Meditate and Move On: A Lesson from My Mala
In 1996 while traveling in India I received a gift of a simple rosewood Mala from a man who I believe was a holy messenger. One of those sent by the divine when we are most lucky or most needing a nudge or reminder of something greater than our smaller, less cosmic concerns. I met Surendra in Haridwar near Rishikesh as I was walking through the marketplace. He was a professor of music and full of life wisdom. We had a wonderful time over those legendary cups of Indian chai discussing Vedic astrology, sacred music and other intriguing topics. After a rich afternoon of conversation I mentioned to Surendra that I was leaving for Rishikesh the next day by train and we said our goodbyes. I was waiting at the station the following day and Surendra magically appeared on the platform just before my train was due to arrive. He walked slowly up to me and handed me a very simple dark rosewood mala and said to me in a deep and sincere voice “Meditate.” Then he walked away.
So extraordinary life is. As I was writing this story about the meaning of malas in my journal I went to the kitchen to make a cup of tea and my treasured rosewood mala caught on the kitchen cabinet and broke.
They say when a mala breaks you are not supposed to fix it. You are supposed to gather its broken pieces and place the beads on your altar. It is time to move on and let them go because you have learned something, or made a breakthrough. New lessons are ready to come your way in this university of life. It’s time to connect with and choose a new mala.
There is a part of me that wants to fix this mala and ignore the wisdom of letting go. It is the third one this year that has broken on me. The first one was a mala that had an African Jade stone at the end. I was more attached to the beauty of this one than the sentiment or energy of it and so I let it go quickly. The second was a sandstone mala I had bought for my beloved husband as a gift, which I chose to wear one day as adornment. It was unthinking to wear someone else’s mala beads. This third one made me really quite sad. It was a special gift steeped in meaning and given to me with a specific message in a city regarded as one of the seven holiest places to Hindus.
In Hindu mythology Haridwar is one of four sites where drops of Amrit – the elixir of immortality – accidentally spilled over while being carried in a pitcher by the celestial bird Garuda. The Kumbha Mela, a holy festival held every 12 years in Haridwar, attracts millions of pilgrims, devotees and tourists. These seekers congregate here to perform ritualistic bathing on the banks of the river Ganges to wash away sins and attain Liberation.
I have been wearing those prayer beads on and off over the last 16 years stopping now and then to think about the profound gift of them and who they came from. Now the words “meditate” float in the ether around me. No beads imbued with a reminder of this practice that leads to immortality. The message seems more profound now especially as I have of late recommitted to deepen my practice. To meditate I do not need anything except for my desire to feel peace and communicate with the divine, with the source, with my own divinity. Surendra, thank you. Perhaps those difficult planets you mentioned that have been obstructing the course of discipline in my practice have also shifted and the timing is perfect for the creation of something new to come into being. I am sure somehow this was all destined and 16 years was the exact life span intended for this most treasured mala.
And I pass along to you a virtual mala with a message in honor of Surendra:
Meditate. Move on. Meditate.
About the Author
Experiencing Consciousness Through Mindfulness
Have you ever had a moment where you felt a heightened sense of awareness in which you could tune into your environment and people around you; allowing you to perceive things you wouldn’t normally? Or have you ever experienced becoming aware in a dream in which you were then able to start making decisions within the dream world (lucid dreaming)? What about a moment of love and compassion where you could actually feel what another person or animal was going through almost as if you were them?
These kinds of experiences offer us a glimpse into a profound way of being and perceiving reality that we each carry within, and that we can learn to use to bring about a more conscious, connected, and spiritual way of living that is literally just waiting for us to shift into whenever we choose.
Coming into the present moment
You may have noticed that a heightened sense of awareness is always accompanied by our perception coming fully into the present moment. It can feel a bit like switching on a light in a darkened room or focusing the lens of a camera—all of a sudden it’s like the world around us comes into view and clarity.
By coming into the awareness of the moment in whatever we’re doing, we perceive from our consciousness rather than the subconscious; which manifests as dreams and daydreams in which we lose perception of what’s happening around us and are drawn into the self-created images of our own thoughts and emotions. And because consciousness is the eternal, spiritual part of us, not only can we see physical stuff more clearly, but we can also perceive things that are non-physical too.
“…end the sleep which weighs heavily upon you. Depart from the forgetfulness which fills you with darkness… O soul, persistent one, be sober and shake off your drunkenness… Light the light within you.”
The Teachings of Silvanus from the ancient Gnostic Nag Hammadi Library, translated by Malcolm L. Peel and Jan Zandee
Taking control of the wheel
Although consciousness tends to get neglected—usually remaining submerged in a continuous stream of thoughts and daydreams, and forgotten amidst the concerns of everyday life—like a muscle, when we exercise it, it gets stronger and we can feel clearer, more “present,” and “truer” to who we are.
Coming into the present moment can feel like something we have to put down whatever we’re doing to experience, but being more conscious doesn’t mean we stop acting, thinking or feeling. Instead, like a driver taking control of the wheel, it means we are able to be more conscious of our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours, and therefore more discerning with those we choose to have.
Expanded Consciousness is the point we ultimately develop spiritually from, as it’s the eternal part of us—deeper than our intellect, knowledge of facts, or personal talents, it’s the part of us that journeys through eternity and that’s why in many spiritual traditions it is the focus of their disciplines and exercises.
“Intellectual knowledge exists in and of the brain. Because the brain is part of the body, which must one day expire, this collection of facts, however large and impressive, will expire as well. Insight, however, is a function of the spirit. Because your spirit follows you through cycle after cycle of life, death, and rebirth, you have the opportunity of cultivating insight in an ongoing fashion. Refined over time, insight becomes pure, constant, and unwavering. This is the beginning of immortality.”
Lao-Tzu in the Hua Hu Ching, translated by Brian Walker
Activating consciousness
Consciousness is something we can experience anywhere anytime. Here’s a little exercise that anyone can try, no matter what they are doing.
For example, if you’re reading as you are now, you can begin by just becoming aware of reading these words. Start then to become aware of your own breathing, and of your body sitting in the chair. Next, become aware of the various sounds you can hear around you. Look around and perceive the light and colours of the things you can see, any people, animals and interactions, the objects and sense of space. Just consciously perceive what’s around you without labeling. See if you can spend a few moments doing this.
Notice how thoughts start to appear. They could be about this article, or about what someone said. Just become aware of them. Observe the state you feel—perhaps a slight tension in your stomach, or a feeling of agitation. Notice how these feelings can cause you to move in a certain way, like jiggling your legs or clenching your muscles. Don’t become distracted by them, just perceive them.
Consciousness is that which is doing the perceiving—and can be directed both inwardly and outwardly. Notice that you can perceive without thinking—that you can perceive just by seeing.
Consciousness – beyond body and mind
Simply by trying this one exercise we can experience consciousness and observe how there is something within us that is beyond thoughts and feelings, and even beyond the mind. Going further, consciousness can even be experienced as being beyond the body in near-death and out-of-body experiences.
If you try this exercise a few more times, you will begin notice that there’s a permanent observer—one that is essentially always there, and always the same, whilst the different thoughts and feelings change from one moment to the next. If you recall a memory of when you were a child for example, you’ll feel that what was fundamentally having that experience then, is what is experiencing this moment now.
The potential to develop consciousness
Many different peoples throughout time discovered the inherent potential each of us has to develop our consciousness. They termed the outcome of this development enlightenment, awakening, self-realization, etc. Using their developed consciousness, they built sacred sites, created masterpieces of art and music, and explored the mysteries of life and the universe, all of which remain a timeless testament to human spiritual potential. We too have this potential, which is why spiritual truths remain timeless and just as relevant now as they were thousands of years ago.
Consciousness is what connects us all to the spiritual source, to each other, to all forms of life, to other planes of existence, and throughout time into eternity. Therefore by experiencing and developing it we can perceive, connect with, and partake in the greater spiritual reality and majesty of all that is—something truly wonderful to be alive for and to experience.
