Meditation is such a wonderful spiritual tool to draw us closer to learning the inner truth about ourselves. In my search for meditation thoughts to share, I happened upon Elizabeth Lesser’s book: Broken Open: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow
Before I share the meaningful quotes from her book, let me share a bit about this interesting woman:
Elizabeth Lesser is the co-founder of the Omega Institute, the largest adult education center in the United States focusing on personal and spiritual growth. For more than 30 years, Lesser has studied and worked with leading figures as Ram Dass and Thich Nhat Hanh and shares this work with the world through her books, Broken Open (New York Times Best Seller and A Seeker’s Guide.
Rather than write about what she said, I will share direct quotes from her book:
Meditation is a matter of slow and steady experience. It is not a cure. It is not a set of moral values. It is not a religion. It is a way — a way to be fully present, a way to be genuinely who we are, a way to look deeply at the nature of things, a way to rediscover the peace we already possess. It does not aim to get rid of anything bad, or to create anything good. It is an attitude of openness. The term for this attitude is mindfulness. …
… Meditation is the practice of ‘unconditional friendliness’ …towards whatever is happening in the moment… Meditation helps us find an internal witness with which to view external events…. Being able to observe ourselves honestly, with acceptance and friendliness, trains us to do the same with others at home, at work, and in the world.
Mindfulness meditation trains us to be less reactive to whatever it is in life that causes us suffering. It gives us an ability to experience our own pain without identifying fully with it, and therefore to be more free from it. …
Meditation can be a magnifying glass that lights the fire of happiness in our hearts … When our minds are quiet and our hearts are strong, we see that the whole world is full of grace.
Elizabeth’s meditation thoughts flow like a beautiful river.
I hope you will join in part two (coming soon) where she shares some instructions on how to meditate.
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