Meditation

Sam Harris articulates a common skepticism towards meditation, likening it initially to prayer due to its perceived necessity for pre-existing Belief. However, he distinguishes meditation by emphasizing its secular nature and practical approach to enhancing The Self-awareness. Unlike prayer, which often presupposes the existence of a deity, meditation requires no belief in the metaphysical, making it accessible to skeptics. Harris underscores the scientific spirit of meditation, where personal experience and consciousness are explored without the need for supernatural assumptions.

Meditation, according to Sam Harris, aligns with the principles of scientific inquiry, focusing on direct observation and experience. He suggests that meditation does not delve into metaphysical speculations but offers a method to understand the workings of one’s Mind. Harris points out the fallacy in assuming meditation can reveal universal truths or the nature of consciousness beyond personal experience, advocating for a pragmatic approach that values meditation for its introspective insights rather than metaphysical revelations.

Sam Harris describes meditation as a practice of paying attention to one's immediate experience, using the breath as a focal point. This practice reveals the difficulty most people encounter in maintaining attention, as the mind frequently wanders into thoughts, daydreams, or internal dialogues. Harris likens this to being lost in thought without realizing it, drawing parallels to the lack of awareness in dreaming. The challenge in meditation lies in recognizing this tendency and continually redirecting attention back to the present moment.

Through the practice of mindfulness, one can gain insights into the habitual patterns of the mind, including the relentless internal monologue that characterizes much of our waking life. Sam Harris highlights the paradox of thinking to oneself, questioning the need for such an internal dialogue when the thinker and the listener are the same. This realization prompts a reevaluation of the nature of thought and self, revealing the "psychotic" aspect of unexamined mental processes that dominate our conscious experience.

The ultimate goal of meditation, as presented by Sam Harris, is not to eliminate thought but to develop a new perspective on it. By cultivating attention and mindfulness, one learns to observe thoughts as they arise without being swept away by them. This shift in perspective allows for a more detached, impersonal relationship with one’s mental processes, leading to greater clarity and a sense of liberation from the compulsive nature of thinking.

Meditation unveils the impersonal nature of consciousness, challenging the deeply ingrained notion of a central “self” that experiences thoughts and sensations. Sam Harris argues that the feeling of being a distinct self is just another phenomenon within consciousness, not the essence of it. By observing thoughts and sensations as they occur, one can transcend the illusion of the self, experiencing a more unified and less ego-centric state of being.

Exploring consciousness through meditation leads to profound implications for our understanding of free will and personal Identity. Sam Harris suggests that the insights gained from meditation can unravel our conventional views on willpower and Decision-making, revealing the spontaneous and uncontrollable nature of thoughts and intentions. This perspective challenges the notion of a coherent, autonomous self, directing choices and actions, and opens up a more nuanced understanding of human behavior and Consciousness.

Notice each thought as they come up. Do not try to change them or direct them.

• Notice that good thoughts and bad thoughts come to your awareness.
  • Try your best not to engage with them – thoughts can have a linear flow if you let them.

Practice for 5-10 minutes daily for 3 days, after a preparatory practice such as Om Chanting.

Go to a setting where there are many things your senses can engage with.

Look at an object for about 10 seconds.

• Notice what thoughts are evoked by sight and let associations rise freely.
• Then look elsewhere. As you move your eyes, your thought will change.

As you move your indriyas the thoughts you have will change with them.

• Notice that when you shift, you must abandon the thought to make room for the new sensory stimulus.
• Pay attention to that discarding of thoughts as you move.

Practice for 5-10 minutes daily for 3 days.

Now the practice without indriyas and focus on simply discarding thoughts.

Close your eyes and as a thought arises, discard it.

• After you discard a thought, you create a space for a new one.
• Allow as many random thoughts as possible.
• Do your best not to engage with them.
• The pace of thoughts may slow down.

Practice for 5-10 minutes daily for 3 days.

After 10 days of the previous meditations, you can do the following practices. If you “skip ahead”, you will find it difficult and won’t get as much out of it.