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Natural Awakenings Lehigh Valley

Rx for Uplifting Humanity: MEDITATE

There has never been a greater need for peace in the world and in our personal lives than now. Watch the news or observe conversations and human interactions around us and we witness overwhelming tension, judgmental attitudes and stress permeating daily life.

In striving to keep up with the demands of life, the stress or “fight or flight response” kicks in. Under relentless pressure, many isolate from others—especially those who are different— and this only exacerbates fears, anxiety, anger and disharmony. The good news is that this is a curable dis-ease.

Imagine a world where we everyone felt at peace inside and treated others with respect. What if we put our focus on our many similarities? Isn’t the planet a collection of human beings with hopes, fears, loves and sorrows just like ours?

This higher vision and experience of life develops naturally when we culture it. Yes, we can cultivate higher states of awareness where life supporting thinking and actions are natural and spontaneous. Consider this: at a deep level doesn’t most everyone want peace and harmony? Meditation practice is an antidote for what ails us.

Finding Peace Inside: Meditation

For me, this journey started when I stumbled upon meditation 43 years ago. The year was 1974 and a friend invited me to accompany him to a free introduction class a few miles from my home. Having nothing else to do, I attended the session.

The teacher conducting our class surprised us with a comment that still resonates: “There’s something missing in most people’s lives. The missing element is inside, not out there in the world.” By nurturing our inner life with meditation, he said that every aspect of our life would improve beyond what we imagined was possible. This proclamation was intriguing.

As I listened, I knew my life was not heading in the right direction. My wife of three years passed away unexpectedly a month earlier, and I was grieving and depressed. Based on what I heard that evening, I thought this meditation practice might help; I had nothing to lose. Two weeks later, I participated in a series of four consecutive daily classes to learn to meditate. During the first meditation, without trying to do anything, my mind settled down effortlessly as my body rested. Author and mind body medicine pioneer, Deepak Chopra, says you don’t have to make the mind quiet because it is quiet deep inside, just not on its surface. Through meditation, I was learning how to reach the quiet mind.

A Game Changer

The charming state that I experienced in that first meditation is restful awareness. Many comment that it is a game changer. Life simply gets better with meditation in it.

Two years after learning to meditate, I left my Industrial Engineering career and embarked on a long training program to become a teacher of what I learned, the trademarked practice of Transcendental Meditation. I have now taught meditation for 40 years. The last 23 of those years, a program I developed called Effortless Meditation.

Meditation practice is transformative. Practitioners are sure to notice that their health improves as deep-rooted stresses in the nervous system release. Most begin to experience greater peace of mind and a growing sense of wellbeing rather quickly.

A Mother’s Relationships Improve

A young mother once came to learn Effortless Meditation (EM). She was amazed by a comment from her 10-yearold son just three days into her meditation course. He said, “Mommy, this meditation must really work.” When she asked him to explain what he meant, he said, “You didn’t yell at me tonight when I made mistakes playing my violin.” The next evening, he made a similar observation regarding her calm response when the family car broke down.

This mother loved her son and husband dearly and expressed sadness that she was often critical. This woman, like many, had a stressful job and her inner tension bubbled out. After quieting her mind and releasing stress in every meditation, she is more patient, kind and compassionate.

The saying, “the world is as we are,” rings true. Lasting peace, whether in personal relationships or in the world, comes from a foundation of peace inside each of us. Meditation practice is truly a prescription with immense value for all of humanity in today’s world.

Some benefits of meditation include:

  • Reduces stress
  • Increases mental clarity and focus
  • Improves physical health, better sleep
  • Reduces anxiety & depression
  • Improves relationships
  • Gain peace of mind and happiness

Greg Schweitzer teaches Effortless Meditation in the Lehigh Valley at Twin Ponds IHC in Breinigsville plus other locations including online courses by video conference. For more information, or a free introductory class schedule, call 610- 670-6700 or visit EffortlessMeditation.net.