How do I Meditate to go Further, Deeper

There is no limit to where you can go or to what you can receive in meditation. It is so easy to stop, to plateaux on a certain experience or feeling inside. The following stories might help with a direction to find more and answering yourself the question: "How do I meditate" to go deeper.

If you want to learn to meditate, you’ve got one important decision to make in the beginning...

Along a stretch of beach there can be 1000’s of sea shells of all different kinds. Let’s say that each shell represents something you’d find within if you looked within... for instance, feelings, thoughts, desires, impressions, concepts, ideas, beliefs, and so on.

Now, if walking along a stretch of beach was a metaphor to describe going within, then–are you going to look for only one shell? Or, will you be open to finding any shell that comes into view as you look down while you’re walking?

This metaphor serves to raise the question of whether you are only open to finding one kind of experience when you close you’re eyes to go within, or many. Are you going to look for one truth from meditation, one feeling, one experience of nirvana, of stillness, of enlightenment, of bliss, or relaxation... or, are you open to finding, whatever is within to find? This single choice... this point of self awareness, largely determines your success in meditation. It serves as an important direction to answering the question: how do I meditate to go deeper.

How do I meditate to go deeper? A story...

There is an old story about a disciple who, after hearing a talk on the question: "How do I meditate to go deeper?" from his master on Oneness, went to his master and said: “I now know the answer. I now know ‘the truth’ about everything; it was revealed to me in meditation. It is true as you say. I am not the ego. I am not my thoughts and troubles. I am not separate from God; we are truly all One. The only thing to do when I go within is to just witness how we are all one. I do not need to endeavor and search for the truth anymore, I know now the secret to, How do I meditate to go deeper."

The master was silent for a moment and then replied to the disciple, “Fool! Because I speak about Oneness and other spiritual teachings of truth, you think that all you have to do is accept what I have said when you go within; then you have some experience and think that you have become enlightened and know how to meditate. You do not understand the full nature of truth. You do not understand meditation’s purpose. You are blind; you cannot see more than your dreamy concept of what you think to be ultimate truth.

Every day you scurry around these grounds like a chatter-monkey in the morning to get to the meditation-hall, completely unaware of the chaos and disturbance you cause. But then you sit down to go within and look only for this ultimate truth of love and harmony. You look to find your mind’s picture of what I teach, yet you do not see the many truths you can and need to see all along the way. Do you ever look inward and seek to know why it is you behave in this chaotic manner in the mornings? Are you even aware of what you are doing, and how frantic your mornings are, and what effect that has on the rest of your day? What to speak of the effect it has on other people?”

The master continued, “You think you have found the ultimate truth – you think you know how do I meditate - you have found nothing! Pay attention! Do not use meditation to escape your life. See that your practice is a part of your existence in this world, not to be used as an escape; then many more truths will be revealed that you need to see, not just the truths that you want to see. Perhaps now you can ask when you go within for direction about better ways to do your morning service so you are not a silly chatter monkey that causes you and others needless suffering. This is all part of learning about how do I meditate.

You do not see the answers yet because you do not look, but of course, you are close. You could see today if you wish. But you are not special in this. Everyone is closer than they know to finding many truths and answers that will help them right now.” The master closed his eyes and paused again to consider what he had to say next: “Like others, you are blinded to the many truths, because you seek only the one truth. The so-called ‘ultimate truth’ is but a butterfly that the seeker chases. As he chases the butterfly, he does not see the ground, and thus he trips and falls, time and time again.

When will he learn? Enlightenment, Oneness . . . yes, by all means yearn for these things and be open to receive in kind. But also seek to correct the illusory ways in which you think and behave. Want to see, want to know many truths; then you will be able to see how to change your illusory ways. You will start to see ways you should let go and change, and thus you will be closer to God. You will be closer to full awareness, and your consciousness will lead you to experience deeper truths. ”These are all important components to learn when you ask yourself "how do I meditate to go deeper?".

Then the master gave a decidedly human and warm look to his disciple that the disciple knew very well and said, “Become more aware, become more present. Know that there are important truths waiting to be found, important understandings about your existence that will help you see a better way to wash the floor and bake the bread in the morning. This would be of great help to you and the others.

“Contemplate what I have said. Hear what I have said. Change now, dear one. As you go within toward Oneness, do not seek only one thing. Be more open to finding all manner of assistance when you do your practice, and you will be given thus.”

Anonymous

What a beautiful lesson in how do I meditate to go further and deeper. I hope this inspires you to contemplate your own meditation habits and practice and find more as a result.

If you are interested to learn how to meditate there some important key teachings for you to grasp that will help you with any practice.