Today if you don’t meditate, you are out! You are at risk of losing it completely. Life has become so stressful for so many people that just to achieve and maintain a minimum level of basic relaxation is an arduous task. Yes, we can enjoy so much more comfort and better material living conditions compared to our ancestors and previous generations, but that comes with a very high price tag.

Meditation Yesterday, And Today:

For thousands of years, meditation has been a discipline for few courageous seekers in search of enlightenment. It was a path of great renunciation, sacrifice and commitment. Nowadays meditation is by and large no more perceived as a path to spiritual enlightenment but as a way to get better sleep, a more focused mind and cope better with daily stress. The thing is: we need to start from where we are. And today so many people are stressed and feel as if overwhelmed by life itself.

The Tipping Point:

It seems that unless something serious happens, the human mind prefers to avoid or neglect problems. Or perhaps it’s just the basic law of economy: why to waste energy on something that is not absolutely necessary? Well, I guess we have now reached that tipping point. People are so overwhelmed that unless we all find a way to scale down and relax, the amount of psychological suffering, unhappiness and misery around the world will cross the point of no return. And it doesn’t have to be that way. We can stop it and be happy right now.

More Free Time Is Not Leading Us To More Happiness:

Technology has made our lives more comfortable and freed our time. We can cover long distances in very short time, communicate instantly with people on the other side of the world and produce, sell and consume goods almost instantly. Food is always available and the vast majority of the world population doesn’t have to hunt or farm for survival. But what do we do with all this free time? Do we relax and enjoy our comfort? Do we spend time in nature? Are we creating more beauty and a more peaceful and sustainable world?

Meditation Is More Difficult Today:

I believe that as modern people we are disadvantaged compared to our predecessors when it comes to meditation and relaxation. Yes, we have more comfort and technology but we use our time in bizarre ways. We have created a lifestyle where we fill our precious free time with mind activities. Digital dependency is a big one! Our minds are more active than any other generation in human history. As Buddhist Zen Master Tich Hath Hanh says “it has never been easier to run away from oneself”. That’s why stress levels are rising dramatically. Stress is the inability to calm down and let go. The mind is so wind up that the thinking process acquires a life on its own and becomes totally out of hands. We are not in control of ourselves, rather our random thoughts control us.

We Can Turn Things Around:

It’s not by chance that meditation is becoming so popular and it’s spreading across all layers of our society, especially in developed countries. People need meditation today more than ever. It is unfortunate that the trigger is negative. But it’s great news. If our society becomes more meditative, we have a real chance to change the environment we live in. Osho’s work is to make people realise that it’s possible to turn this planet into a paradise on earth. No need to dream about the afterlife. Life is here and now, it’s the only life we have and it’s wonderful. It’s up to us to change the way we live to truly enjoy all the beauty that surrounds us. And meditation is the key. So wherever you are in your life journey, just meditate now. No time to waste!

By Chetna & Swaram, www.loveosho.com, Contributor of //LIVE SIMPLY//