“There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments, and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance—that principle is contempt prior to investigation.” ~ Herbert Spencer
In order to awaken do we need to be aware? Awakening happens often times without our willing it. Think of times when you awaken suddenly in the middle of the night. It just happens - you pop awake - you search for the cause, was there a loud sound or perhaps a dream interrupted. You've scanned the room and didn't find a valid reason for your awakening so you find a warm spot in your bed, fluff your pillow and close your eyes falling fast asleep. What if this happened time and time again? Wouldn't you search for a valid explanation? Spiritual awakening happens in much the same way. Something beyond our conscious awareness wills it to be.
We don't will our spirits to awaken. Perhaps a crisis of some kind facilitates this. Mid-life is a fertile ground for waking up parts of us that have lain dormant. It's an invitation to pay attention, to scan our world, to investigate the source of the whispers that keep tugging for us to acknowledge them. True free will connotes choice. With choice we are aware. We can choose to ignore the cause, fluff our pillows and go back to sleep or we can investigate.
Meditation is a wonderful tool of investigation into the deeper mysteries of life. To begin a daily meditative practice all you need is a modicum of desire. With this desire we come to a place of natural investigation. What is Meditation? How do I Meditate? Do I have to believe in any particular religion? Through investigation we awaken to the possibility that Meditation is a quest for truth, a path that can and will usher us into a conscious awakening far beyond our wildest imagination.
