THE HISTORY OF MEDITATION...
Meditation has a rich and long history in the world dating back 2500 years. Yep, 2500 years to the time before Christ. The story goes something like this...
An Indian Prince, Siddhartha Gautama was born sometime around the year 550 BC to nobility in Nepal. His father was the King of the Shakyas tribe, his mother dying within days of giving birth. Siddhartha spent the better part of his first 30 years in total seclusion behind the safe, lavish wall of his Father's palace. He eventually ventured outside the palace walls where he experienced a completely different life, old age, disease and death. He quickly returned to the safe haven of the palace where he started to question his existence to date. The next day he left the palace and his family on a quest to understand the suffering he experienced the day before.
For the next 6 years he lived the life of a pauper and studied the practices taught by local religious leaders. When the answers he was seeking did not appear he doubled down on his efforts going for long periods without sleep and nourishment, thinking this may clear his mind as he prayed. He soon realized, upon pending death from lack of food, water and sleep that his answer did not exist in extremism but in a "Middle Path", the point between denial (no food, water or sleep) and over indulgence (royalty).
The next day he ventured alone into the woods with a supply of rice and water. He found a position under a Bodhi tree (Tree of Life) and vowed not to return until he realized the truths he sought. After several days of deep thought he found the answer he was searching for to help end suffering. At this point he achieved enlightenment, the state of perfect wisdom and infinite compassion.
He returned to his village and as word spread of his adventure he was then and forever known as Buddha (He who is Awoke). He spend the remaining 50 years of his life, yep, he lived into his 80's, teaching his followers the path to enlightenment. His teachings have been recognized as the most profound and influential of all time. It is the practice known today as meditation.
Next post...WHY SHOULD YOU MEDITATE
