Contemplation : A different approach to meditation

In this particular series, we shall learn about a different approach to meditation : Contemplation Meditation

Well what is that ? It is simply contemplating over some big ideas deeply.

Let me explain it.

Once we understand the concept of meditation, we realize that an individual is not a separate entity from the universe, We are all interconnected to each other. However, often , in our day to day life we become so much involved in the petty issues of mundane importance, that we forget the larger picture of things.

There are many theories and ideas related to man’s relationship with universe. Different thinkers and scientist world over have come out with their own outlook towards it. In this section you will find some of the most fascinating ideas and theories from the various fields of science and religion.

From ancient Indian texts like Isavasyopanishad & Bhagavad-Gita to the ultra modern ideas of Time-Energy-Space Hypothesis and Gaia, this section will take you to the most interesting inner journey of life.

Ponder over these articles. A contemplation on them will stimulate your thinking and quickly take you into a meditative state. Realizing your oneness with universe is not at all difficult. A new perspective for life  is bound to come when you begin to understand that you and the world around you are not separate and both belong to one reality.

How this new approach to meditation works ?

This  new approach to meditation.  is very easy way of meditating which anyone can do with  effortless ease. This method lies in a  small suggestion . Just do this:

Yes !  just expand your horizons and change your perspective. I mean stop looking at this world from the looking glass of your own personality.  Just by looking at this world, at this whole creation around us from a different perspective (which I called a cosmic perspective) you can be in meditation instantly.

This works on a simple logic that

Whenever you meditate: you attain a cosmic perspective for life

So, whenever you attain a cosmic perspective for life, you will be in meditation !  Simple !

Just for a few minutes everyday, stop evaluating this world from your own opinions, notions and thoughts. Stop looking at this world from your own individual perspective and let a cosmic perspective take the driver’s seat in your life..

Why & how to do this ?

First of all : Why  do this ?

Just like billions of people around the world, you are living a life and facing all types of ups and down, meeting with triumph and disasters, enjoying moments of happiness/ victories and enduring the hour of trials and tribulations.

All these life experiences have developed in you a particular perspective for life through which you look at this world. Now this perspective may be positive, negative or neutral depending upon the various circumstances that exists in your life. In all likelihood you will spend your entire life with this particular perspective for life. Since no two persons are identical in all respect, everybody has his/her own perspective for life and lives according to it.

A rich man has a different way of looking at this world that may involve spending his life thinking about the next stock market boom, buying the latest luxury car or thinking about his next world trip.  On the other hand the perspective of a poor man may be limited only  to thinking about earning the next quotas of bread and butter.

For a sick, the whole world may be confined to his room with nothing to do and just thinking about his sickness all day long. In contrast, a healthy person may have a different perspective altogether which may include planning for the next safari trip to Africa or for participating in the Bungee Jumping .

In short , we all have our own ways and logic to see this world.

What’s in for you ?

As I have already explained that meditation is a process of making our mind quiet so that we can contact the self within. ( See What is Meditation) Self is the ‘I’ consciousness that exist everywhere. The ‘self’ in us is the part of  same cosmic consciousness. Therefore, when we contemplate on cosmic consciousness by means of adopting a cosmic perspective, we instantly experience the presence of the same consciousness within us.

This self, by its very nature is calm, blissful and circumstance-independent. So when we perceive this world from a cosmic perspective, we recognize our own little place in the universe (which  though small is also a part of the same consciousness.) This experience will help you to shift from a ‘body-mind framework to a ‘self -witnessing the body-mind’ frame work. This realization of  ‘self -witnessing the body-mind’ is what meditation is all about.

How to achieve a cosmic perspective ?

It is very easy. We will understand this from an analogy:

Suppose you are participating in a drama and during the drama, you become so much absorbed in the character of whose part you are playing  that you forget  your real identity and start behaving like that particular character in your real life itself. Then somebody takes you from the stage and make you sit in the audience to watch the drama.

When you watch the drama as an observer you suddenly realize ,” Oh ! it is just a drama and I was acting as this character”. You instantly recognize who you are in reality. You realize that it is just a drama going on and you are just one of the actor in this drama.  Someone different from the character of the drama.

In the above analogy the most important incident happens when ‘somebody takes you and make you sit in the audience to watch the drama’. It’s only when you get separated from the characters of the drama and sit in the audience that you recognize who you actually are.

In the same way the life itself is a drama that is going on and we are playing our respective parts in it. Now we need that ‘somebody’ who comes and makes us sit in the audience so that we can see the reality.’ Somebody who can show that we, in reality, are self -the ‘I’ consciousness and the present life that we are living is a transient (short lived) play of a character..

In this different approach to meditation we will take the help of this ‘somebody’ to understand the reality. Now this somebody is  nothing but an intense contemplation on an idea about how this world works, what is the reality around us. Just contemplation on this idea will take you into instant meditation.

Efforts have been made by some of the most brilliant scientific and spiritual minds to describe this world from a cosmic perspective. There have been attempts to see this world ‘as it is’ without allowing our own pre-conceived notions to interfere. These attempts have given birth to some of the most interesting and informative theories and books on the cosmos. These theories and books contain the ideas with the potential of changing our perspective from  individualistic to a global one.

Though man has made great scientific advancement, the truth remains that we are just one of the 84,00,000 species on this planet earth, which  are parts of this solar system, which itself is a part of this big universe. No one knows exactly how life originates. No one knows how life will vanish. There are only assumptions. Some appears very accurate whereas some are just beliefs. But these assumptions, ideas and beliefs helps us to relate ourselves with this vast universe.

Once we recognize that we are part of this cosmos, we have emerged from it  and one day will again merged into it, this reality makes us calm.   Just contemplate on these ideas, try to relate your life with these ideas and you will start getting a cosmic perspective for life.

Make a printout of these articles. Sit quietly in a comfortable place and read these articles. They are meditation for contemplation. Just read an article, think over it, contemplate over whatever is written. Try to relate it with your own life. Do it and you’ll see the big picture. You’ll slowly start progressing towards mental calm & peace.

I am not saying that your all problems will vanish.  Unfortunately life is not that easy. But I can say with surety that you’ll have a new perspective for life. You will stop nagging, fuming & fretting on small issues. You will start enjoying nature, the beauty around us  Think over these ideas, contemplate upon what has been written and you will have a cosmic perspective for life that will take you into meditation.

Next : the first idea for contemplation Gaia: Is earth alive ?

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