Meditation has been a practice that I have been trying to convey since 2003 when I started teaching it. It is a challenge to articulate and teach something that is essentially an existential experience of being. It is like trying to describe the color blue to someone who has never seen it or explain the taste of an apple to someone who has never tried one. The main issue I have encountered is that people often seek to understand meditation intellectually rather than experiencing it directly.
Chogyam Trungpa, a renowned meditation master and Buddhist teacher, used to send his new students to meditate for 20 minutes before offering any explanations. This way, he allowed them to learn through their own experiences. Similarly, as a tennis coach, I would teach tennis by hitting balls to my students rather than just talking about the technical aspects of the game.
Meditation is a method, not a philosophy. It has been taught for thousands of years as a way to overcome mental and emotional suffering and find inner freedom in a world that is constantly changing. While religious institutions have developed around meditation over time, the core essence remains focused on personal experience rather than scholarly discourse.
Zen Buddhism is often viewed as anti-intellectual because it aims to transcend the rational mind and reach a place where words are no longer necessary. Intellectuals are drawn to Zen teachings because they recognize the limitations of the mind and language in understanding reality. The concept of “the wisdom of not knowing” emphasizes a form of knowledge that transcends concepts and intellectual understanding.
In mindfulness meditation, the goal is to let go of thoughts and concepts and experience a state beyond the rational mind. By relinquishing the need to explain or analyze meditation, one can achieve a sense of ease and naturalness in being. The practice involves moving from effort to effortlessness, allowing the mind to settle and rest in a calm state of awareness.
Effortlessness in meditation is hindered by the tendency to push too hard or strive for perfection. Many beginners struggle with the idea that meditation should always be peaceful and blissful, leading to a sense of failure. Mindfulness serves as a bridge from effort to ease, requiring discipline and structure initially but ultimately leading to a state of relaxation and naturalness.
The key to successful meditation is finding a balance between effort and effortlessness. Just like training wheels on a bike, initial adjustments are necessary to establish stability but eventually become unnecessary as one finds their center of balance. By letting go of constant adjustments and allowing distractions to come and go naturally, one can achieve a state of non-interference and acceptance.
Ultimately, meditation is about embracing the present moment without striving for perfection or setting goals. By cultivating a goal-less and non-striving attitude, one can rest in the natural state of awareness and experience the true essence of meditation. The journey from effort to effortlessness is a gradual process of acceptance, non-interference, and completion.
Chad Foreman, the founder of The Way of Meditation, has dedicated his life to teaching authentic meditation practices to a wide audience. With over twenty years of experience in meditation, Chad offers retreats, online coaching programs, and resources to guide individuals on their meditation journey. His teachings emphasize the importance of letting go of intellectualization and effort in meditation, allowing for a natural and effortless state of being.