Meditation – Beyond the Mainstream

The term “meditation” is used very loosely and often incorrectly by the mainstream. So frequently you may find people using techniques or practices that they mislabel as meditation. The most common are visualization and guided imagery. Those are tools and techniques that you might incorporate into a meditation practice. But they are not in themselves meditation. Other examples are various types of energy management techniques. You will definitely use some of those in your meditation practice, but doing a technique, even a proper meditation technique, doesn’t necessarily mean that you are meditating. Meditation is not a technique. Meditation is a process. And unfortunately, like many disciplines that become popular in mainstream, what is commonly communicated or emphasized about mediation gets whittled down to trends, sound bites, quickie techniques, and a mostly superficial exploration although it may be well-meaning. As the popularization cycle continues, this misunderstanding of meditation becomes the new understanding.of meditation, with the most vital aspects completely cut out…and therefore the most vital benefits eliminated.

Our society is very obsessed with instantaneous results. We want instant riches. Instant coffee. Instant dating. Instant meditation. Instant everything. And there’s nothing wrong with instantaneous results, except when the pursuit of instantaneous results prevents you from generating real results. So “Quick, hurry up, give me a 5-minute meditation so I can  instantly get rid of this thing that’s bothering me and not really have to deal with it, and I can say that I meditate and look good in front of others, or whatever…” is not meditation. That is desperation. If you learn how to become an effective meditator, you become skilled at using meditation to quickly pull yourself together, for example. And more importantly, the more adept you become in your meditation, the less your tendency to come apart in the first place–no matter what you’re confronted with in your life. In fact, the more adept you become in your meditation, the more you are able to grow beyond the perceived limitation of your own life and perceived limitations of human potential.

It all begins with building a proper foundation for your meditation.

The Meditation Program @ City College
Level 1 – Introduction to the Organic Meditation Process
10 Thursdays, March 29 – May 31, 2012
6:30pm – 9:00pm
$150

• FOR REGISTRATION: (212) 650-7312 or http://www.cps.ccny.edu
• FOR MORE INFO & VIDEOS: http://www.HealingSpirit.com/meditation