Meditation is a normal and natural state of being. It is not forced or contrived; it simply happens spontaneously if we can quieten our mind. Meditation wells from within like a fountain of light and wellbeing, bringing all our good qualities to the fore, and is an indispensable tool if we wish to navigate the challenges of life with a positive outlook. It is the road to our satisfaction and happiness, the key to our hopes and aspirations and is truly the birthright of each and every human being.
“When we meditate, what we actually do is enter into the deeper part of our being. At that time, we are able to bring to the fore the wealth that we have deep within us.”
—Sri Chinmoy
What are the benefits of Meditation?
Meditation is truly the most beautiful art. Its benefits are infinite.
At first, we notice subtle changes; perhaps a feeling of relaxation or relief or a gentle happiness that stays with us for a short while after our practice. Our outlook on life grows increasingly positive and we unburden ourselves of many of the stresses of the mind. In turn, these changes begin to manifest in our physical being; we sleep more deeply and wake up feeling revitalized and rejuvenated; our posture improves as we diminish our inclination to slouch in response to challenging circumstances or slump in moments of dejection or lethargy.
As our practice becomes more regular feelings of peace and love become more tangible realities that we gradually carry with us into our multifarious activities. Our heightened awareness draws us into each moment and helps us to connect with the very essence of whichever activity we may be engaged in.
Slowly but most surely our life finds a natural rhythm, a rhythm that is connected to the world around us, drawing inspiration from all that we understand to be good and wholesome whilst simultaneously protecting us from influences which are detrimental. As our awareness becomes stronger and increasingly present, unwholesome habits simply drop from our existence.
As time goes by, others start to see the beauty of our practice manifested in our lives, in our smiles and humble deeds, in our dynamic enthusiasm and peaceful disposition. We come to realise that our inner world exists independently of our outer circumstances, and that no other human being can ever rob us of our peace of mind.
We learn to love those around us, irrespective of how they feel towards us. We take delight in the simplest of deeds, their beauty increasingly perceivable in the absence of chattering thoughts. Our awareness deepens and our meditations begin to explore the oceans of consciousness that exist beyond the realms of thought. We begin to feel the realities of Eternity and Infinity within our very being. We experience love, light and peace, and come to understand that the path of Meditation is a lifelong journey into the embrace of our very own Source. It dawns upon us that words can only describe but the tiniest portion of this journey…
“We are all seekers, and our goal is the same: to achieve inner peace, light and joy, to become inseparably one with our Source, and to lead lives full of true satisfaction….”
—Sri Chinmoy
How do we meditate?
“When we meditate, what we actually do is enter into a vacant, calm, still, silent mind. We go deep within and approach our true existence, which is our soul. When we live in the soul, we feel that we are actually meditating spontaneously”
—Sri Chinmoy
There is an old saying: ‘The paths are many, the goal is one’. There are indeed many ways in which to quieten the mind and experience meditation. In the free classes offered by the Sri Chinmoy Centre we introduce a variety of techniques with a particular emphasis on the spiritual heart.
Please click here for an outline of our classes.
“Our path is basically the path of the heart and not the path of the mind. This does not mean that we are criticising the path of the mind. Far from it. We just feel that the path of the heart leads us faster towards our goal…”
—Sri Chinmoy
Meditation Sites
