“Love is a flame that burns everything other than itself. It is the destruction of all that is false and the fulfillment of all that is true.” ― Adyashanti
If there is one obstacle that most commonly interferes with meditation, it is our concept of meditation. The word itself carries a weight of preconceptions. When we hear "meditation", our minds spring into action, generating ideas about what it entails. This is a normal and useful function of the human mind, if understood correctly.
As beneficial as words, thoughts, ideas, and concepts might be, they are mere labels. They can only ever provide a superficial understanding of things and often poorly represent the reality.
Consider this: a thought about the sun is not the sun, a thought about a bird is not the bird, and a thought about yourself is not yourself.
No amount of knowledge about a strawberry will ever equate to the experience of actually tasting one. While our direct experience of the world is vivid, dynamic, and ever-present, living solely within concepts is like following a script.
Take "meditation" as an example. What surfaces in your mind when you utter this word? To many, it might come loaded with the idea that we must search for a particular state of mind, momentarily disconnecting from the world, blocking out thoughts, or zoning out.
Our minds tend to believe we need the 'right' type of experience to qualify as meditating, a notion that often breeds pain. Why? Because we start comparing our present, living experience with an imagined concept of meditation, thus overlooking the present moment.
The truth is, meditation can introduce us to a plethora of new experiences. But, if we compare the present moment to an idealised concept, we get entangled in comparisons. Sound familiar?
Phrases like, "I'm too distracted", "I'm uncomfortable", "I'm rubbish at this", "It’s too noisy" begin to emerge. However, true meditation is not about achieving a specific state but about opening the door to awareness of the present moment.
True meditation is the simple act of silent observation. All experiences are neutral until we compare them to an ideal.
A noisy environment isn’t inherently problematic; it's annoying when compared to a quiet one. Feeling distracted isn’t an issue until we believe we shouldn't be distracted. An emotion isn’t problematic until we label it as such.
Adyashanti once joked "it's not the jack hammer that's annoying, it's the mind that's annoying".
So, what's the solution? Meditation provides the perfect platform for us to step back from these concepts. A useful method is the 'Stepping back' technique.
For instance, if the original thought is “I’m angry”, we acknowledge it: “I notice that I’m feeling angry”. We then acknowledge our awareness: “I am aware that I’m noticing I’m feeling angry”.
The key here is to observe without getting involved with the emotion. We're not trying to suppress it, blame ourselves or others for it, or judge it. We're merely observing it.
When we step back, we create more space, which automatically shifts our perspective. This requires practice, so don't rush yourself.
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