Meditation for Self-realization

Don't be satisfied with stories, how things have gone with others. Unfold your own myth.

- Rumi

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin wrote: “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience.” This quote is frequently repeated in the context of spirituality. As much as I agree with it, I must add a caveat. More precisely, we are souls imprisoned by our egos. Self-realization is therefore a process through which we discover our souls. We get in touch with the vital energy that flows within us, unnoticed, fueling both our soulful and emotional wellbeing.

This wondrous process allows us to appreciate that there is a plane of existence beyond the physical form. It does not need not be religious. Approaching the subject from a secular perspective, the value of realizing who you truly are remains. Imagine if you were going through life blindfolded from the moment of birth; and one day, the blindfold was lifted. This is what self-realization is about. It is about lifting the blindfold (Plato’s classic allegory of the cave is another way of representing this idea).

We lead busy lives these days, perpetually bombarded by outside stimuli. The noise of our cities, the constant rush, the work anxiety, mean we rarely just sit with ourselves anymore. We lose the sense of individuality. We lose the sense of who we are. Being an entrepreneur, I have also been guilty of this. The work is constant, and the responsibility is enormous. When do we find the time to just be ourselves?

Meditation is a powerful tool often used for self-realization. Finding the time to meditate, even if it is just ten or twenty minutes a day, is crucial. Finally, after a day of noise, we find ourselves just observing our thoughts. No judgment. Just observation. Then, that part of us, which needs to be heard, will always appear. We may realize that some of the thoughts we have during the day, and some of our opinions, are not truly ours, but rather influenced by other people or events. As Michael A. Salinger said: “And should you choose to devote yourself to the ongoing journey of self-realization, you will develop a tremendous sense of respect for who you really are. It is only then that you will come to appreciate the full depth of meaning in the advice: “This above all: to thine own self be true.”

Devoting yourself to the journey of self-realization may not be easy and requires actual effort. It requires one to go deep, to dive into the meditative process with hope and trust. I believe that it is worth it, regardless of any obstacles we face. A lot of unhappiness in this world stems from the fact that we do things that are against the core of who we are. We feel the discomfort, which is just a symptom of a larger problem. Without pursuing self-realization, we will not even be aware of what we truly need and want.

This is why I call on everyone interested in living a balanced, whole, beautiful life, to take the time. Self-help culture clings to the idea that habits take 28 days to form or unravel; but like Wholistic Wellbeing more widely, this is not a one-size-fits-all scenario. Some will take 28 days, others less, and some longer. The universal flatline, though, is that we should all start now. No need to wait until the New Year. Life is short, and we should make the best of it. Today and every day.