While meditation, by its nature, is a time spent apart from
the concerns of daily living, there are numerous ways that the changes brought
about by meditation can be applied to our outward lives. Among the most
important areas that can be improved are relationships, work, and health.
Relationships
Little else in life brings us as much joy or as much pain as
our relationships with others. We are constantly seeking fulfillment through
friends, co-workers, and spouses or significant others. Yet most of the
“choices” we make in our relationships are conditioned by individual past
tendencies operating on a subconscious level, and by the magnetism of the
cultural environment in which we live. Most of the time we react rather than
act. Meditation centers us, strengthens our powers of discrimination, and
reduces our vulnerability to the hidden persuaders of society. Through
meditation we are able to become a cause rather than an effect. This is
especially helpful for improving relationships. Ideally, we should become aware
of ourselves and others primarily as souls, rather than just bodies and
personalities. This realization needs to be gained first through deep
meditation, in which it is possible to experience our own deeper nature. It is
then relatively easy to transfer that expanded awareness to others. When we
begin to relate in this way, profound changes can happen in the way we see
others and in how they respond to us. Instead of demanding, even
subconsciously, that they fulfill our “needs,” we can rest in the inner
fulfillment and contentment that we experience in a meditative state. Thus
cooperation replaces competition, and the joy of mutual giving replaces the
tension of reciprocating demands. A great sense of relaxation comes as we
realize that relationships are given to us primarily to help us learn and grow,
especially in our ability to accept and to love.
