On Monday 19 april 2010, we started a new Meditation 4-week Course. A group of dedicated people from all walks of life got together, for the first meeting. We had introductions and some sharing, to get to know one another better. Then launched straight into the first lesson
What is Meditation?
Meditation is the final goal of yoga practitioners - a state of inner joy and peace. It is the ultimate on the ashtanga yoga path. Patanjali, the ancient sage, writes about this in the 'Yoga Sutra' a book, which is the guide to most serious yoga practitioners.
Meditation is a most natural and rewarding human activity, but the practice has been 'forgotten' by most adults. Practised on a daily basis it produces astonishing results on all levels of your being: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. It connects you with your inner powers of vitality, clarity and love.
Although the process of meditation can be stated simply, the actual attainment of the deepest states requires dedication and discipline. However, even a little practise of meditation will give immediate results.
Meditation is not:
- a mental escape into a state of passivity;
- a form of mental speculation;
- sluggish day dreaming.
Meditation is directing your consciousness inward - to find the source of all life's manifestations. Meditation can be seen as a tool to attain your goal. This goal can be anything worthwhile you wish to achieve or obtain. It is a goal for progress towards which body, mind and spirit are disciplined, refined, and perfected by psycho-physiological techniques, many of which provide health, relaxation, and self-mastery, quite apart from the mystical end-goal for which they are a preparation.
