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How American Meditation Benefits You If you did not desire your present situation, Namaste. We pray to the Divinity in you. In March, 1775, a group of patriots convened at St. John's Church in Richmond, Virginia. At that convention a thirty-nine year old man rose to his feet to deliver one of the most inspiring speeches in world history. Although he spoke about the desire to be free from the tyranny and oppression of the British Crown, Patrick Henry’s words could very well apply to the stressful, complicated and uncertain nature of modern American life and our own personal desire for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. “They tell us that we are weak, unable to cope. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week or the next year? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction---by lying supinely on our backs hugging the delusive phantom of hope---until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? Sir, we are not weak---if we make a proper use of those means which the God of Nature has placed in our power.” Names and forms have changed dramatically since Patrick Henry’s “Give me liberty or give me death” speech, but most human beings are no less plagued today by the painful stress of daily life, the desire for freedom from worry and the endless search for happiness. In addition to our own personal duties and responsibilities, the world around us presents many challenging uncertainties. With apologies to Thomas Paine, “These (too) are the times that try men’s souls.” With history as our guide, it’s easy to conclude that the desire to end pain, misery and bondage is universal and timeless. How to fulfill that desire---in the midst of every circumstance and relationship---is the essence of American Meditation. Concerning such provocative questions, Henry David Thoreau offers some helpful insight. “I went to the woods,” Thoreau explains, “because I wished to live life deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” Unlike Thoreau, American Meditation does not require that we “go to the woods . . . to front the essential facts of life.” True freedom and happiness can only be experienced from within our own constellation of relationships. Toward that goal, life itself is the greatest of all teachers---if we can develop an ear to hear and an eye to see. American Meditation provides the framework to experience the peace of mind and happiness we seek. Unlike the physical sciences which investigate the laws of the external universe, American Meditation is a tool for knowing our internal landscape, the nature of our consciousness. The sages teach that we are citizens of two worlds---the outer world of names and forms and the inner world of thoughts, desires and emotions. To be free, we must learn to act skillfully according to our objective knowledge of both worlds. American Meditation provides step-by-step instruction on how to create a bridge between these two worlds. By employing scientific techniques, American Meditation teaches how to access the wisdom of the inner world, and how to employ that knowledge skillfully in our relationships through mind, action and speech. American Meditation teaches how to control, conserve and transform our greatest human resource---the energy of the mind---to attain our most deeply held desires. As we learn to master our internal states through regular meditation practice, the vast, hidden, habitual power of the unconscious mind is slowly transformed into healthy, creative, loving, nurtured and rewarding relationships and experiences. This bridge between the inner and outer worlds coordinates all our assets by harmonizing the body and mind with the Divine wisdom of the spirit. Though the basis of American Meditation is the ancient Himalayan tradition of India, its truth is echoed in every major religion and indigenous tradition: Hebrew, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim and Native American. But American Meditation is not a religion. It is an educational body of knowledge that does not interfere with any religious or cultural belief. On the contrary, American Meditation enhances the understanding of, and appreciation for, every religion and culture. In practical terms, American Meditation provides the technology for creating new mental software that empowers us to make conscious, discriminating choices---choices which unerringly lead us for our highest and greatest good. The basic American Meditation instruction is found in Psalms: “Be still and know that I am God.” This is accomplished through the practice of seated meditation. The root of the word meditation is related to the root word for medical and medicate. It means attending to or paying attention to something. In seated meditation, you pay attention to inner dimensions of yourself that are seldom observed or known. Meditation involves an inner attention that is concentrated, quiet and relaxed. There is nothing strenuous or difficult about creating this inner attention. In seated meditation, we try to let go of all the many mental distractions, preoccupations, and the fleeting thoughts and associations of our normal waking experience. We do this, not by attempting to stop or repress our thoughts, but by encouraging the mind to focus on one subtle element or object in the present moment. This internal focus of attention helps the mind cease its other constant and stressful mental processes. In seated meditation, you are fully alert, but the mind is not thinking about a problem nor analyzing a situation. Instead, the mind is asked to slow down its usual chatter by letting go of its everyday tendencies to solve problems, analyze, remember or focus on the memories of the past or concerns the future. American Meditation is not letting the mind wander aimlessly, nor having an internal conversation with yourself. American Meditation is simply a quiet, effortless, one-pointed focus of attention and awareness. The skills we gain in seated meditation---to witness and transform the power of our thoughts, desires and emotions, can then be employed in all our relationships throughout the day through the practice of meditation in action. Instead of always reacting impulsively to our fears, anger and desires, we learn through meditation how to observe and transform their energy into thoughts, words and deeds which bring us to a level of greater happiness and contentment. For individuals recuperating from any kind of surgical procedure or emotional trauma, meditation is therapeutic from the very beginning. Meditation helps relax the tension of the gross and subtle muscles and the autonomic nervous system, and it provides freedom from mental stress. Individuals who meditate attain a tranquil mind, and this helps the immune system by limiting its reaction to worry and anxiety. After just a few days of sincere efforts, meditation will begin to establish new, healthy, habit patterns. These skills increase individual willpower and help a person to make beneficial choices in life. Sound decisions concerning a beneficial diet, daily exercise, diaphragmatic breathing and lifestyle selection all become possible when the mind is not controlled by habit. In life everything is constantly changing, and yet the habits of the mind resist that change. To facilitate positive change, American Meditation practices have one singular goal: to know the true Self in every circumstance and relationship. After all, if you don’t know your true essence; if you don’t know who you are, it's impossible to make reliably beneficial choices. To put an end to stress and dis-ease we must begin the earnest exploration of the frontier that lies within. To find true joy and contentment, we acknowledge and serve the wisdom of our spiritual core by learning to steward the power of our thoughts, desires and emotions. American Meditation is a roadmap for this inward journey. American Meditation is a program of holistic practices and time-honored techniques to improve mental, emotional and physical well being. The only two requirements for benefiting from its use are your own personal determination and earnestness. In service - with love,
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