History of Meditation - An Amazing Adventure in Awakening
The history of meditation is a phenomenal one!All cultures have some form of meditative examination and exploration, regardless of their more popularized forms of public dogma and ritual.
Usually, the meditative practitioners in many of these cultures, and religious traditions are relegated to the outskirts and edges of the mainstream...
the adventurers of sense, and spirit who were destined to push the envelopes of human experience!All very fascinating stuff - and a quick reading of many great texts, from the early Hindu books, to the Buddhist oral traditions, through much of esoteric Judaism and Christianity, you will find small groups of leaders who pushed these mystical and magical boundaries to their fullest.
I always find it amazing that with so much religious acrimony in the world, and with so many of our religious differences seemingly at the heart of much of what ails modern civilization - the simple similarities shared through an examination of our collective meditative practices is stunning! Sufism for example, the mystical channel of Islam has MUCH in common with many of the great works of Jewish Kaballah, many of the same examinations explored in the Zohar and other great works of Jewish import are shared by their Sufi counterparts, whilst many of the great chasms of their parent religions keeps their mainstream members vastly apart.
And of course, Christianity has the same rich and wonderful traditions associated with love, kindness and mindfulness that only deep meditative awareness can bring.
Remember, many of the great Native American cultural phenomena, great tribal practices in Africa, New Zealand, and everywhere around the globe share one common thread:The practice of meditation as a great facilitator of increased awareness, exploration and acceleration of human potentials and possibilities for its adherents! And of course, meditation WILL change your life for the better as well - but only if you begin.
And there is never a better time than NOW.
So "follow your bliss" and allow the golden flower of awakening to bloom within you today.
You will be eternally grateful you did!
Usually, the meditative practitioners in many of these cultures, and religious traditions are relegated to the outskirts and edges of the mainstream...
the adventurers of sense, and spirit who were destined to push the envelopes of human experience!All very fascinating stuff - and a quick reading of many great texts, from the early Hindu books, to the Buddhist oral traditions, through much of esoteric Judaism and Christianity, you will find small groups of leaders who pushed these mystical and magical boundaries to their fullest.
I always find it amazing that with so much religious acrimony in the world, and with so many of our religious differences seemingly at the heart of much of what ails modern civilization - the simple similarities shared through an examination of our collective meditative practices is stunning! Sufism for example, the mystical channel of Islam has MUCH in common with many of the great works of Jewish Kaballah, many of the same examinations explored in the Zohar and other great works of Jewish import are shared by their Sufi counterparts, whilst many of the great chasms of their parent religions keeps their mainstream members vastly apart.
And of course, Christianity has the same rich and wonderful traditions associated with love, kindness and mindfulness that only deep meditative awareness can bring.
Remember, many of the great Native American cultural phenomena, great tribal practices in Africa, New Zealand, and everywhere around the globe share one common thread:The practice of meditation as a great facilitator of increased awareness, exploration and acceleration of human potentials and possibilities for its adherents! And of course, meditation WILL change your life for the better as well - but only if you begin.
And there is never a better time than NOW.
So "follow your bliss" and allow the golden flower of awakening to bloom within you today.
You will be eternally grateful you did!
