Nothing is wrong with the Unconscious Mind, except for the people who lead unconscious lives.
That’s me making fun. I think.
In the modern day and age, with the onset of the “New Age” of love and light, meditation, and more meditation, and more meditation, has been elevated to the rank of sainthood. Now, the point of meditation seems to be to dissolve consciously into the void, to get to a point from where you can watch your own mind, your own thoughts, and finally, without effort, observe that you are not your body, thoughts, emotions or behaviors.
This process has a purpose, a meaning and a direction.
But unfortunately most of the time if not this practice has led to passivity and inaction. People tend to use it as an excuse for DOING nothing. For accepting their lot in life with increasing indifference and nonparticipation.
Life is hard and there are a lot of stressful situations to deal with. Just meditate a little and all will be well. Just dissolve into the grand sea of unconsciousness. Don’t worry about the next step. Don’t worry about how you can use all the latent power in that “sea”, all the incredible force and energy you can use to create something great in your life and on this planet. Let others worry about that. This unconscious “feeling good” is enough. You will feel a little better. Nothing would have changed in your world but you’ll feel less stressed. For a while.
I practice meditation often. One of the meditations I like is based on meditation on the light from the ancient Hawaiian Huna. But no meditation practiced profoundly leads to passivity. In fact the I’o process from Huna describes the process of retreating into the void (easy to say, hard to do) for a precise purpose. To do something with it. To become proactive. To change the static energy into a dynamic one.
This is the whole idea of meditation: find out ways to create new things with remarkable amount of energy from the void. The dissolution of the ego into the void does not stop there. It reforms in a new way with new creative energy.
Passive acceptance of the increasing stress and problems in life is not the purpose of meditation. It does not put you in charge. It only leads to more unconsciousness. More passivity. More acceptance. This is a foiled attempt to replicate the Eastern techniques.
Meditation is extremely useful. And it isn’t easy to do either. And it is not easy to do well. It takes years and years of practice to get somewhere.
I knew a lady who meditated daily for 15 minutes. Once I asked her to describe to me what was she experiencing. What was the purpose for her meditation. What she said was akin to day dreaming where your mind goes wherever it wants in a sweet state of unconsciousness. So, in our culture the meaning of meditation has become somehow restricted and confined to unconsciousness. Poor Unconscious Mind. No direction. No instruction. No clear and precise indication for using this energy.
It is almost like all the valuable concepts and techniques imported from the Eastern philosophies have been distorted and adapted to superficiality. Another thing to sell. And it’s being bought! Big time!
The overall result is to create more passivity and acceptance. Of what? Of everything. Good or bad. No action required. In fact action is frowned upon as being too disturbing to the “seeker of inner peace.”
If dissolving into the void does not create new possibilities for creativity and action, then what’s the point? If dissolving into the void unites one with the true nature of things and dispels all the survival fears one can conceive of, but does not create anything new, then what’s the purpose? To dissolve into the void? We will anyway at the end of this life folks before the next experience (that is if you believe in future lives).
The dismissal into the void of all the blocking fears one can experience has only one purpose – to show the potential creative power existent inside each individual, which resides ready to be utilized for the creation of the new.
Familiarize yourself with the Prime Directives of the Unconscious Mind. It is a good way of getting to know your Unconscious Mind and what is capable of. You can find them explained very clearly here.
And when you know that, then you can make it conscious.
Until next time, be well.