This: I am at fault, I am responsible.

There is so much self-glorifying, blame games, and finger-pointing going on in the world. We brag and take pride in ourselves, our opinions, our countries, teams, families, and achievements, and we complain about others.

We all need to do some serious soul-searching. It doesn’t matter how far we think we’ve come or how good we think we are; there is so much negativity inside us. We are all filled with crap.

Self-check:

• Do I generally think that I am right and others are wrong?
• Do I have strong opinions about things that I don’t know much about?
• Do I feel anger or irritation on a daily basis? Do I harbor hatred in my mind? (Hatred usually shows when I am pressured or triggered by something, but some people don’t even want to use the word ‘hatred.’ They prefer to say slight irritation or anger.)
• Do I harbor hurt feelings? Do I seek revenge? Do I feel happy for the misfortune of others?
• Do I think I know God? Do I believe I am somehow in a better place than others or that I deserve to go to heaven?
• Do I try to impose my will on others?
• Do I seek to be respected or admired? Do I try to hide my weaknesses in order to look good in the eyes of others? Is it difficult for me to admit my weaknesses even to myself?
• Do I think that I’m a good person?
• Do I think that I’m entitled to something?

Contemplate on the above sincerely. They are all examples of dirty and selfish minds, which make it impossible for us to coexist. We all have these thoughts, and we block each other out by carrying them within us.

If we don’t take actions to let go of these thoughts and feelings indicated by the bullet points above (list not exhaustive), we will never become humble, we will always suffer, and we will cause suffering to others. We will remain trapped inside ourselves. There’s no happiness to be found, no liberation. This will go on for generation after generation. The world will never be a really good place to live.

The starting point for meditation

The solution is to get rid of the judgments and discernments from our minds, to empty and cleanse our minds. However, that cannot be done if we don’t even admit that we have them or believe that we are good people.

The best starting point is, therefore, to accept that I’m selfish. That’s where introspection (i.e. repentance) start because it sheds light on our self-centered thoughts and brings them to the surface.

I’ve been meditating for almost 10 years now, and I still have a long way to go, but at least I’ve realized what I need to do, and that’s a step forward. I need to empty my mind. I need to meditate.

Meditation, where we discard our mind, can be done irrespective of religion, culture, sexual orientation, political inclinations, or age.

Meditation is something for everyone. Every time I let go of a thought, a feeling, an attachment, or a discernment, the world becomes a tiny bit better because by letting go, we return to our original mind, the source, you can call it salvation if you will.

Imagine if everyone were to do this. If people really took it to heart to reflect on themselves and empty their minds, what a wonderful world we would witness emerging. It’s not going to happen all at once, but at least we will have a direction. We know what needs to be done.

Humbleness must be a goal

Only a humble person (a broad-minded person) can admit that they are wrong, that they know nothing. (I’m definitely not there yet myself.)

We need to take steps in that direction, towards becoming humble, towards becoming true. Otherwise, we will just continue the meaningless charade until we die. Life is too short and precious for that.

Check out the video below; it describes how we can empty our minds.