Meditation: Let Go and Be Free

The world is full of noise. Wherever one goes there seems to be chaos and confusion. Horns are honking, kids are screaming, and radios are blaring. Who among us does not long for a moment’s peace and quiet? Such a valued and rare commodity is this. We wish to be peaceful, and yet many have resigned themselves to the peaceless cage which imprisons them.
This cage is wrought bar by bar from the steel of my own thinking. I have forged it thought by thought. And though the cage door is open I sit tight upon the perch of my beliefs. The noise I wish to quiet is not out there. It is within. This is both the good and the bad news. It is good news because, as we have addressed in previous chapters, now I recognize that the reigns are in my hands. It is bad news for the same reason. I have no more excuses. Meditation means thinking. That is the direct translation of the word. It is not the absence of thought as some have come to think. We are thinking beings therefore the aim is not so much to stop thoughts as to direct them into paths of benefit.
Meditation quiets the mind. When first I sit to have meditation thoughts will be abundant. I will have many thoughts. Let me ask you a question. Which is peace; one thought or a hundred thoughts? If you said one thought; you are right. Why is it we have many thoughts? It is because we don’t like any of them, so we jump from thought to thought trying to find one that fills me with peace or happiness. It’s just like when the guys get a hold of the remote control for the television. They keep changing the channels. They click, click, click “Nope, I don’t like that, I don’t like that, and I don’t like that”. And the women are saying “How do you know you don’t like that show, you were only on that channel for two seconds!” But they keep clicking. When they find a station they like they stop. They put down the remote control and are satisfied with what they are seeing on the screen.
Similarly we keep changing thoughts for the same reason. “I don’t like that thought, I don’t like that thought, I don’t like that thought!” ... until we find a thought which gives us peace and happiness. When I put thoughts on the screen of my mind that I like, I will think less also. Thinking too much makes the soul tired. When I am tired, I am cranky and not myself.
The quality of my thoughts will be according to the quality of thinking I have had throughout the day. Don’t be surprised if the mind races when you first sit to meditate. The mind is like a wild horse. Let it run; but not wild. We have let the horse run wild. A strong, powerful mind will run and this is good. You wouldn’t want a weak, wimpy horse. But usually we have let the mind run in directions of stress, anxiety and sorrow. We need to steer the mind in the direction of our truest desire. Let it run, but let it run towards peace, serenity and stability. Let it run with God. We need to learn to think the thoughts we want to think, instead of the thoughts we are used to thinking.
The reigns are my intellect. I understand certain things and apply them. Another name for intellect could be the parent. With the mind as the child, always wanting this that and the other, the parent or the intellect guides the child/mind in the direction of benefit. It says not that way; this way. And the child follows.
Be a good and sweet mother to yourself. Do not just demand of your mind that it should sit quietly. As a loving mother you must first teach the child good, sweet and powerful thoughts so that when you want it to sit quietly it will. Give yourself the tools for success.
I’m sure we have all experienced this. You are in a situation and something happens to shake you. You did not wish to be upset by it, you wanted to remain calm and yet it seemed beyond your control. You just exploded or cried or could no longer be of help for yourself or anyone else. Meditation will begin to strengthen you in such a way that this no longer will be the case.
The next step in meditation happens naturally. The thoughts will begin to slow down. Next I focus on one thought. Say, peace. I wish to experience peace and so I dive into the ocean of peace. I remember I am the child of peace and go home to the ocean. I explore this ocean; the depths and beauty. I begin to feel wave upon wave of peace washing over me. I concentrate so much on this idea of peace; my mind becomes full of thoughts of peace that soon it becomes pure experience. No longer do I even need to think at all. I am one with the ocean of peace.
When this happens, transformation begins to take place. Because, now it is no longer thinking about peace, but now it has become experience. Experience is forever. It cannot be lost, stolen or dissuaded. Faith and belief can fluctuate; it can shake. But, experience is undeniable; it is indelible.
The more I have this experience, the more I will desire to experience it again and again. The ocean is always there- full at all times and waiting to serve you. It never says I don’t have time now, or you’ve taken enough. No. He says come as often as you want, and take as much as you want.
See that the cage door is open. Fly out. There is a whole sky waiting for you to explore and enjoy. The perch you’re on may be familiar, but if it hasn’t served you well, it is time to let go and be free.

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