Meditation – Recharge, Rejuvenate and Reflect Inwards

“Mind without agitation is meditation.

Mind in the present moment is meditation.

Mind that has no hesitation, no anticipation is meditation.

Mind that has come back home, to the source, is meditation.

Mind that becomes ‘‘no mind’’ is meditation”

H. H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

We are a nation of doers, constantly involved in doing something.  We wish we had more than 24 hrs so that we could be more productive.  We have become adept at eating our food, watching television, speaking on the phone and typing an e-mail, all at the same time and take pride in it. 

The last two decades have been that of technological innovation where technology has become intertwined with our lives.   In theory, with so much convenience and technology, we should have more leisure time and spend more quality time with our families.  In a nutshell, we should be leading healthier and happier lives!!

However, our experience is contrary to this.  We are constantly “tethered” to a device and are not able to disconnect from work.  Even when we are spending time with family or on vacation we are addicted to our blackberries.  Now, we have a new term “crackberry” to denote “crack” like addiction to the mobile devices.  We are more stressed, have trouble sleeping and are looking for ways to relax and recharge.    The stress is multiplied by holiday shopping frenzy, two feet of snow messing up our travel plans and the economy still showing no signs of recovery.  The key questions  in minds of most people are “How do I relax?” and “How can I focus on one thing?”

The answer lies in “Meditation”.   The most common question that I get asked is “What is meditation?”  Meditation is a state of stillness and alertness in the mind. It is a state of de-concentration or  doing nothing.  Most people respond to this as, “ What do you mean, Doing Nothing?   I have to be doing something.“

The deep meditative state only happens when all effort stops. Trying to stop thoughts is an effort, concentrating on something is an effort. Trying to meditate is like trying to sleep. Only when you stop trying and just let go of all your efforts, can you meditate. This quieting of the mind can happen with a “Mantra” or sound that can only be given by a teacher.

Meditation can rejuvenates the system, bring peace of mind that grows stronger with regular practice while giving the body deep and purifying rest.

Rest and activity are opposite values  yet complement each other.  The deeper the rest our nervous system can experience, the more dynamic our activity will become and more focused our mind will become.  Twenty minutes of deep rest that we experience during meditation is not just providing peace for that period of time but is helping us get rid of impressions that are distracting us, thus allowing us to be more focused, dynamic and lead life in the present moment.  All this is very abstract unless one learns the Art of Meditation from a teacher.  Make a resolution to give some quality time to yourself and learn how to dive deep inwards.  It is a beautiful journey. 

For more info on Meditation  please visit http://www.artofliving.org/us-en/art-of-meditation-course.  For meditation courses in New Jersey please visit  http://us.artofliving.org/nj

A short Bio

Vikas Chawla has a Bachelors and Masters in Computer Science.  He works as a Vice President at  an investment bank.  He has served on the US Board of Art of Living Foundation for four years.  He is a certified instructor with the Art of Living Foundation.  He has been teaching meditation, yoga and  breathing techniques for over 10 years.