The Goal of Meditation

As we have discussed previously, meditation is “focusing your mind for a moment”. 

But why?

What is the goal of focusing your mind for a moment?

Unfortunately, the full understanding of the answer will only come once you have practiced, however, we can get an idea from other experiences. 

When people start meditating, they do it for a variety of reasons.  There is usually an end goal in mind at the start. 

But then we have to back up for a moment and ask ourselves “are we ready to reach the end?”

The answer for most of us is no.  And that is ok!  So far, there are claims of 2 people who have reached the end goal of meditation.  Buddha himself, and Jesus Christ.  No one else even claims to have gotten there. 

So then what are we doing with meditation?

We are laying the groundwork!

If you want to do anything in life, you first need to lay the groundwork and put in the mundane daily effort to get to where you NEED to be, so you can go where you WANT to be. 

This starts with learning how to focus and becoming an expert at it. 

In hockey, do they teach how to shoot a goal, or how to hold the stick first?

In driving, do they teach you how to set the gps, or how to use the gas and brake pedals first?

When learning to paint, do you learn the fine details of the masters, or how to hold a brush first?

Most people get into meditation seeing the masters in their meditative state.  A great example of this is the Shaolin monks!  In their meditative state, these incredible human beings are able to do superhuman feats like take a spear to the throat!!!

But they did not start there.  These are people who have mastered the skill of focusing and then have directed that skill to a specific task.  The same as a hockey player who masters control of the puck so they can score a goal.  The same as the race car driver who mastered the gas brake and steering so they can drive at 200 mph safely.  The same as Leonardo da Vinci  mastered the brush stroke before painting the last supper. 
Now it is time for you to master the skill of focusing so that you can direct it to achieve your goals. 

That is the goal of meditation.  It is not to calm anxieties, it is not to quiet the mind (this is impossible so don’t even try), it is not to look hip on instachat or snapogram.  The goal of meditation is to perfect your ability to focus.