Meditation

Adam Roberts' letter on meditation titled 'Vipassana' meditation on Jan. 4, 1999, prompts me to add a little on this wonderful subject.

I think 1999 should be the year of transformation because "re" in reform means "back" only, but our slogan should be "Let me transform (change) myself, to transform the world" -- not the physical part of me, the body, but my real self, inner self, the soul -- and meditation is one good way to do this.

We need, as I think Nahdlatul Ulama chairman Abdurrahman Wahid suggests, another kind of power to beat "their" physical power. A power like, ahimsa and our own latent, original, spiritual powers of courage, enthusiasm, love, hope, faith, determination... Meditation -- going inside and building, growing, these powers -- is an ancient Eastern art. In Indian belief, it is symbolized by Shankar (also called Shiva) who destroys evil through His deep tapa (meditation) and love and unity with God. These powers of love of the self, love of One God and love of our brothers (even our enemies) will transform the weaknesses of fear, greed, anger and selfishness until the law of cause and effect, causes evil to go back to where it started. If we just fill ourselves with fear, anger and hatred, we only hurt ourselves.

I have heard that the Roman Catholic Church is celebrating 1999 as "The Year of God, the Father". I think we, who are not even proper Christians, should join them in this celebration. Because, I believe that if we love God, as our Father, the Father of all souls, then we souls will feel we belong to One, so our feeling of brotherhood, unity, as one family of this country, and the world, will grow.

HELEN M.Q.

B.K. Yayasan Studi Spiritualitas

Jakarta