Exploring the Benefits of Meditation: A Path to Enlightenment

Dear Truth Seeker,

Welcome to this journey of understanding meditation and finding its true value. Your question about whether meditation feels like a waste of time is a common one, often rooted in skepticism and restlessness. Let's explore why meditation is more than just a leisure activity but rather a transformative experience.

Understanding Restlessness and TPS

The sensation of meditation feeling like a waste of time often arises from a mindset that perceives the body as the sole focus. Meditation is designed to reduce our 'Thoughts Per Second' (TPS), allowing our minds to achieve clarity and deeper cognition. When our TPS is significantly reduced, conflicting thoughts dissolve, and we experience a profound, pure state of being that radiates love, empathy, and healing.

Meditation and its Benefits

Meditation is a journey of self-discovery and personal growth. It is not about achieving love, money, success, or worldly gains. Instead, it is a path to understanding and embracing our true nature. Here are a few key points to consider:

Effortless Effort: Meditation should feel effortless or it risks becoming boring and leading to a sense of stagnation. Peace and Contentment: True meditation brings peace and contentment; if it feels like a waste, you might be doing it incorrectly. Facing Revealing Truths: Meditation is a process of facing and transcending death, achieving an unscathed and more profound understanding of oneself. Oneness with the Universe: The ultimate goal is to merge with oneself first and then the universe, cultivating a sense of interconnectedness and unity.

Meditation vs. Watching a Movie

To better understand meditation, let's draw a parallel with watching a movie. Watching a movie is a sensory experience that immerses us in another world, but meditation is a journey towards self-awareness.

Choice: Just as you choose a movie based on reviews and recommendations, meditation requires similar exploration, choosing practices like Vipassana, which has been chosen for its transformative power. Preparation: For a movie, you prepare with clothes, food, and companionship. For meditation, you prepare a comfortable environment and mindset, eliminating any distractions. Experience: In a movie, you experience the drama, emotion, and story. In meditation, you experience deep silence, clarity, and a nuanced understanding of existence. Return to Reality: After a movie, you return to your life. After meditation, you return to your reality, but with a new perspective, a new sense of self.

Why Vipassana?

Why did Kiran Bedi choose Vipassana in prisons in India? It's because Vipassana is a transformational practice that transcends religious barriers. While all religions can convert, Vipassana has the potential to transform. It is about observing the nature of reality directly, without the influence of religious dogma.

Practicing Meditation

Create a dedicated space for meditation in your home, free from distractions. Prepare yourself to sit comfortably, close your eyes, and focus on your breathing. Over time, you'll begin to see beyond the physical realm, merging with the universe, and experiencing a profound transformation. This is the path to enlightenment, not to be tied to the body but to understand the true nature of existence.

So, the next time you doubt the value of meditation, remember its transformative power. Embrace the journey and let it lead you to a deeper understanding of yourself and the world.

Best wishes on your journey,
Vivek E. Parasn

With gratitude,
Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies