May 23, 2021

The Effects of Meditation: Moving from Pain to Joy

7 minutes

Written by Turīya. Narrated by Marie T. Russell

The effects of meditation often occur so gradually we don't notice them. Then comes a day when we have the sudden realization we're not like we used to be. With this dawning of understanding that we're not who we thought we were comes confusion. If we're lucky, we might have a teacher or friend who tells us, "Relax, it's all part of the process."

Dealing with these changes is where the science of self-discovery and the art of self-control come in handy. By taking a step back into the scientific mindset, the objective view of ourselves as beings on the path of self-discovery, we can analyze the condition in which we find ourselves. With the scientific viewpoint, we can simply observe ourselves without judging, without pulling emotional reactions into the observation. Once we've seen where we are in relation to where we want to be, we can practice the art of self-control to get there.

Meditation opens our awareness to the subtle levels of our being. We become more sensitive to our surroundings and at the same time we develop an inner strength, which allows us to deal with this increased sensitivity. The same way a child learns not to touch a hot stove, we learn through experience to move our focus away from that which causes pain to that which brings joy.

Continue Reading at InnerSelf.com (+ video version)

Read by Marie T. Russell, InnerSelf.com

Music By Caffeine Creek Band, Pixabay

About the Author

Turīya is a Buddhist monk, teacher, and author who, despite living with chronic pain, founded the Dharma Center of Trikaya Buddhism in San Diego in 1998 to share her path. For over 25 years, she has taught thousands of students how to meditate, trained teachers, and helped people discover the unreasonable joy of our true nature.

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