How Would You Explain The Purpose Of Meditation To Someone In Simple Words?

[sgn]

How would you explain the purpose/benefits of meditation in simple words for someone that has no clue what it is?
Is this a good way?: Meditation is about silencing the mind from thoughts to become still, calm, peaceful and from that comes happiness, joy, acceptance, love etc? Silence is the most natural state. Happy thoughts is not necessary.

I think many see it like this: Negative thoughts = unhappiness. Positive thoughts = happiness. Without considering that no thoughts is the greatest happiness? And why so? Because humans are actually fundamentally happy to just exist and it's necessary for evolution to make it so so the species want's to survive. But ego and thinking makes us unhappy. That we are actually are born with everything we need to be happy, but then we start thinking

Edited December 12, 2016 by sgn

[ajasatya]

@sgn if you try to sell meditation with makyo, you're doing a tremendous harm.

give them the challenges they need to overcome instead. during the practice of meditation, the person needs to sit still even though he's watching the thoughts that he's been running from his entire life. meditation is a tool to disorient the ego with artificially generated crisis.

[Donald]

@ajasatya What do you mean "still" ? 

Still - Rigid -Not Moving - ? 

Imagine a pile of wood in the river , the pile is sitting still , it is not moving and it is rigid . Stillness...

Except the fact that the whole river is crushing the pile . Now imagine the same pile flowing in the river . The pile is not moving, it is in stillness related to the river . 

Something so simple such as stillness, or better our idea of what stillness is .

 

 

[ajasatya]

@Donald yes, "still" as in "stillness", "quietude" or "silence"

[Donald]

 

@ajasatya What do you mean by silence ?  A gap between 2 thoughts, silence after a noise ? 

The problem is that we have a preconceived idea of everything. What you are saying is not stillness, it is an idea of stillness. 

[JustinS]

 

1) Inc. happiness

2) More fulfilment with less desire

3) Understanding yourself at the deepest level

4) Improving behavior

5) A natural inclination to serve others and lessen the suffering on the planet as a by product of the top 4 benefits. 

Edited December 12, 2016 by JustinS

[ajasatya]

@Donald it's when you observe a thought without judging it. without creating more thoughts about thoughts. your mind remains focused, your mouth remains silent, your body remains still. this is zazen.

[Epsilon_The_Imperial]

Meditation purifies your thoughts and desires.

You may solve your desires through action, but new ones will always come up based on your unrealistic expectations for yourself. Meditation shows you that you can live inside your own body and not through the expectations of others.

[Arman]

I think purpose depends on the individual. We meditate for different reasons.

I suspect that regardless of why we meditate however, you get all the benefits in time, despite what you specifically desire. So explanation of meditation and its benefits depends on their temperament. You should cater to them.

Some people will like the idea that meditating will make you happier.

For others, that will actually be a turn off because it will remind them of woo-woo nonsense. Maybe it is better to point them in the direction of studies that show its improvements on health or concentration.

Concepts like awareness and stillness are so commonplace for us that we forget that many people simply have zero reference of these ideas, and they are not particularly useful to them. Better they come to them experientially. Using these as motivators can be like putting the cart before the horse.  

For some, you can say it makes praying more deep and enjoyable. Or it helps to sleep. For some, you can say it is a tool for enlightenment. Others will like the idea that it helps move towards extrasensory phenomena, OOBE's and the like.  

There's no single sales pitch. 

What I think is more important than what you say, however, is when and why you say it. If you go around being fanatical or evangelical about meditation, you will find it quite ineffective. If you try to tell all your loved ones about meditation out of a great excitement, you may also find your attempts to sway them impotent. 

I think it comes down to an intuitive knowing of when someone is ripe. When someone is ripe all you need is the most gentle and general nudge and it is effective. You can sense in to yourself and know when you're being ineffective (and possibly doing more harm then good) by asking yourself if you sense any neediness in yourself, and if you would feel any less good if they rejected the idea. If you feel equanimity and gentle joy on the matter then you'll find your sharing very effective. 

Edited December 13, 2016 by Arman

[Primeval]

I liken Meditation to going to the Gym but for your mind.

When you go to the Gym you exercise, lift weights, you get stronger.

And then you take that strength out into the world.

Meditation, (almost any technique), increases your attention, focus and concentration.

And then you take your Mindfulness into the world.

Edited December 13, 2016 by Lha Bho
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