Читать книгу Making Your Wisdom Come Alive - Michael PhD Gluckman - Страница 18

People, in their meditation practice, can spend many years trying to focus and concentrate their minds. Sometimes they attempt to concentrate on one thought, such as a mantra, to the exclusion of all other thoughts. Sometimes they focus on their breath or a mandala, sacred shape, to the exclusion of all else.

We are not criticizing these meditation techniques. They can give you a sense of calm and, at the highest level, the mind, body and world can disappear altogether in high states of Samadhi.

However, an intense physical pain, or a shift in your environment such as a war, or an argument with your spouse can shatter this type of concentration. Some unwanted thoughts drifting through could also bring this type of concentration to an abrupt halt.

This type of concentration comes to an end. There is no way to keep it forever. The nature of the mind is to think about many different things. In your attempt to concentrate, if you try to control your thoughts by promoting the ‘good ones’ or eliminating the ‘bad ones,’ you are setting up a battle in your mind. Which side will win the, ‘good thoughts’ or the ‘bad thoughts?’ Getting rid of ‘bad thoughts,’ is like putting your hand out to stop the ripples in a pond; the more you try to stop them, the more they seem to increase.

Similarly, when you try to hold on to the ‘good thoughts,’ it is like trying to hold on to ripples in water; the more you grasp, the more they seem to slip away.

Fortunately, you are aware if your mind is concentrated or not, aren’t you? You will see that you are the light that shines on the mind no matter what state it is in. You are aware if it is dull or sharp. Remain as the light that shines on the mind and let the thoughts take care of themselves.

While we are on the topic of concentration, we should mention that some people meditate by trying to always be aware of their mind. They split their mind in two. One part they call ‘I’ and the other part they call ‘thoughts.’

How can you ever do anything in life if half of your mind is always trying to be aware of the other half; or if half of your mind is trying to think about being aware, while the other half is trying to write or read this book.

Here’s some good news. There is no need to split up your mind. You can concentrate fully on writing your book or doing your job. Doesn’t that feel natural? Awareness is not a thought, so even without thinking about it, you are still aware. After an intense job that takes all of your concentration, reflect on this for a few minutes. You will find that even without thinking about it, you were aware the whole time.

Now I would like to talk about Love. Do you really have to concentrate your mind on Love? Often times what you call love is an emotion which is the opposite of hate — today I love you, tomorrow I hate you. The Love that we are talking about has no opposites. This Love is the Peace that passes all understanding. It is the Peace that pervades the whole universe. It was there before you were. Now it permeates your mind. When your body passes away, it will remain. This is the Peace and fulfillment that people struggle to obtain their whole life.

Some people try to concentrate their mind to find this Peace. However this Peace cannot be manufactured. It cannot be captured by a thought or a state of mind. Whether your attention is riveted on this deep Love or not, you can know it directly. Do you know where this Love is hidden? It is your true identity; it is just who you are. So let the mind put full attention on the tasks at hand; as for you, remain at Peace.

And as far as concentration, you are the light that illumines the mind, Awareness. Remain as that and let the mind be. Giving up your attempts to control thoughts will allow the mind to return to its natural state where it is your friend.

In the next chapter we are going to talk about the thought, “I can’t.” I love this thought because it was one of my teachers. It taught me that thoughts do not have intrinsic power. We give them our power, and that’s what makes them seem real. Then we complain about our limitation. More in the next chapter.