A very big Aloha.
My name is Reverend Cindy Ballos and I wanted to talk today about how meditation integrates into your life.
This is an important subject.
You know,
I think a lot of you meditate and they're saying more and more people are meditating right now.
And so obviously there's this value in meditation.
I've been meditating since I've been at 13 years old and I do every day.
And sometimes the value is very hard to define.
I know that we can count on many wonderful things that most people will agree on.
It's relaxing.
It's definitely insightful.
It also gives you a chance to be still.
And in that stillness you can explore what really is going on inside.
And then that level of what you explore can go deeper and deeper and deeper as you delve into it.
Now there are people that do multi-day,
Sometimes week retreats,
But the average person doesn't do that.
The average person meditates.
I happen to meditate.
I get up at four every morning and meditate for an hour.
Some people do it later on.
Some people do it twice a day.
And it's all different depending on where you are in your life and what you are really setting as your intention.
Your intention and your goal and what you expect out of this research that you're doing.
Yeah,
I said research and not a search,
But a research.
It's a search that actually takes you to that place inside that you already have,
That already is there.
So if you've already got it,
It's kind of like re-getting it again.
Re-believing again.
Re-connecting again.
And doing that search to get what you need from that quiet space inside.
Now that's an interesting form of research,
Isn't it?
Now there has been a lot of research done about meditation over the years.
Some very interesting,
But almost all find the value of meditation.
But I believe that it's different depending on each person.
What you want and get out of meditation could be very different than what someone else may be looking for in meditation or may be experiencing in meditation.
The truth is that all meditations are designed to take you to that place of peace inside.
But once you get into that place of peace,
And what you get from it is very personal and very personalized.
As you make that connection,
It's interesting how it will guide you,
And it will direct you,
And it will lead you to certain ideas and awarenesses that you may have never thought of before.
Because some of this stuff was at a different level than your daily,
Everyday mind works at.
And this is a very valuable thing to realize.
I think you gain a very deep respect and admiration.
And for me,
Love,
I mean,
Of all the things that you can do in meditation,
Just being able to connect with that inner love.
And then bring that inner love to help you in your life to provide more direction and more understanding and more compassion is such an amazingly great gift,
Right?
Again,
That depends on each person.
Now,
There are many teachers that believe there's seven different energy fields or seven rays,
And each ray is differently tuned in,
Right?
So again,
Someone that is designed to be a certain way might not be the same as someone else.
Someone who's searching to do something in life to understand mentally may be different than what someone is doing that is devotionally based in getting that energy that is feeding that devotion and bringing about that aspiration.
And that's a beautiful thing.
I mean,
There are beyond that,
So many different levels of each of the seven rays personalized to what you're doing and where you are in your life and what you're ready to accept and see.
It's an interesting thing.
It's very different than psychology.
It's extremely different than what you would do if you were going to a psychologist.
Because this is a journey that is delving into other places in your life.
Now,
What you encounter will merge and be affected by what's going on in your mind.
And you will see that.
I mean,
You can just really find when people are going through meditation retreats that there's many things that will come out.
Because if you're sitting long enough,
Things will emerge.
And some of those things you buried perhaps for a very long time.
And then you've got to learn how to deal with the things that come up,
That emerge.
This takes a lot of strength.
It takes a lot of courage.
It takes a lot of stamina,
Inner stamina.
And I think that's where that beautiful gift of love really comes into play.
Because you find out if you love yourself,
You can understand as you discover more and more about yourself,
The good,
The bad,
And the ugly.
It's all there.
And we all have things we've hidden that are not so nice,
Haven't been dealt with.
I'm writing an autobiography right now.
And I'm looking back at things that I had not looked at in a very,
Very long time.
And as I go through this process,
It's pretty amazing how I just kind of forgotten about a lot of that stuff that happened when I was young.
And this is not unusual,
Of course.
We all have stuff that we've encountered.
In fact,
A lot of people who begin to meditate are looking for more strength to deal with stuff that was difficult in their lives.
I mean,
It's totally understandable,
Right?
So it's a wonderful opportunity to find that inner compassion,
That great love,
That connection to God,
And that place inside you that will guide you.
And it's amazing to me how all of the great masters and all of the great teachers may have different ways of describing it,
Different ways of practicing.
But basically,
It's all based on the same source.
And that is an amazing thing.
I support all religions and all ways of believing.
But I really don't necessarily like the way some of the religions have changed the inner truth of the original teachers and have used it to manipulate and get more money.
I'm not saying all of them.
Of course not.
But there are many that do.
So that's why I have always followed for myself that inner path.
And I certainly will read and get instruction.
And I will every day look at ways to make my life a more true reflection of the one light and love of all.
And this is,
As I mentioned,
It's a lifetime process.
And it takes so much understanding.
So be prepared when you meditate.
Be prepared on the spiritual journey that as you grow,
You will need to grow in many ways that you may not have originally understood.
And that includes growing from what you might have blocked out to accepting that,
Growing in your capacity to love yourself,
Growing in your capacity to love other people,
Growing in your capacity to love with that love and understanding in your life.
It sounds pretty basic,
But boy,
It's a biggie.
It's a big,
Big,
Huge undertaking that doesn't end easily.
You have to continue with each step you take.
You learn more.
And then you have to put it to work in your life.
And you know what?
It's not hard as you understand what you're getting from it.
The value of it is priceless.
The value of it is unbelievably valuable beyond belief.
That's why I've done it all my life and keep doing it.
And it's so beautiful to be able to gather and have other people teach in their own ways in one place like Insight Timer and see all the different forms of teachings,
All the different ways of meditating,
All the different insights on Insight Timer.
I just really support you in your journey 100%.
And I do encourage you to meditate every day and to be compassionate and to give yourself enough time to really allow that growth and that understanding and that love to continue on and on,
Inside and out.
I send you my love and my light always.
God bless you.
