What have I here? A pebble from a beach in Cyprus, now used as a
paperweight. Let me meditate on this. First I shall observe it very
carefully, noting its size, shape, color, texture, heaviness,
markings, etc. Next I shall close my eyes and concentrate upon it. Now
I will use the Four Roads of Thought again, with a new motive - to
realize as fully as possible the object in whole and parts, its
qualities and its actions. When I have done my best at this I shall
know that pebble better than before - both it and its relation to
other things. The fullness of meditation on the form and color of this
object will lead to a realization of beauty more than I knew before.
If this does not come from the whole, it will come from meditation on
a part of it. [Perfect meditation will be on the whole thing, but if
in the course of a meditation we feel we want to continue it only on a
part, we can reduce the field of concentration to that part, whereupon
that part becomes the object of meditation. Thus, if I am meditating
on an elephant, and I find I become especially interested in its
strength only, I can reduce the field from elephant (which now becomes
a background) to the aspects or examples of strength which it
presents.] Meditation on its substance and weight and stillness will
lead to a new realization of what being is. Another line of meditation
will lead me to feel what it would be like to have one's consciousness
in the stone. I must merge myself in it and feel the ``stoneness'' of
it. What is that life experiencing? What ``stillness'' is it feeling,
learning and enjoying?
If my object was a living thing - the cat, again - I should have
much more scope for meditation. After following all the
Roads, I would come to the question of the feelings of the cat in many
different situations. And again, I would merge myself in the cat mind,
and bathe, as it were, in its consciousness and experience. Already I
have tasted its sensitiveness, its beauty, and its being in poise and
in motion, and now, entering its consciousness I shall know it by the
road of love, a feeling of its feelings which I cannot have without
being attentive to its outlook. In order to learn skill in action, how
to touch things, how to walk with touch and balance, and many other
such things, I will do well to meditate upon the cat. Every animal has
something very valuable for us.
In both cases - the stone and the animal - my thought, feelings and
body will all be improved by meditation.
Terrence Brannon
2005-09-09
