Living Within An Inner Meditation Retreat

By Remez Sasson

You can live in an inner meditation retreat throughout the day, and at the same time carry on your day-to-day activities. There is no need to restrict meditation to certain hours of the day, and to certain places. Meditation may be carried on anywhere, wherever you are. You can actually live most of your time in an inner meditation retreat, without disturbing your daily life and schedule.

Meditation is an inner activity, which means that you can enjoy the benefits of a meditation retreat, even while staying where you are, in your present circumstances. You carry on your life, tasks and work, and yet, at the same time stay in a meditative state of mind.

In an actual meditation retreat you go to some place, where you meditate for several hours every day. In an inner meditation retreat you may also meditate for long periods during the day, but this meditation is carried on inside you, without any special outside conditions, and while going on with your daily life. I am not saying that this kind of meditation replaces an actual meditation retreat. It is only another way to grow spiritually, which may not suit everyone.

In order to meditate while engaging in other activities you need first to be trained in meditation. You need first to practice it daily in a quiet place and gain some proficiency, before you can do it everywhere. Staying in a meditative state of mind in your daily life requires that you possess enough concentration, will power and self-discipline, because otherwise your mind will wander away.

Practice every day your favorite meditation technique, at home or anywhere you can be alone and undisturbed. After it becomes rather easy, and you notice that your inner strength and inner peace are increasing, it is time to learn to meditate while away from your room or where you usually meditate. Go on with your regular meditations, but also practice meditation away from your familiar conditions.

Not every kind of method and technique can be practiced, while busy with your daily tasks and work. While meditating in your inner retreat you need to dispense with any kind of outside requirements such as music, a special sitting position, special clothing or meditation techniques that require doing something that might look peculiar and strange to others. It is preferable that you do not draw any undue attention to yourself.

At various times during your daily activities, when you are not busy with something that requires your attention, calm and steady your mind. Do not try to think about anything, but only pay attention to your consciousness and awareness. Not to the contents of your mind, but just to the feeling and sensation and awareness of being alive, existing and conscious. If you have been meditating for some time you probably know what I mean. This feeling- consciousness manifests automatically, when the mind is quiet.

Look inside yourself, into your consciousness. Do not follow your mind and thoughts, but just try to be aware of what is beyond them, the consciousness-awareness referred to above. Try to sense, feel and experience the inner silence, peace and happiness inside you, where your innermost consciousness resides.
Don't force yourself to do so every minute of the day. Even a few moments at the beginning are quite enough.

It is up to you how many times, and for how long you meditate in such a way. It may be not easy at first. You may forget to meditate or your mind might not obey you. It takes time to make it a steady experience. Stay calm, use your willpower, self-discipline, concentration and the ability to persevere and everything will be all right in due time.

This kind of meditation is an inner activity that does not involve the mind or the body, and is independent of them. This is why it does not interfere with your other activities. It a sort of continuous inner awareness, like an altered state of consciousness that will accompanies you, and becomes the background of your waking hours.

One day you will be able to stay in this peaceful inner silence most of the time, even while thinking. It will become your ordinary state of consciousness. You be will then constantly in an inner meditation retreat.

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