Because I would like to talk about how my idea of 'rest and pleasure' has changed since doing meditation.
Before meditation I used to think rest and pleasure was sitting by a pool doing nothing for a month. Although I would enjoy sitting by a pool and resting for a few days, I now know this is not the true rest or pleasure.
Through meditation I realised the reason we are not happy is because we live inside our own mind world, instead of living in the world. I had lived only for myself, a very self-centred life. I never truly cared about other people. I felt low easily which is why I always desired to have a long holiday thinking it would make me happy.
I am currently at Brisbane Meditation in Australia. I have come here from New Zealand for 2 weeks using my annual work leave. I have been doing promotion, giving out brochures and speaking to people about the meditation practice I do.
It changed my life, so I know it has the power to change other people’s lives. I feel energised meeting people and speaking truth. After doing promotion I feel so happy. It’s a kind of happiness I never had before meditation.
When I put meditation first, the other things in my life flow a lot better. I can see how selfish I am and that living only for the self does not produce the real happiness. It leads nowhere (even when we think it leads somewhere). The meditation has given me the ability to take action, move my body and take risks.
A small example of taking a risk would be simply trying a new cooking recipe. In the past, I was so trapped inside my mind I didn’t have the capacity to try something new.
I was too afraid to cook for other people because I was afraid, I would make it wrong and the food wouldn’t taste good. As a result, that fear of failure held me back from taking action.
Meditation gave me confidence to try and it also gave me the courage to keep going even if someone says something or behaves in a way which may undermine my self-confidence.
NOTE: I realised through meditation that a lot of things people were saying were not necessarily spoken to undermine my confidence. I had victim mentality so I thought people were speaking negatively about me. I realised this was not always the case and they weren’t attacking me, they were just speaking their own mind.
As I meditated my fake mind disappeared and I had more courage. As I kept letting go of the life I lived, I felt freedom. And as I changed my habits my health improved and I became more present.
The real restful state inside my heart was revealed.
Why not give this meditation a go? It may just be the best decision of your life.
Thank you David your words are an inspiratio.