The Purpose of Meditation

The first purpose of meditation is to become familiar with our inner life. As we begin to witness our negative thinking and our obsessing about the future and the past, they cease to control us.

Awareness is curative. Through the regular practice of meditation we pull free of the tyranny of having to react to our thoughts and feelings. Then we become aware of the mysterious nature of life that lies beyond our thoughts about it.

The ultimate purpose of meditation is to revere God and to become aware of the perfection of His creation - to become aware of our surroundings as God created them. This means seeing things as they actually are without the lens of 'me' and 'mine'.

One might call this 'True Seeing'.

'True seeing' is the certain knowledge that:

Nothing is mine - To God belongs the east and the west; wherever you go there will be the presence of God. God is Omnipresent, Omniscient. (Quran 2:115)

God is in control of all things - Such is God your Cherisher and Sustainer, there is no god except He, the Creator of all things. You shall worship Him alone. He is in control of all things. (Quran 6:102)

Everything I see is temporary - Know that this worldly life is no more than play and games, and boasting among you, and hoarding of money and children. It is like abundant rain that produces plants and pleases the disbelievers. But then the plants turn into useless hay, and are blown away by the wind. In the Hereafter there is either severe retribution, or forgiveness from God and approval. This worldly life is no more than a temporary illusion. (Quran 57:20)

Truly it is in the remembrance of God that hearts find peace (Quran 13:28)

Thanks to http://www.masjidtucson.org/ for permission to use Rashid Kalifa's translation of the Holy Quran.

What Is Meditation?

Meditation is that conscious act of turning our awareness away from how we think things ought to be towards how they appear in this present moment.
In other words: turning away from our "small-selves" towards God and His ways.

We have misidentified who we are through our focus on temporary thoughts, feelings, and perceptions.
As we lose interest in these through meditation, we find our real identity in the vast Mystery that engulfs us. Consequently, meditation is often called "coming home."

Meditation is barrier removal. It is the practice of removing that which is false so that the real can shine.
It is unlearning everything we think, feel, and have experienced to allow The always present God to shine in our awareness.

Meditation is not an attempt to discover something new; it is a effortless remembering of what actually IS. It is release: releasing our ideas about who we are, who others are, and what the world is.

Let go, let go, and then let go of letting go.

How to Meditate

There are hundreds of meditation techniques.
Experiment until you find one that is right for you.

One of the best ways is to simply sit in silence and "take what you get". Don't try do do anything, don't try to achieve anything but simply submit to the Silence that is always available in each present moment.

Don't analyze anything, or try to control anything (your thoughts, the noises around you or anything). Just trust that God will lead you home.

As thoughts, feelings or sensations arise, just notice them, release them, and gently surrender yourself to the Silence and God's guidance.

Empty yourself utterly, and let God lead you home

Helpful hints

Resist no thought or feeling

Recoil from no thought or feeling

Remember no thought or feeling

Remember the Silence

Trust that God will lead you home

Take what you get from the session. Often the best meditation sessions are those that seem most troubling.

Barriers

Expecting certain results

Trying to do it right

Getting lost in "small-self" negativity

Meditation is just barrier removal.

Meditation is the practice of removing the barriers of 'me' and 'mine' and any ideas of how things ought to be; thereby remembering God and his uncountable blessings.