For Lovers of Meditation

The Gift of Meditation

by Mark O'H
(Christchurch, New Zealand)

For years I looked in wonder at the Buddhist Monks meditating for hours in perfect serenity wondering how and why. I THOUGHT meditation was painful, sitting in lotus with a blank stare and an empty mind.


But when we discover that meditation is not what we thought it was, we open up to celebration. The doorways within our minds and hearts open and the light is switched on, the realization dawned that meditation requires keeping an open mind. Because when we make our mind up about something, we at once close a door to lifelong growth.

I came to meditation through a seeking for spiritual guidance, by using simple techniques of qigong and breathe meditation. I awoke from dark place, no not enlightenment but an acceptance of who I am and what I had become. For the first time in my life I was not scared, nor was I acting out the smokescreen that had become my life. For years I just survived, I then began to heal, this in turn transformed my life, and then I learned how to live.

I began to realize that anytime any part of my life energy is out of balance, it affected every aspect of my live and that caused a ripple effect that goes out and taints the space around me. I can attest to the fact that the slightest imbalance can have significant effects on so many lives, bringing balance back in to my life not only gave me peace but the peace and harmony emanated outwards

I learned
that life is a precious gift, never to be taken for granted, not even for a moment. I learned the importance of feeling good and being aware in each moment, and I learned how to live in the moment, to acknowledge awareness. I took my passion and turned them into my life.

Life can be truly magical and fun, as I continue to learn and experience each and every day. Learning more about who I really am opens me up to the most amazing experiences you could ever imagine. Understanding the intricate connection between mind, body, and spirit allows me to truly connect, and create every aspect of my lives as I wish it to be.

Meditation has brought about these wonderful realizations for me.

Realizing I am responsible for my own experiences
Realizing my inner self is a shared experience
Being grateful to myself for every experience that comes my way
Knowing that my hardships are always a disguised blessing of potential growth
Knowing that nothing in my life happens by accident
Being able to enjoy simple moments, like taking a walk and appreciating the scenery
Being willing to take each day to nurture, heal, and guide myself
Knowing the difference between reacting and reaction
Being able to forgive myself, and therefore others
Being able to sit with another as they go through hardship, without feeling compelled to expound their experience
Laughing at myself, when I catch a good thought or bad

Our life is an endless story we continuously discover and rediscover our eternal and mystifying self.

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