Nourishing your soul.... continued

Last week, when I posted the prequel to this article, many wondered- did I mistakenly mention Yoga and meditation in the tips that might hinder you from nourishing your soul. I mischievously and deliberately left the statement. Let me assure you - it was not an error.

Do not get me wrong-I am not saying that Yoga or meditation is harmful. For the minuscule, insignificant minority, this is a path for exaltation. If you have reached a state of absolute clarity within and have resolved all the niggling issues, meditation is the path to go. For the overwhelming majority, though this is not true. Right action, right choices are the only way to reach that stage of pellucidity. While the health benefits of Yoga are unquestionable and one knows the benefits of meditation in calming one's mind, these are not a panacea- just like lifting weights has its benefits but is not a cure-all. And meditation does not connote a rigid process. Different individuals can experience meditation while pursuing various acts. For some, they may get into a meditative state while gardening, others may reach this stage while writing a piece of code. The benefit that arises is from this meditative state, and one can achieve this meditative state in millions of different ways.

If one is unresolved or have time and again pushed issues of the past under the carpet, the conventional methods of meditation may be harmful. It may give a false sense of well-being; you may become numb, push your feelings deeper and lose all awareness of your emotions. In effect, you would be ramming your problems deeper. And the deeper they go, the more harmful they become.

I, for one, would like to deemphasize the value of meditation and stress on the importance of being righteous and doing what is right during our stint in this world.