Why we meditate

 Meditation is a method to break out of this dream world of concepts, by letting be…letting be …letting be. It’s the first step to recognising the confusion and thought patterns in the mind, by creating space. That recognition of space (empty essence) is our true nature.

 Everything we (empty essence) experience must pass through the mind, which then translates and reacts because of our mind’s fixations on past experiences, and so we go round in circles, imprisoned. The key to unlocking this prison is the space created by clarity, which cuts through the concepts that are holding the prison doors tightly shut. Clarity allows these appearances (which are mainly our emotions) to be clearly seen and so they melt away.

 We think we are living in the present (the present is the only reality) but mentally, we live in the past or future. We are pure consciousness (empty essence), but through our obsession with the mind and body, we have built a seemingly solid projection of the outer world, and ourselves.

 Meditation is breaking out of this prison programme, and thus we experience pure reality (empty essence).

 However, there will be a residue of feelings and concepts that will still arise in the mind. Even though we may rest in empty essence, karma – created by our previous reactions that left an imprint in the mind – still arises.

 Just let these feelings and concepts be: gradually, they lessen. That is the continuity of the meditation. And that is the real work!