Is Meditation difficult as we perceive it?
No, it is not. The problem is that we assume we are not doing it well because we didn't meditate long enough as we desire, and as we have seen others do.
Yes, we may have distractions during our meditation because through meditation, **we try to bring the body which is always attracted to pleasure under our control, where it enjoys not, any form of pleasure but a period of contemplation. This is where the problem starts because It is always difficult to control the human body, one needs continuous effort to achieve this.
Nevertheless, the fact remains that we have a special gift and weapon which can make our meditation a smooth one, the only challenge is that this weapon needs our energy to work effectively.
The WILL makes it possible for us to achieve anything we set our heart to. If we desire to meditate, we will certainly meditate. Yes, we may not meditate as long and as composed as we desire but the fact is that we had the meditation because we willed it. We only need to take it easy on ourselves and understand that meditation is not that easy especially when we are new to it (meditation).
Since there are people who can meditate for hours and there are people who find it difficult to meditate for five minutes, we can agree that the difficulty observed in meditation is a function of our ability to use the Will power and how long we have been transporting between our world and the world of contemplation ( meditation). Those who have been practicing meditation find it easier compared to those who are starting this journey.
Again, we also need to understand that there is no approved standard for meditation. Many of us find meditation difficult because we want to follow the format used by an organization or an individual. This makes it difficult, for what works for Mr. A may not work for Mr. B. Another point worth noting is the fact that we don't necessarily need to be in a quiet place for us to meditate. Saint Francis Of Assisi enters into ecstasy upon seeing a flower. The beauty of the flower makes him contemplate the beauty of the Creator of the flower and then he enters into meditation. Likely, we can meditate while at work and contemplate on the work we do, how we do it and if there can be an any better way of doing it. We don't need to be free to meditate.
I remember when I had the routine of having a daily examination of conscience. Some days it is easier for me and other days, I find it difficult to do. It took me time to understand that the problem is from me. I discovered that when I have a stressed day and I am already weak at the point I want to meditate, I find it difficult to meditate but when I try to meditate when the body is a bit active perhaps in the morning, it is easier for me.
Thus, we need to understand that meditation takes energy, and when the body is too weak to supply the energy, we may not enjoy a smooth ride on our meditation journey. We, therefore, need to avoid trying to walk in the path of contemplation when the body is weak to carry us on this journey.
In the end, meditation is not as difficult as we take it. We need to take things gradually and with time we should be able to find meditation easier beyond how we see it today. If there are people who have found meditation easier, then we on our own can also find solace in meditation with time. We just need to believe, practice and we will get used to it.
This is my submission for the Ecotrain question of the week. You can join the fun. Check this link for details.