Skill in Action through Meditation
Deep Meditation brings a quality of rest that allows us to act from a state of harmony and fullness. It is like pressing a reset button, which allows us to reboot our inner computer. Each time we come back, we have the appropriate skills needed to perform and enjoy life more fully.
One of the teachings I received from my meditation instructor when I began my practice 25 years ago comes from the Bhagavad Gita, a 700-verse scripture in Sanskrit that is part of the epic Mahabharata. It takes the form of a dialogue between prince Arjuna, the great archer, and his guide and charioteer Lord Krishna, who represents the highest ideals. Driving their chariot into battle to fight their deceitful cousins, who had taken control of the kingdom through trickery, Arjuna pauses, suddenly conflicted about killing his cousins. He knows that if his cousins become rulers, the people will suffer for generations… he has to stop them for the greater good. But to do so, he must go into battle and kill his family, cousins he grew up playing as a child!
In chapter 2, verses 42-48 of the Gita, conflicted, Arjuna asked Krishna for advice. Krishna simply said, “Yogastah Kuru Karmani,” which means “First establish being in yourself and then, and only then, perform action.” My personal translation for this verse comes from the experience of my sitting practice: “Find peace within, inner silence, and from there – act; be the main character of your life story.”
What this means is that we cannot take action upon either our thoughts (ideas of right or wrong) or our feelings (judgments based on emotion). We must act from that place of being – deep silence and knowing – where there is no “this or that”, no “should or shouldn’t”.
Once we are able to remove ourselves from our mind and emotions and establish ourselves in being, we are able to act and perform the action without attachment. These actions ultimately bring balance back to our lives.
The regular practice of Deep Meditation I sit with and teach has given me this experience of inner calm. From this state naturally and spontaneously comes the ability to act clearly, without being distracted by thoughts and emotions. That doesn’t mean I am not emotional or that I am free of so-called ‘’negative’’ thoughts, it means that I can more easily follow my intuition and feel in harmony within myself and with the environment in which I live. I gain this harmony by making decisions that enhance the quality of my life. These decisions might have to do with maintaining and supporting health, material acquisitions, gaining knowledge, participating in my community, or almost anything. All these questions are investigated through the lens of inner harmony.
We all need rest, stillness, and an experience of calm and stability on a daily basis. My invitation to you, through this teaching, is to give yourself one or two short breaks per day to cultivate peacefulness, deep rest, to replenish with calm energy and then, only then, accomplish your tasks and realize all your projects and dreams.