Many meditate for relaxation and de-stressing, while other practice more intentionally with an emphasis on spiritual knowing/awakening. Regardless of one’s purpose and approach, the practice of meditation is generally life-enriching. Most methods help shift the meditator’s awareness from being thought-sensation oriented, to being the witness, resting alertly, observing presently, dispassionately. In yogic (transcendental) meditation practice, one’s ideal intention and action is complete self-surrender into infinite Consciousness; pure Being .
Engaged in thinking, centered in thought, the yogi sought relief. Elevating attention, his essence became foremost, and formless fulfillment in Being was realized.
Master Hu told his students about women carrying full urns of water on their head tops, traveling a considerable distance from the river back to their village. Along the way they discussed many things while adjusting their steps on the uneven rock strewn path, simultaneously enjoying the scenery and wildlife that greeted them. By the time they arrived at their village, not a drop of water had been spilled from the urns, because while navigating, visiting, and taking in the sights, each had maintained continual awareness of their urn and the precious life-giving water therein.
Master Hu then admonished: “Learn to keep constant company with your ground of being (spiritual essence; true Self), which is changeless, timeless and imperishable like the sky, so that regardless of how you are engaged within the changing scenes of this collective mortal dream, you will always be well integrated, moving freely and happily, while enacting your sanctioned role.”
After months of meditation practice and contemplative study with no discernible insights, young Wu asked his teacher to elaborate on the concept of the “larger true Self,” which had been emphasized as the ultimate realization of spiritual practice.
His master caustically replied, “The one asking cannot know that Self!” Wu sighed and turned to walk away when the master caught his arm, saying, “Wu! Think of the ocean as representative of the larger true Self and the wave as the individual seeking that Self. The ocean is the wave is the ocean. Earnestly ponder this.”
Santosh was devoted to keeping company with the sacred space between thoughts and though his thinking was clear, precise and tempered by discernment, he remained free of becoming a captive of thought .
