MEDITATION
Meditation: Learning to Let It Go
The entirely secular process at the core of meditation
At its core, the process of meditation is simple and entirely secular: learning to let it be and to let it go.
Although the process is simple, mastering and applying it goes against the grain of much of what we call “the human condition.”
If you force it, if you desire very much to let go of something, like your resentment or your anger or your shame, it only gets worse. It adds to the pain of having the issue the extra desperation of not having a readily applicable fix, of realizing that you have to endure it despite being unable to bear it.
Meditation is beneficial because it is an experiential rather than an intellectual tool. And also because it approaches the problem sideways: instead of trying to apply the process of letting go directly on any particular issue, which would fail miserably, you apply it on yourself.
Experiencing the process of letting go
In meditation, you are instructed to follow your breath as it is. If a thought, image, realization, or sensation comes up, you let it be. If you let it be and you do not follow it, gradually, it goes away. It diminishes.
If you find it annoying or interesting, if you want it to go away or to remain, you get attached to it. You reinforce it. You put it at the forefront, and you reason on it: What does it entail? How can it go away, or how can I experience it again next time?
This is all. You do this over and over, not on anything specific, but on anything and everything that occurs within the confines of your session.
And then the interesting part comes along: without any effort, you can apply this to your everyday life. This is the essence. But remember: it can only work sideways. You have to not make an effort to apply it to your life.
Meditation is an experiential tool that works side-ways: instead of trying to apply the process of letting go directly on any particular issue, you apply it on you
But I know what you are thinking.
Ok, but what if we have to do something about our issues?
Letting go and doing what needs to be done are not incompatible; they are inseparable. They are the hallmarks of true efficiency.
This point requires an article by itself, which I am working on. But what lies at the core is this: You do what you understand that has to be done. And then you let it go. You do not force anything beyond your power to enforce. You respect the immense processes out of your control and let it be. This is the only thing that can be done.
Why is this so powerful? Because when you learn to let go, you channel your energies more efficiently. You focus on actionable steps, the things you can change or influence, instead of dissipating energy on worry, stress, or attempts to control the uncontrollable. Your actions become more targeted, more potent, and, consequently, more effective.
Of course, this is easier said than done. But the way it is done is by learning to let go, experientially, in the lab of your own mind.
Letting go and doing are not incompatible, they are inseparable. They are the hallmark of true efficiency.
Letting go of letting go
A close friend recently told me that my articles on meditation are confusing. This made me very happy indeed! I sincerely believe that if you think you understand too much about meditation, you are missing the point entirely.
To compound this very productive feeling of confusion, I would like to turn to the Buddha and see what he allegedly thought about his teachings. I would call this the ultimate letting go: letting go of letting go.
Simile of the Raft, attributed to the Buddha, Majjhima Nikāya 22
When they’d crossed over the river they should think, ‘This raft has been very helpful to me. … Why don’t I set it adrift and go wherever I want?’
In the same way, I have taught how the teaching is similar to a raft: it’s for crossing over, not for holding on. By understanding the simile of the raft, you will even give up the teachings, let alone what is against the teachings.
My interpretation of this is that the Buddha urges us, at some point, to go back to whatever it is we were doing. If there is anything that our meditative journey has equipped us with, it will come along anyway. It will not come only if you lift it and force it along with you.
Conclusions
Meditation is a lab we all have in us, where we can learn, experientially, to let go. It teaches us the art of balancing action and inaction, guiding us to focus on what’s actionable and to release what’s beyond our control.
After some time, letting go becomes a natural part of us, equipping us to navigate life’s complexities without the need to forcefully apply or retain any processes or methodologies.
At the end, the true mastery of meditation lies in the paradox of letting go of letting go itself.
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