Water the roots, enjoy the fruits

It’s simple really. An orange tree that delivers delicious oranges is able to do so because it’s roots are provided with water.

And for sure, an orange tree that’s providing beautiful oranges will also have strong branches and lush green leaves.

But the thing is - the best way to ensure that the tree continues to produce delicious oranges, have strong branches and lush green leaves - isn’t by watering the individual leaves, branches or oranges.

All one needs to do is water the roots and from there, all else follows.

But there’s a catch. When the tree produces delicious oranges, it’s easy to forget the source of this growth and just enjoy the oranges. Which we will of course be able to do. But at some point, the tree will dry up and so too will the oranges.

Hence, the saying, to (continue to) enjoy the fruits, we must (continue to) water the roots.

Vedic Meditation works in the same way.

We might want to sleep more soundly, or have more energy, or be able to deal with difficult work colleagues better.

And so we learn to meditate.

And sure enough, as we practice it twice daily, all of the desired outcomes (plus all of the innumerable other benefits) start to accrue. 

We’re now sleeping so soundly, we start to forget the source of this new found ability to rest and then one day, we’re no longer meditating. And for a while, we continue to sleep well. But just like the orange tree that dries up and no longer produces delicious oranges, the physiology that needed meditation to enable it to rest more soundly, will soon struggle to sleep. The colleagues that became bearable, will soon become difficult. The new found energy, without continuing to access the source of that energy, will soon dissipate.

And then the idea will arise - maybe I should meditate.

Which brings me to another of my favourite sayings… better to avert the danger not yet come than deal with it when it does….

Just like the farmer who knows that next seasons oranges will be defined by todays watering, the good meditator knows that tomorrows rest will be defined by todays meditation.

Maybe it’s Monday afternoon as you read this…maybe it’s Tuesday morning. Either way, if you haven’t meditated yet, what are you waiting for. I promise you’ll do everything better after.

And if you don’t have a practice, reach out. Life is too short not to live it to the fullest.