Introduction to Meditation Techniques 10,
11 and 12 Unveiling the Inner Center Within every individual resides a center,
A core of existence that often goes unnoticed as people tend to live outside of it,
Operating away from their true center.
This state of being away from one's center gives rise to an inner tension,
A constant turmoil that manifests as anguish.
The human experience in this condition lacks balance.
Individuals find themselves detached from where they truly belong.
This imbalance,
This disconnect from the center,
Serves as the foundation of all mental tensions.
In extreme cases,
When this disharmony escalates,
It can lead to madness.
Madness is a state wherein an individual has completely detached from their core self.
Conversely,
An enlightened being stands as the antithesis to a madman.
An enlightened person is firmly rooted within their center,
While a normal individual oscillates in between these two states.
This oscillation can take individuals to the extremes,
Resulting in moments of temporary madness during outbursts of anger,
Passion,
Or other emotional surges.
At such instances,
The distinction between an average person and a madman becomes blurred,
With the main difference lying in the duration of their respective stays in these states.
The challenge lies in managing this oscillation as it prevents the formation of a fixed self-image.
The constant movement between these states denies one a consistent identity.
Straddling between moments of madness and fleeting encounters with centeredness creates a dilemma.
The human tendency to seek stability pushes individuals to anchor themselves somewhere in the middle ground.
This state is what society considers normal,
Wherein one avoids the extremes of madness and enlightenment,
Ultimately leading to a restricted existence.
Yet,
Those who stand out as exceptional,
Such as artists,
Painters,
And poets,
Diverge from this normalcy.
They navigate the spectrum between madness and centeredness with agility,
Experiencing heightened tension and anguish due to their constant movement between worlds.
These exceptional individuals struggle to maintain a fixed identity because they frequently traverse the boundaries of their own being.
This fluidity sets them apart,
Causing them to often feel like outsiders in a world that clings to the normal.
Categorically,
There are four distinct types of individuals.
The first category encompasses those who possess a stable and rigid identity,
A fixed self-image.
Often there are those with fluid identities,
Including poets,
Artists,
And singers.
The third category encompasses those who have succumbed to permanent madness,
Completely severed from their core self.
The fourth category consists of those who have found their center,
Individuals like Buddha,
Christ,
And Krishna.
In the realm of those who have reached their core,
A sense of profound relaxation reigns.
Their consciousness operates free from tension,
Effort,
And desire.
Their being transcends the notion of becoming.
They are content with their existence as it is.
This state signifies the absence of longing or future aspirations.
Such individuals remain in the present moment,
Unburdened by the desire to change or transform.
Their experience is eternal,
With each moment holding eternity within itself.
It's important to recognize that this state of being does not entail physical asceticism.
These enlightened beings still partake in daily activities such as eating and sleeping.
These actions are devoid of the projection of desires into the future.
A Buddha consumes food,
But without the mental projections that the ordinary mind tends to create.
In this way,
They exemplify the cessation of becoming,
And consequently,
The absence of tension.
Tension thrives in the space between desire and acceptance,
When one seeks to become something they are not.
Transformation is inevitable.
However,
By embracing oneself completely,
Tension dissipates.
The contrast between the madman who constantly seeks transformation,
And the enlightened individual who accepts their being illustrates this point.
The path to remaining centered,
Therefore,
Is the art of dwelling in one's being,
Avoiding the traps of becoming,
And embracing the reality of the present moment.
Through this understanding,
The following meditation techniques aim to facilitate this journey to a more serene and centered existence.
