and - on the other side - You can manage anything much more effectively, because You do it with a new power, like being newborn - without stress, without fear, without any emotion which could disturb You. You can be literally a new man every time You get "the Inner Peace shower" :) .

More health.

In My opinion relaxation is always good for Your body. And the relaxation which You use with meditation is even deeper than a standard one - so it can be even more helpful for Your body. It is known that the body can regenerate itself quite well while You sleep, especially sleep deeply. Deep relaxation which You can use while meditation is close to the sleep state. It may be even similar, if You want to / prefer to. For example, I used to use some deeper level of relaxation, but only recently I like to use even deeper form of it, when My physical body is in fact asleep. But it is a curiosity and may be difficult in the beginning - when You need rather to learn how to stay awake while relaxation than have that deep state.

So because of relaxation meditation can make Your body healthier, can help to regenerate it, refresh it, recharge it. I believe the more often You practice the more effects You gain in that matter. I personally like to know that I do something good to My body every time I meditate.

Make a connection with Your Higher Self.

One time I described it as follows: imagine You have a very close, old Friend. He (or She) is very important for You, and always could give You priceless advice whenever You talked with each other. But now You are finding Yourself in a very crowded place: there is much noise around You, much movement, and much happens. Although Your Friend is still nearby, You can't see and hear Him/Her because of the crowd. It's almost like He/She doesn't exist any more - and You are alone. But You still care about Your relationship so You want to find Your Friend in order to be in touch with Him/Her again. At some point You can feel His/Her presence, maybe You can see His/Her figure but You still can't hear - although You can see He/She is talking to You. And eventually You can hear it. What a relief :) !

This was a metaphoric description what could happen while meditation in the long run. You can discover a part of Yourself You weren't aware of before. Some people call it "the Higher Self" - in My metaphor I called it "Your Friend", a very close friend - with whom You lost connection. But meditation can open the door for You - the door leading to "Your Friend" and the situation in which You can hear Him/Her again, You can experience Your relationship again - and it can benefit You a lot (remember priceless advise and the feeling not being alone :) ?). In other words when You meditate - You leave the crowd, so it is quiet, calm and serene again. And Your Friend's figure - is clear again, and perfectly hearable. So You can again enjoy and appreciate that very much. And as a result You can feel better in life - having a personal guidance.

Possible OoBE experience.

Although it is not a goal of meditation, it can be its side effect, so to speak - because the deeper relaxation combined with concentration can trigger the OoBE experience. It is a set of feelings which resembles being out of Your body, floating, being weightless, observing Yourself from the outside, and so on. Not anyone is interested in those sensations - but without Your intention of deepening and exploring it, it shouldn't evolve. Just be aware this is one more interesting thing which can happen during the practice. And if You are not interested in the OoBE - just ignore it and keep meditating in Your way.