What is ‘growth,’ anyway?
I love the pursuit of personal development: goal-setting, time management, organization, diet, visualization, you name it. However, I’ve learned that focusing too much in these areas can easily distract from real growth- the growth of the spirit. Even if you master the traditional areas of personal development to perfection, you haven’t really started growing until you rise above the mind and begin nurturing the soul.
Tragically, most of us live our entire lives on the level of the mind, so when we want to improve our lives, we begin from that level. But the endemic problems of the mind can’t be solved by the mind itself. If we try, we end up exacerbating the fundamental problems we started with- we feel more inadequate, more discontent. We set even bigger goals to complete, and if we don’t accomplish them, well, you can bet that the mind will make us pay. The result? Increased expectations and decreased tolerance for failure- hardly a sustainable model for “growth” if you ask me.
I presume you want to grow in a deeper, more effective way than just perpetuating the problems you started with. I presume that instead of just obscuring your problems, you’d like to eliminate them.
By taking a spiritual approach to personal development, you can do all that and more.
Spiritual growth=true growth.
Meditation is the foremost tool of spiritual development. It’s simple, accessible to everyone, and completely free.
Meditation is the best consciousness raiser out there, and it comes backed by thousands of years of human testing. On a basic level, meditation works by withdrawing your fragmented attention from the outside world and returning the power of your consciousness to its rightful owner: you. Meditation has many variations, but just two basic characteristics: It is a silent activity, and the goal is to still the mind as much as possible. Note that stilling the mind is a goal, not a definite outcome. When you first start meditating, just quieting the mind is a tremendous accomplishment. To really still the mind is probably the greatest challenge a human being can undertake. But it’s also the most rewarding.
If you’re new to meditation, start with a simple exercise like walking silently in nature. As you gradually get more comfortable, move on to more advanced techniques. I personally practice Surat Shabd Yoga, the most powerful meditation I’m familiar with- but I encourage you to try whatever works for you. Just remember your goal (still that mind!), go easy on yourself, and don’t get bogged down in the philosophical/ existential /cosmological details. That stuff is for the mind, not the soul, and can be a distraction from your spiritual development.
The joy of a peaceful practice…
By undertaking a meditation practice, you begin the most effective path to personal growth you can imagine. You will begin to alleviate and heal the fundamental problems of the mind, while bringing the useful faculties of the mind more directly under your control. You will gain a perspective on your life which no amount of intellectual insight can offer. And when you really still your mind, you will experience the most incredible joy imaginable. I’d even dare to call it true happiness. An equally fitting description would be the joy of peace.
You are completely capable of experiencing true happiness when you understand that it comes foremost from a happy soul, not a happy body or mind. And while you may choose to continue your traditional personal development (I certainly have!), I hope that a taste of spiritual growth will help you re-consider what ‘personal development’ means to you.
Good work, Travis! Keep it up!
– - I am one of your extended family Pitkin relatives
Your efforts and compassion do not go unnoticed or unappreciated. Go deeper Travis. WE need more.
Hi Trav,
Just wanted to express how beautifully written your article is. It’s thoughtful and inspiring- I look forward to your next posts!
-Carolyn
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[...] Meditation is the only way to truly guard the mind- and master the moment. With the help of a spiritual mantra, you can maintain that mental calm and focus throughout the day. If you have trouble with these methods, there’s also deep breathing, yoga, or walking in nature. [...]