Yoga Meditation for World Peace
Does world peace seem like a fantasy? What is the number one obstruction to world peace? How can we overcome such a powerful obstruction, with Yoga? Does Yoga meditation give us the answer?
The ego is the largest obstruction to world peace. One person's ego can affect the collective consciousness of an entire country and the world. Consider history's most famous conquerors and tyrants; their personal ambitions became an excuse to justify sacrifice, cruelty, and warfare.
What starts out as a personal matter can become a social dilemma, if one person has the influence, and an ego, which is out of control. Each of us has an ego, but we often ask others to put their egos aside before we do. We are right and they are wrong. We imply that they should listen to our side of the debate first.
How is it possible to restrain the ego? How can Yoga help control the Ego?
Yoga is designed to take care of the health of a single person. In many ways, Yoga travels to the core of the human mind, body, and spirit.
One method allows an individual's mind to be isolated through Yoga meditation practice. Yoga meditation experiences allow the mind to withdraw from the "pains and aches of society."
What do I mean by the pains and aches of society? Unfortunately, no society is perfect. Speak to any social worker about poverty and injustice. Each social worker receives a 'bird's eye' view of social injustice. Over the years, I have taught many social workers in my Yoga classes. It is apparent that they came to Yoga class as a sanctuary.
Why would social workers need a Yoga class for sanctuary? Social workers feel empathy, without ego, and they want to make a positive difference in modern society. They clearly see social illness, and inadequacy, on a daily basis.
How else could Yoga meditation overcome the ego? The mind withdraws from society, distractions, and multi-tasking, which forces the mind to look at itself.
Yoga meditation is a systematic healing process for the individual and a remedy for society's short comings.
In a recent conversation with a Yoga teacher, he mentioned how Yoga meditation is considered, by the public, to be "time spent doing nothing." He completely understood the deeper value and benefits of meditation, but was concerned about how to reach his Yoga students, with overactive minds. After all, most of them would rather perform asanas than spend time meditating in a Yoga class.
The answer is: We will have to educate them, wait for them to age, or wait for the time, when they can appreciate the meditative aspects of Yoga. If Yoga students were trained to meditate as children, they would appreciate the many benefits of Yoga meditation at this moment.
However, we cannot force a person to instantly meditate and "see the light."
In order for meditation to take place, the mind must be willing to look at itself. When the collective consciousness of a society meditates on a regular basis, it will be reflected by peaceful behavior.
Yoga Meditation is a wonderful resource for mankind because it can bring the mind to a state of peace with itself. A global society, which has an addiction to multi-tasking, needs time to "unplug" itself, and Yoga meditation offers realistic solutions.
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Master of Kirtan chant
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Master of the Bamboo Flute
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Master of Meditation
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Our first meditation experiences in Vipassana Meditation
A little while ago my wife and I did our first 10-day Vipassana course at Dhamma Dipa in the countryside near Hereford in the UK.
We had both been meditating for several years but had had the course recommended by fellow meditators. We were unsure of what to expect of a 10-day course which involved over 10 hours meditation a day, as well as the keeping of Noble Silence - for the first nine days there was to be no talking to, gesturing or communicating with other students on the course in any way at all! However, two 'philosophical underpinnings' of the course seemed sensible and accorded with my own beliefs - the stress on individual responsibility, each one of us being responsible for our own thoughts, words and actions, and the stress on personal experience, what you personally experience being more important than what you read or hear.
In the event the course turned out to be a very difficult but very rewarding experience, which has already changed our lives for the better. For me, there was no real difficulty maintaining Noble Silence but sitting still for long periods of time was excruciating. My mind rebelled at the pain, which of course added mental pain to physical. The plus was that the course helped the development of the qualities needed to continue, strong determination, courage, and the ability to concentrate intensely.
Indeed the main point of the course was to develop powers of concentration and equanimity, whatever was happening to the mind/body. The purpose of developing these qualities is to break the mind-habits of a lifetime, to tame the monkey mind, and enable course participants to lead a more peaceful and harmonious life.
The fact that so many others were sitting in the meditation hall and completing the course was also a source of considerable support.
Since the course ended my wife and I have continued, as recommended, doing 2 hours a day meditation using the technique taught on the course.
The increase in self-knowledge gained from just watching the fantasies and daydreams, scenes from the past, stories, etc, that arise in my mind when I'm when meditating made the course worthwhile. Furthermore, and paradoxically, my ability get things done since I started meditating 2 hours a day has increased rather than decreased.
I feel energized, happier and better able to cope with life's ups and downs. And although I still have irritable thoughts, and frequently words, when for example the computer does not do what I want it to do, or when someone 'bothers' me when I'm busy, I am becoming more aware that I have just completed an irritable thought or words. The next step will be to watch such thoughts as they arise, and watch the sensations that arise with them.
This should reduce their power over me.
One other effect of the course has been a heightened awareness of all senses, especially touch. For some years I have been trying to be more mindful while performing everyday activities such as walking, eating, brushing my teeth and washing the dishes.
The heightened awareness of the sensations associated with these actions has made it much easier to be mindful, and to avoid being attached to the sensations. While walking I can feel the breeze on my cheeks and be aware of the creaking in my limbs at the same time - in fact sometimes I feel like an ghost in a full suit of armour clanking round some great old building, so great is the creaking!
I am no longer young (in body) and these creaking sensations and sounds are a very useful and constant reminder of the impermanence of this body - a very valuable insight which puts my daily thoughts and actions into perspective!
What of the future? We intend to keep on meditating two hours every day and to do further 10-day courses every year as long as we are able - I have a lot I need to work on!
If you are interested in doing a Vipassana course, there is more detailed information available at:
www.dipa.dhamma.org
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Further references:
Vipassana meditation silent sitting
Simply Meditating
Meditation mat
Meditation cushions and stools
Meditation for beginners
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