To make our life meaningful we need to understand the self. Each person has two lives; an outer one of study, career, family and so on and also an inner life, which is of thoughts, feelings and beliefs. Most people today spend their time in the outer life and this is why there are all the stresses and strains in the world today; they are a reflection of each individual’s stresses and worries and anxieties, all concerned with the outer life.
It has been observed that humankind has travelled far into space, deep in the oceans, but not even an inch within to the understanding of the self. It is by understanding the inner self that we can bring greater meaning into our life. It has also been said that each one sees the world not as it is, but as they are. We see the world according to how we think.
There are three main categories of people in terms of how they approach life.
1. The greater majority are in the first category, that of Passengers. Their approach is, wherever life takes me is where I will go. Good things come, bad things come, feelings go up and down – ‘what can I do, that’s the way life is’. These people feel like they have no control and are just dragged along through life.
2. A smaller group belong in the category of Fighters. They fight with life. They come into confrontation, point fingers of blame at life in general and other people. They have an air of aggression; they are always unhappy about most things and this creates a palpable tension that can be felt in their company. They seem to be at war with life.
3. The third category is much smaller. These are the Explorers. They may not be totally content, but they want to explore how life works. They want to understand the mechanism of why things happen the way they happen. They want to explore the hidden principles of life.
It is this smaller group of people who embark on this journey of discovery, who learn about, understand and put into practice the hidden spiritual principles of life that develop lives of real meaning. They begin to live a life of a rich and interesting adventure. Meditation is one of the first steps on the journey towards this kind of fascinating life.