Siddhartha “Buddha” Gautama is the father of Buddhism. It may be too early to claim
that Oprah is the “mother” but she seems to be making her case for that title (see the article on Oprah’s “Tolle House” classes).
As a practical matter, the Buddhist concept of improved mental state through meditation can be utilized by anyone. For many, the concept of meditation inspires images of “New Age”, “Hippies”, “Extremist Monks”, or generally something that doesn’t apply to their lives. For others, the practice of meditation suggests a religious construct that is antithetical to their Christian upbringing. The reality is much different.
Mindfulness meditation is a simple practice of attempting to empty all thoughts from your mind. I compare this to the recovery period that your muscles need after a workout. While the mind is not a muscle, meditation can offer a analogous recovery period that can open new avenues of creativity, productivity, and mental acuity.
I hope that the benefits of meditation can be better understood and realized by many more people. For this to happen, the stigma that intimidates many will need to be removed. Hopefully, light-hearted blogs like mine or the powerhouse of the “big O” help to make that happen.
