Meditation in this context means to be silent and calm for a period of time, while thinking deeply about something. This in turn leads to the clarification of idea, information, thought etc. Meditation is mostly done individually. It is a business for all, although few people exhibit this character. Perhaps because of the level of sacrifice it involves. Like any other art; it is an intentional process aimed at a particular result.
The greatest hindrance to meditation: is the misconception that it is an activity done out of loneliness, by an average person. It requires a degree of quietness which should not be confused for loneliness but aloneness. The need for an active heart and brain are part of its uniqueness as an art. And it is indeed a very interesting aspect of life rather than a mere topic.
Reasons people don’t meditate:
- Fear: the fear that the activity might not be rewarding if done inappropriately, since some do not believe they can do anything right. Either consciously or not, everyone knows it can be productive or a waste of time if ineffectively done.
- Lack of self-confidence: people that lack self-confidence love to be in a crowd to feel valuable. They are better consoled by people’s opinion of who they are. Hence find it difficult to be alone withoutfeeling worthless. Thus meditating about their life does not appeal to them, since they believe it opens them to fear and vulnerability.
- The desire to forget the past: some persons are ever ready to let go of the past, without sucking the juice in it. The past might be hurtful, but there are grains to gain from it by meditating. New ideas can be generated from it, mistakes noted for correction, lessons learnt and a projection into the future made: rather than tossing it away or running from reality.
As much as some persons may hate meditation for diverse reasons, its advantages are so numerous it can’t be overlooked. The advantages listed below are not exhaustive.
- It boosts self-confidence: meditation is an investment in which you are in charge, thus it brings about a feeling of satisfaction. It boosts your self-confidence knowing that being alone was successful and yielded a meaningful result.
- Development of an analytic behavior: it gives you the access to be analytic with your past. Gaining understanding and knowledge of the past, learning from the mistakes etc. It helps analyze the past and the present in a way that helps you gain a better understanding of yourself.
- The ability to plan and prepare: from the insight and foresight gained, a proper plan can be made as to how to achieve your dream. At the same time you devise the means of execution, which makes you adequately prepared.
Meditation can be done to your advantage or detriment, depending on how you go about it. If it is effectively done, it will turn out to be productive and it is one of the paths to lasting success, when it becomes a habit. Instead of wasting time on trivial things, it is better used this way. To be productive during this period; you must make sacrifices.
This includes; getting a quiet place (seeking aloneness in the midst of the busy world). It is not just the quietness of your environment but the stillness of your heart to actively focus on the desired outcome. This involves shunning all forms of distraction which may be good things, thought of at the wrong time; as you intentionally and determinedly stand your ground. It can wait till after your meditation, do not be deceived.
Most importantly, you MUST involve the divine. Yes, GOD. He alone can drop dangerous ideas into your mind, because He sees beyond the physical realm. In addition learn to take and keep records: you must not go to meditate without a means of recording the ideas that comes to you. That alone will not do, you need to learn how to associate things i.e joining the ideas, and information to form a larger meaningful piece.
Remember this ‘Meditation is the birthplace of solution’. You need to constantly say that to yourself to get the best of the exercise. I will leave you with this piece ‘the mind cannot tell the difference between what is imagined and a real experience’- Ibhagbe Ufuah. Thus imagine the future in a present form; it is a good propellant for success.
Author:
Olubola Adepoju is a prolific writer, with an insight to events in the society. Her desire to make impact in lives via writing, propels her to write facts in a captivating and interesting way.