Abstract:
Meditation means awareness. It is a process inducing a series of steps, that leads to a state of consciousness which brings serenity and clarity. While the space we choose for meditating needs to reflect the state of clear mind, if possible, it should be isolated from the noisy city and in a natural pure land. According to the Buddhist tradition, we don’t get new wisdom, nor does any foreign element come into our state of mind at all. Rather, it is a question of waking up and shedding our covers. We have those goodies in us already; we only have to uncover them (Trungpa 1991, 5).
Though most people in the world would choose to live in peace and joy if they could, reality rarely seems to allow it. Quite conversely, many of us experience life as a lost opportunity—a suffering. Nonetheless, my own life has taught me that paradise is not as far away as we think… it can be uncovered within the heart and the mind, for it exists about each and every person at all times, with or without their knowledge (Canada Bodhi Dharma Society 2007, para. 2). In a modern world that values activities, achievements and results, it is perhaps surprising that more people are turning to meditation. Despite all the activity of modern society, many still feel a fundamental need for silence, inner peace, and moments of reflection
