How much of human conflict, whether in the physical or just within the thoughts comes from misunderstanding and mis-conception of truth?
Mindfulness and Meditation are words that for some, in recent times, have become synonymous and yet they are quite distinct aspects of the same whole. Whilst this misconception is unlikely to create conflict of vast proportions in itself, it does represent a vast opportunity to transform conflict, which is worth exploring for those that are committed to a better future for themselves, their organisations and the world.
In ancient times it was natural for the human mind to allow the flow of thought from the inner to the outer perspective and back again. There was a natural communing with the Inner or Higher Self that then gave direction and inspiration to the practical life. There was no question as to whether there was some kind of divinity that had created all, not a God-Head formed in man’s image, but an energy that brought into life and that unified and harmonised all things. At any point humanity was either in tune with that energy or out of tune with it. If out of tune with it then communing with nature and the Inner Self would allow that reharmonisation to take place and so the cycle of life unfolded.
However as humanity progressed and experimented with its freedom of will and choice so came a deepening of selfishness and self – focus, it began to build its God-Heads in its own image and form its religions and factions and conflict began to reign and that divinity, that harmony was cast aside. As the personification of that creative energy continued, humanity began to worship it, to covet it, and so the conflict began until that God became for many so far removed from the original creative energy of harmony, which is love, that they could no longer find truth within it, preferring to limit the experience of life to the finite and purely physical and materialistic.
We are bearing the consequences of this evolution in an extreme way in modern times where greed prevails over love and self power prevails over divine power and global harmony has become a distant dream. Is it any wonder that those with faith in humanity and the future are reaching once again to those natural ancient practices where faith was a given not a choice.
Meditation quite simply is the movement of the mind into that inner communion with the infinite. Mindfulness is the first stage of Meditation which creates the concentration and focus within the finite mind, allowing the journey into the state of peace, purpose and creativity to unfold.
Mindfulness works within the conscious mind whereas Meditation encompasses the whole of the mind and its three layers: conscious, sub-conscious and unconscious. At Corporate Soul we speak of the finite mind which is the physical, conscious, mental aspect and the infinite mind, which is the mind of the Soul.
True Meditation will always end within the infinite. Mindfulness is a term originally used within the Buddhist tradition to describe the very powerful practice of observing the breath, the link between the finite and infinite. What is most important to note is that any other form of Mindfulness which focuses on thought is a process of concentration & focus, and therefore augmentation. As such it is vital that the intention is one of love as the practice of intensifying thought can be used for good as well as for that which is not. In other words what Mindfulness is used for really matters, as just because you can do something, or make something happen doesn’t mean you should. Mindfulness was never conceived of as a practice in itself and the opportunity that stands before us now is to step through a further doorway into the light that exists there for one and for all, and in this way, reawaken the harmony within us and choose to express it in thought and in action to those around us, those we know and those we do not, to humanity as a whole and to our planet which teeters on the edge of collapse and cries out for its own harmony to be restored.
Meditation is not an end in itself but it is the way and whatever names or terms we use, this pathway has always been in existence and is as natural a part of the consciousness of humanity as breathing, dreaming and sleep itself.
It is our belief at Corporate Soul that Meditation is a gift that all of humanity can embrace if they choose to and that what lies at the end of that journey of light is truth, purpose, hope and love.