A Diving Analogy

This morning while meditating, one of the many thoughts that popped up was a simple analogy. The appropriate thing to do was to the let the thought pass, but because this was an analogy for the meditation itself, I indulged.

If mind is like the ocean, then meditation is like diving

The ocean's surface is rough on some days and calm on others. As you dive beneath the surface, it gets calmer and quieter.

It's not an easy journey to get down there. In fact, if you're starting out, its very hard and even painful. But you do it gradually. A few feet at a time. Every foot you dive is similar to ever minute you spend sitting and doing nothing.

It's all about controlling your breath.

When you do reach the bottom, things seems slower. You are slower. You are floating. You simply watch the fish swim by. Any attempt to catch them is futile.

And then you realise that there's a whole new universe beneath the surface, which you didn't even know existed. A universe which has its own rules, very different from the surface.

After spending some time, it's time to come back up. You must slowly travel back slowly, a few feet at a time.

And we're you back at the surface, you think about the feeling of being down there. It's hard to describe, but it's unique.

And you want to go back again.