The problem people have with thoughts and meditation

The biggest problem everyone has with meditation is thoughts.

Pesky, pesky thoughts.

Everyone believes that they need to get rid of thoughts and then meditation begins.

The fact is:

You can’t stop your mind.

It’s busy and active because you are alive.

If you’ve ever tried to shut it down you’ll know it’s only possible for a few seconds, maybe a few minutes, tops.

There is an easier and much more fruitful way.

It is one of the key things that I teach on the Ascension meditation weekend, and crucial for you to get to become the boss of your own mind.

You need to come to a place where you can be at peace with your mind, no matter what it looks like.

Let it run, let the mind chatter, good, bad, horrendous.

Doesn’t matter.

You are not the content of your thoughts.

If you allow the mind, you can then find a way of going beyond it.

You can be aware of what else there is.

Now, where ever you are, just relax into yourself. Open your senses right up to everything. Stop and do nothing, just for a moment.

Just notice what it like to be alive and present right now.

Simply - without changing a thing, or straining, or pushing - just be aware.

That is part of what I teach people to do in Ascension mediation. The other, probably most important part, is the tool you use from there to bring you deeper in.

When you use the Ascension meditation techniques they meditate for you - no matter what your mind is saying.

It’s like gravity. No matter what your mind believes or says or thinks, if you jump in the air, you’re going to come back down (let me know if you don’t).

Same, same. The techniques mean thoughts become irrelevant.

Whatever you do the bottom line is that you need not stop your mind. So stop trying to stop it. Find a way around it.

If you’re interested:

Ascension meditation course 15-17 April, £200 for everything, all the follow up, and the ability to resit as many times as you like for free.

Complete beginner or expert meditator, I guarantee you’ll find this course just the ticket. If you don’t, I’ll give you your money back.

Send me an email to say you want in.

Job done.

Keep the Peace!

- Arjuna

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FREE ebook on meditation and mindset for ending stress and self-sabotage, and living an exceptional life:

http://www.arjunaishaya.com/discovermeditationandmindset

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Keeping the important things truly important.

I got an email from Brasil (spelt with an ’s’ of course) the other day.

I’m impressed about that, and I’m probably showing off by mentioning that the writer is from Brasil. It might appear that I'm attempting to impress upon you that I’m very international, but I am telling you of this, fundamentally, because the writer asked a very cool question.

On the back of the blog of the other day about non-seriousness, what do you do when you are in a serious situation, like when you are fighting an injustice or saving lives (not from death, but from less than optimal conditions)? Which she is - she’s not just posing a hypothetical “what if?”

How do you take action but not be affected by these very serious, very real things?

Well, it depends what the bottom line is for you.

The core of any solution will be the thing that is most important to you.

Do you know what that is for you?

At the end of your life, when you look back, what do you wish your life to be filled with?

Chances are that most important thing is something like peace and happiness and love.

If that is the case, then no matter what you do - in everything you do - have your priority as peace and happiness and love.

It doesn't mean don't take action, but don't lose sight of what is the most important thing. Otherwise you lose everything.

Don’t lose yourself in the circumstances of life, even when the circumstances of life appear important, crucial even.

The true test of a lady or a gentleman of the highest standing is their ability to hold the important things truly important, and not let seemingly urgent things take precedence instead.

To do so, it can help to treat life like a game.

Play to win, but know it is a game. Seriousness only comes in when you could win or lose. Play well and play fully, but the fact is that in the great game of life the only time you lose is when you forget your connection with what is truly of the highest importance to you.

And so keep peace and happiness and love as a priority in all things, have a smile and a light heart, and see what happens from there.

The right course of action always reveals itself from this foundation.

It's mastery in action so don't worry if you forget. You will get better at remembering. The only thing that is truly important is that you remember in this moment.

________________

By now you probably heard that I’m having a meditation weekend here in Richmond, North Yorkshire.

I’m excited about it, I love sharing this stuff. To be able to teach the Bright Path Ishayas’ Ascension over a whole weekend is even better. A privilege.

You see the techniques are so simple, yet so powerful. The truth always is. If it’s not simple, it simply isn’t the truth. I would like to claim that quote but a much wiser colleague of mine got there first.

But these techniques have given me so much, and continue to do so, that to be able to teach them to others is a supreme joy.

If you want to live the best possible life, I recommend booking on the weekend. You won’t look back.

20-22 November 2015 - Friday 7-10pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am - 5pm.

It’s closer than you think too - by fast train 2.5 hours from London and 2 hours from Edinburgh, and then a little drive out to the venue.

And you can come stay if you want (necessary I would have thought if you live down south or up further north) meaning your bed is 30 seconds from the course. Awesome. Roll out of bed, coffee/tea and then the day begins.

For more details click here, or email me, I’d love to chat.

Freaking out about life

I just came back from three months at the Bright Path Ishaya retreat in Spain. Waking up this morning in my little cottage in the UK is different, but wonderful. There was a real sense of peace and serenity and aliveness on the mountain there in Spain.

But you know what? There is here in North Yorkshire too.

While waiting for our lift to the airport I read the last chapter of an autobiography of a guy who went to live besides a river in India to find his peace.

He returns back to the west after years and years of spiritual study and practice and instantly freaks out. The noise, the yelling, the traffic,the consumerism, the drunkenness, the sex.

He completely loses it, becomes a gibbering wreck until he manages to stumble upon a meditation centre - to him, an oasis of sacredness in the midst of a city of the profane.

How sad.

He's completely missed the point of all of his practice. He's created a mood, an idea that peace and clarity is only available when the world looks a certain way. When I'm by my river, then there is peace. When I'm on my mountain retreat, then there is peace.

Life is out there, continually knocking at your door. You cannot avoid it forever. You cannot make it look the way you want it to all the time.

But peace is everywhere, no matter what, if you know how to tap into it.

In reality there is nothing that is not worthy of love.

All this time you've been looking for peace, it has been within you - and it will be, forever more.

Life transforms when you realise this. The circumstances of life don't give you peace, you bring peace to life - regardless of the circumstances.

Permanent peace, freedom and happiness is an inside job.

It may take practice to realise this, but it is the only reality in town.

Why meditate?

"The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware." - Henry Miller

The result of meditation is the ability to not attach to the stuff in your head. It is the ability to be mentally fit, fluid and free.

You develop the ability to purely witness, to allow thoughts and emotions to come and go.

You develop the ability to choose what to focus on.

You gain the ability to enjoy every - every - aspect of your life.

Perhaps there is a negative thought or a worry or a doubt. Meditation isn’t about banishing it, it is about simply letting it be there but not getting wrapped up in it.

It is there, but it isn’t you. You don’t get lost in it anymore. Or if you do, you can choose to let go, simply, effortlessly, immediately.

Meditation in action is when you take this ability to not react to things in life.

So something doesn’t go the way you want it to. You are able to not be affected, to remain calm and clear and see what you can do about the situation - if anything.

You don’t get wrapped up in drama any more. You develop the awareness that being calm and at peace is much more enjoyable, and you know how to choose for it.

You give up your ticket to the rollercoaster - life becomes one steady, super enjoyable, very effective moment. Joy and contentment is the overwhelming response to life.

This is good, that is good, all is good.

From that calmness and clarity comes the ability to live the very best version of yourself.

All through a little practice. A little commitment to being that version of you.

You can do this, it is who you have been all along.

Stop, take a moment from trying to work stuff out or trying to control. Be present and alive to this moment. See the beauty that is here, see the good that is already in your life.

Why would you want to set aside time to meditate?

So you become aware, and in doing so, totally and completely alive.

It's worth it.

How to meditate simply and effortlessly

The overwhelming difficulty so many have with meditation is that they believe they need to empty their minds.

Meditation becomes confused with having an empty head, no thoughts, complete silence in the skull.

Rejoice! For I am to tell you this is not necessary. You can have the busiest mind in the world and still experience peace, calm and clarity. 

This alone will make all things in your practice super simple and easy. Maybe it will help you try again if you find meditation hard work. Draw in closer...

Meditation involves no force, no strain, no controlling, no trying whatsoever. So don't start.

Meditation is effortlessly allowing each and every thing. Being aware of all, and sitting in the middle of this awareness.

You don’t have to change a thing, simply change your relationship with everything.

Be totally okay with each thought, emotion, sound, and sensation as it passes through your awareness.

Watch it come, watch it go.

A child can sit and watch. So can you. And so you will, especially with practice.

Make yourself comfortable, close the eyes, take some deep breaths if you like that, and just sit.

Open your senses, be presence itself. Just notice.

Distraction is normal. No deal, come back. It is never a problem unless you make it a problem.

If you have a technique like the Bright Path Ishayas’ Ascension, use that simply and gently.

Allow, allow, allow.

This moment is the only moment you can do anything. The past is gone, the future not yet here. Just be here, right in the middle of the moment.

All is well here. Enjoy.