How to cultivate happiness through meditation
Firstly, meditation is a universal value for all human beings, which is an innate characteristic of human intelligence as a recourse to infinite inner peace and happiness.
Meditation does not require any particular faith or cultural background. Meditation is simply concentration. The presence of concentration is already within our mental characteristics, and concentration is an essential quality of the human mind and mental activities, regardless of the length of the degree.
One of the most common questions asked by those who are new to meditation is how to meditate. In this article, I will provide a brief overview of the different types of meditation, with a focus on the more general and universal forms.
There are two main types of meditation: formal meditation, which is based on a specific tradition or school of thought, and universal meditation or natural meditation, which is applicable to all humans and forms of mental concentration.
While formal meditation may be more structured and have specific guidelines, universal meditation is a more flexible approach that can be tailored to suit individual needs.
There is no specific physical posture required for meditation. Any posture that is comfortable during daily life is suitable. Similarly, there is no particular diet required for meditation. Any food that nourishes the body is suitable. The location for meditation is also not restricted. Any place that is convenient is suitable. The same applies to clothing. Any clothing that is worn during daily life is suitable. Finally, there is no need for a special cushion for meditation. Any cushion that is used during daily life is suitable.
In order to define a mental stream that is in meditation, it is necessary to establish a connection between the main stream mind and mental factors, as well as harmony between the breath and mental awareness. These three factors could create a perfect and complete meditation state of mind that is perfectly peaceful, harmonious and joyful.
The result is an experience of peace, harmony and joy that can be felt throughout the entire body, mind and heart. This is a feeling or sensation or state of mind that can permeate the entirety of your day and night, leading to a life filled with love and light.
The result of meditation here we aspect is not a particular uncommon emotional sensation or excitement. It is a simply an ordinary human experience but an atmosphere of equilibration within yourself and with the environments.
It is an inner biosphere of life that can expand to an infinite spiritual space and time.
The practice of meditation can facilitate the reduction of emotional and sensational experiences, as well as any form of physical and mental pain and suffering. The initial step in this process is to acknowledge the pain and suffering that one is experiencing. Pain and suffering are not inherent to the physical body or the spiritual mind; rather, they are the result of an unwanted experience. This unwanted experience is not a material reality but rather a conscious phenomenon. Pleasant experiences are known as happiness, while unpleasant experiences are considered unhappiness.
Consequently, we are perpetually desirous of happiness, which is an experience that is antithetical to our unwanted experiences, which are considered to be suffering, pain, and an unpleasant state of mental experience, feeling, sensation, emotion, and spiritual sentiment.
The acknowledgement of pain and suffering is a fundamental factor in reducing its intensity. When we direct our attention and awareness towards the sensation of pain, we become more aware of its true nature. This experience may eventually appear to us as a sensation that the feeling of pain itself dissolves within it or disappears, leaving only an observation of the interaction of neutral atoms and molecules. However, as soon as our concentration or awareness is interrupted, the clear view of pain and suffering may also disappear.
In order to cultivate a gradual process or a steadier awareness of reducing our unwanted painful experiences, it is necessary to have knowledge of the measurement of the feeling. Let us begin by examining, within the spectrum of a human being's ability to apply awareness, the experience of a painful feeling at its highest level, and the pleasant feeling at its lowest degree level. When the level of the pleasant feeling goes up, the level of unpleasant feeling goes down. One can divide the degrees of those feelings into three levels: high, medium, and low. Each of these levels can be further subdivided into three, resulting in a total of nine levels.
Consequently, it can be concluded that an awareness of both the pain and pleasant feeling and the ability to distinguish between the two is beneficial in reducing pain and discomfort and enhancing positive emotions. This meditation is founded on the positive attributes inherent in human nature, namely the qualities and capacities that are naturally present within us.
It is beneficial to learn and apply meditation techniques based on one's personal experiences and experiments. This allows for the development of a personalized meditation practice that aligns with one's level of happiness and suffering.
This is an essential meditation practice that can be used in every moment of life for the well-being of both the body and the mind in all circumstances. Also, the presence of a positive motivation, intention, and attitude that is non-egoistic and non-attached that is of paramount importance.
This meditation process fosters inner balance, which in turn facilitates human development in all essential aspects. It also encourages the mind to recognize the necessity of acting in accordance with correct intentions, which motivate every action, thought and word. This, in turn, facilitates the realization of human potential in terms of sharing and loving compassion. The heart is also freed from illusory attachment, enabling the natural and authentic altruism that is free of such attachment. This, in turn, enables the achievement of the harmony of serene peace and deep inner joy that is independent of any external factors. Consequently, one gains the capacity to appreciate the infinite value of each moment, including that of one's own existence, as well as the lives of others and the universe at large.
May this benefit all beings for their peace and happiness.
Geshe Gedun Tharchin
21 June 2024
