Beyond mindfulness, Beyond therapy

Most people see meditation as a form of therapy and mindfulness, as some ideal goal.

What if you could reach places beyond mindfulness? What if you know how to dive and expand your experience of yourself, beyond your mind? Meditation could serve as a channel to grow, to be more real, to actually be, rather than do – think or feel or sense, all the time; to be in silence, in yourself.

Most people – meaning probably over 99%, experience themselves only through their thoughts, be it memories, feeling, needs, ideas, or by spacing out  – sleeping or day dreaming.

They do not know how to rest, nor how to be quiet within. They live in endless chatter, chaotic noise and inner clutter. They don’t have the space even for true, deep contemplation let alone silence.

Their only escape is knocking themselves out with alcohol, drugs, distracting entertained. Their only relief is falling asleep.

Furthermore, many people have sleeping disorders since they literally don’t know how to leave themselves alone, how to be, without worries, obsessively processing thoughts, memories, and emotions. Lost in and attached to their mind so much that they find it hard to meet the basic need of sleep.

 

Being with ourselves

Lacking basic intimacy with ones selves, not knowing how to mealy be in peace within. While feeling uncomfortable and unfamiliar to be in alone and quite, they are unable to stop thinking, and yet simultaneously commonly unaware of how they feel or what they need.

In such so called “normal” condition, in such a habitual and noisy inner state it is no wonder people endlessly look for therapy and long to be more mindful.

However if we only look forward in hope to be a bit more aware, to be a bit more healthy, our very aspiration is lacking depth. Any supportive practice will be used in a therapeutic way, and we will miss out on the actual inner, more hidden, jewel.

 

The importance of Imagination

If we don’t dream big, far and wide, it will be very difficult for us to get beyond our known territory. Mindfulness, paying attention to our body, to our thoughts, etc. this is all great and can be very useful, but it is still rather limited, in comparison to the expansiveness that we can reach if we are willing, daring and committed.

If our imagination does not allow is to envision ourselves beyond the mind, then yes, mindfulness dose seem very attractive.

Yet there is a space, an experience and an existence that is beyond the mind.

We must first allow ourselves to believe so, to allow the idea to be, and then follow the guidance of someone that actually knows their way there.

We then learn to tap into it and from there on, it no more is an idea or conviction, but simply a personal experience we cannot deny.

This is not to say this process of crossing over into a state beyond the mind is easy or trivial but it is most defiantly possible for those that desire it, and actually understand that this is that which they desire.

If our only aim to heal a trauma, to get healthy from a physical or mental problem, then yes, meditation can help. Nevertheless, it is to be understood that this is not real meditation, but a form of theory, a method to increase calmness. While this is a very positive thing in itself, it is not what meditation is about, for we are still restricted and limited in the dimension of our mind, our thoughts and our personality. We are still stuck within these borders and we don’t even know it.

The world beyond the borders of our mind, where thoughts can be heard but also be silenced, quietened, slowed down or disregarded, that world which can serve as our base, is far richer and more real.