Why Meditate? From 'Teach yourself meditation' (James Hewitt)
Until only a few years ago, if one asked the question 'Why meditate?', there would have been only one answer,
which would have been something like this: 'For the spiritual and mystical purposes for which the techniques of
meditation were devised and for which they have been used for thousands of years. Meditation is the spiritual training
of the world's religions and serves the supreme goals of those religions. Though there is some variation in the
doctrines and dogmas of these religions, and in the words employed to describe their goals, these goals may be summed
up under the single description of mystical consciousness. The answer to the question "Why meditate?" is therefore —
to attain mystical consciousness.'
But today, in the West at any rate, a second reason for meditating may be given, and this is the one which applies to
the majority of meditators. It is that word has spread that meditation of the Eastern kind improves physical and
mental health by inducing psycho-physical rest and relaxation of a depth and power of refreshment that is in some
ways superior to that of sleep.
Meetings in recent months
For the July meeting, Val Worthington, who is a part-time minister at John Pound church in Portsmouth, used the
familiar passage from Ecclesiastes to introduce the subject of ‘Time’ as a theme. The mysterious, variable nature
of time gave much food for thought as did the importance t our lives of the way that time is used.
The one hymn, by Lucy Larcom, asserted that the best things every person has are those which every person shares.
These include the air, the sky and light, the outside world and the inside world.
There was a visitor who was grateful to have found a Unitarian presence in Salisbury. He was about to become
ninety-seven and severely visually impaired, but still managing to be make good use of the time left to him, with
walking, reading and travel.
Brenda’s theme at the August meeting was of hope and courage in a world that appears often terrifying and deeply sad.
The world situation challenges both our sanity and compassion where there are threats of terrorist attacks, natural
disasters, wars and dreadful poverty contrasted to obscene wealth. We may look for ways to counter our vulnerability
by adhesion to a religious faith or by making jokes. Seeking a ‘meaning of life’, Scott Peck spoke of it as “the growth
of the human spirit”, an English Muslim speaking to an interfaith group said it “is to serve others”. Two hymns were
sung that resonated with the theme, Hardy’s poem ‘The Darkling Thrush’ was read and the meeting was ended with a
recording of the rousing music of ‘Blaze Away’.
The September meeting had an unusual form. Our artist member, Christopher Browne, lit the chalice and explained that
spiritual satisfaction came to him more in terms of graphic art than of words or music. He presented a series of slides
(these were of paintings in the Southampton Art Gallery) to illustrate how the artists used different methods to
communicate their intentions. The pictures by Courbet and Caravaggio and sculpture by Anthony Gormley were related to
self-image, rather than by manipulation of the paint itself as Cezanne and other Post Impressionists, while Kandinsky
gradually introduced abstraction. Paul Klee was shown to be pursuing his expressed intention to make his work equivalent
to music. This spiritual offering was closed by dowsing the chalice candle. The discussion time illustrated many diverse
strands of thought that had been stimulated including the opinion that artistic intention could and should not be
transmitted by words.
The most determined secular humanist insisted that the ubiquitous use and enjoyment of art by human beings was due to
the evolutionary selective value of the fellowship and bonding it involved. The difficulty of two observers finding
the same meanings in a painting was raised and the opinion expressed that, for many, 'feeling' was usually intuitive
and a direct response to visual features of a work of art and that giving 'meaning' might be inappropriate.
Rona, for the October meeting, took for a topic ‘In memorium’ and lit the chalice for all those who had died but stayed
in our memories in affection. She considered the idea of there being much recycling involved in the death of a material
body but that the personality being of a different form. It could stay in the memories of surviving friends. After a
movement from Mahler’s Fifth Symphony, there was a hymn and readings in connection with these ideas and some sharing of
thoughts on the subject. Some of these involved the assertion of not being afraid to die. The oldest member present, who
claimed at 97 to being the nearest to his end, remarked that he wanted to stay while he was still getting satisfaction
from life but, like some before, was not keen on being around when his end came.
The November meeting, close to Remembrance Day, was an opportunity for Kay to invite us to reflect on and share our own
and others experiences of the conflicts of the twentieth century. The inspirational music of Vaughan Williams 'Lark
arising' began the meeting with a meditation on words by Anne Frank. The motivation of young men to sacrifice their
youth before they had understanding of the horrors of warfare was related. This was contrasted with the few records of
human compassion such as the Christmas armistice of the first world war and the dangerous sheltering of Jews in Europe in
the second world war. Personal memories of the second world war were shared. Readings included 'Spring at Passchendale',
and the poems 'Naming of parts' by Henry Reed and 'High Flight' reflecting the spiritual experience of flying a Spitfire
by one of 'the few' . A meditation ended the meeting with the final words "Love shall tread out the baleful fire of
anger, And in its ashes plant the tree of peace".
At the December meeting, members each brought their own contributions appropriate to the season including readings of
poems, carols to sing and music to listen to (and of course a mince pie or two).
Future Meetings will be held at
locations in Salisbury starting at 6:30 p.m.(to be confirmed),
currently in the Lounge room of the United Reformed Church,
Fisherton Street.
February 18th, Rev John Harley
March 18th, Rev Brian Anderson
April 15th, Jo
May 20th, t.b.a.
June 17th, t.b.a.
July 15th, t.b.a.
If you feel that you would like to lead a meeting - please let us know.
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