The Purpose of Meditation

The purpose of meditation, whether it be Buddhism, Qigong, or Christian in nature, is to help you get in touch with that deeper sense of “I” that is beyond one’s superficial personality. You can get in touch with it by noting what it is about you that permits you to hear, see and feel. What is this presence or consciousness? Don’t make any conceptual images of this presence, just note it when you are meditating.

To get in touch with this presence, or awakened perception, on a regular basis helps you to find the inner reserve of stillness that we all have within. Regular practice allows you to recognize, establish and maintain a more relaxed presence within. This presence connects with the true essence of all life and true intelligence. This is the reality is where we touch God, as Christian contemplatives would say. Qigong practitioners would say that you align yourself with the Tao.

If you regularly connect with that still consciousness within, a reserve of stillness can be built up that reduces our dependence on the superficial aspects or our personality and life experiences. Said another way, by maintaining a connection with your deeper sense of “I,” you can better weather external events in your life. Conflict will occur on the surface of our being. We all have challenges, but when we are in touch with the stillness within, we don’t make challenges into problems. In this presence of Mind, it is more difficult to conceive of conflict.

So, the primary purpose of meditation is to maintain our connection with our true intelligence that is connected to the essence of all life. It is freedom from the bondage to our egoic consciousness. You align your self with your true essence. The resulting effect is that we have more harmony within and in our external relationships. We can thus make the world a more conscious and better place to live.

1. Exchanging Peace for Anxiety - A Stress Relief Technique

2. An Interview with iGod