I have often experienced that we get stuck with some thought and keep thinking for quite some time, traveling into different possibilities. For example, near an examination, we may be afraid due to insufficient preparation, and out of fear, we may have different thoughts in our minds about the consequences of failure. We may imagine not getting admission to a good college, our parents getting upset with us, our peers making fun of us, teachers insulting us, us failing to achieve our dreams, and so on. Similarly, before a presentation, we may be afraid. Therefore we may start imagining that we will fumble during the presentation, will not be able to answer the questions, or will be criticized by the bosses. Similarly, if we plan a fun trip, we may start imagining the places we will visit and the fun and entertainment with family or friends.
We keep traveling in thoughts quite often. Sometimes, we travel in the past, or future, while sometimes we try to find a solution to the problem at hand by thinking. Thoughts are the most comfortable vehicle we want to ride since they have some of the most attractive features. They are really fast. We can travel right from the Big Bang to God, from nature to the atom, in just a minute. Thoughts are like rays of light, in fact, faster than that. Thoughts are energy efficient also. It does not actually require any effort to think of anything. We may imagine being the richest person in the world or the greatest scientist without any effort.
I often wonder what the relationship of thoughts with awareness is. Aren't we aware while we are thinking? Why is it often said that we need to drop our thoughts to meditate? Probably, awareness implies the awareness of the sum total of our existence while on the other hand, when we are thinking, we are traveling in the domain of one such possibility. The problem is that we give undue significance to that possibility and get disconnected from the rest of our existence and that starts creating problems like anxiety and depression.
Our body is composed of five elements. Earth, Fire, Water, Air, and Space. Earth's element is like the nucleus of the atom and makes us look solid. Fire element represents the energy of the photons that provide energy to the whole of the body to function. The water element represents fluidity. In an atom, electrons provide that movement and fluidity and interact with each other to form different bonds. Air is the energy in movement. It is like the electromagnetic force. In the context of the body, it is represented by the Prana Vayu. Space implies the space within the atoms which is the storehouse of all the thoughts. All these five elements act on the base of consciousness.
In meditation, we try to get away from the movement of a particular thought and as we get away, we start observing our body as it is. We can observe different sensations in the body that are the result of the interaction of these five elements. We can observe heaviness in different parts of the body which represents the Earth element. We can observe heat or cold in some parts of the body that represents the Fire element. We can experience a flow and that represents the water element. We may also experience vibrations and waves inside our body which represent the air element. We often have many thoughts as well while practicing meditation that represents the Space element. Thus, meditation implies a holistic observation of the body so as to come out of the fixation with a certain thought or any other element. It helps us come out of the fixations and realize the wideness and depths of life so that we can live life fully and make it meaningful. Thus, as against the widespread misconceptions that meditation and spirituality are for retired people, the reality is that meditation is one of the most important tools of self-awareness and if we live life without awareness of what we are, there is no doubt that we will end up with a disaster. That's why all kids should learn to observe and meditate since childhood so that they are not trapped in falsity and live a fulfilled life.
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