The Effortless Meditation, Peter Russell

A conversation with Peter Russell about the effortless nature of meditation.

Peter Russell is a fellow of the Institute of Noetic Sciences, of The World Business Academy and of The Findhorn Foundation, and an Honorary Member of The Club of Budapest. At Cambridge University (UK), he studied mathematics and theoretical physics. Then, as he became increasingly fascinated by the mysteries of the human mind he changed to experimental psychology. Pursuing this interest, he traveled to India to study meditation and eastern philosophy, and on his return took up the first research post ever offered in Britain on the psychology of meditation. He has written several books in this area — The TM Technique, The Upanishads, The Brain Book, The Global Brain Awakens, The Creative Manager, The Consciousness Revolution, Waking Up in Time, and From Science to God.

[NappingWanderer]

One thing that changed the way I meditate has been this simple thought change. Before, I used to meditate to relax. Now I relax to meditate.

[kyletor]

Peter Russell, thank you for being simple and sharing this wonderful knowledge with us.

[littlewarcovers]

wow this is exactly what I do, I never managed to meditate until I discovered this, it's ok to just notice when you lost presence and come back to it, relax the mind, just observe. May not last long but why fight it, just keep coming back :) This is very alogned with Eckart Tolle which is where I started 🙏

[frankfeldman]

Seemingly lovely, sincere, wise fella. A needle in a haystack of narcissistic hucksters.

[ensolasss]

I agree with +John Burman. I understand every word Peter says, but I've been meditating constantly 10 years. I know for sure that the first years, the inner chatter and overwhelming emotions where so strong that there was no space for awareness. All I could be aware of was inner noise and anxiety and I knew I didn't want that. It took me a while to recognize that I was meditating 'to get rid of' those things, instead of just being aware of them. It was hard to believe that doing nothing, just observing, would actually be much more efficient in them leaving my system, than me fighting and resisting them. Once I clearly saw that everything started to change. So my advice would be.. keep meditating just for the sake of meditating, without looking for a particular experience.

[jmb]

I believe Peter has truly captured the essence of true meditation, pray without ceasing. Stillness is effortless and vice versa. Beautifully spoken.

[lmansur]

I very much appreciate this. I have recently been wondering about the "doing" of meditation.... and much prefer being with and awareness! Sounds really helpful and simple. It is actually transforming judgment - which to me is resistance... by being with it and allowing it to dissipate or transform naturally! Thank you Peter Russell for this teaching.

[elaineroddy]

I only discovered Peter Russell today; l'm so pleased. He's very refreshing; so, to use an old 60's term, real. No phonyness(?), or ego.

[gyurilajos]

4:18 the root neaning of suferring is resisting the exoerience.

[stevecampo]

Mindfulness gives us something which is difficult to do... which is precisely what the mind wants. Something to accomplish, something to get better at. The result is that the egoic self becomes good at mindfulness, in the same way that people who are given crossword puzzles eventually become good at crossword puzzles. Meanwhile the true self is left in the dust of accomplishment.

In fact, when we allow ourselves to relax into our hearts, we naturally move into the realm of real meditation and enlightenment. Unfortunately the mind often tries to help us along... for a plethora of reasons. It comes up with ideas, theories, dogma, ritual and all sorts of other things that ultimately make enlightenment seem virtually unattainable.

In any case, none of that really matters all that much.

One way or another, most of us are in an "argument" with what is. How do I change this? How do I get that? Why isn't my relationship working?

Enlightenment is a universal yes to everything. And enlightenment can only be realized when one ceases all effort to achieve it.

The great secret is that the point of rigorous spiritual practice is to exhaust the seeker. It is one of many ways to arrive at a place of surrender. It can be by way of an ambitious career, rampant acquisitiveness, obsessive relationships, absolutist devotional beliefs and practices... or personal catastrophe.

Enlightenment is - finally - the dissolution of that which seeks enlightenment.

We are, in fact, that for which we seek.

As always, thank you, Peter, for your clean, clear, simple teaching.

[neilbeeneilbee]

Thank you Peter. If you actually look at your mind, your thoughts drop away, but there is this tightness Peter talks about, yet now, because of Peters presentations, I can relax that tightness, and still remain in the moment. A bit like the sky watching the clouds pass by. Be the sky, rest in pure conscious awareness. And just watch the tightness as its comes and goes. And smile...

[burmanhands]

I like his sincerity and his well lived in face. I totally agree with, and apply to myself what he says, but would say that the degree of sensitivity and space he talks about is probably also a result of decades of meditation. A beginner might find the internal chatter simply dominates and restlessness takes over - keeping experiences shallow. At this stage a more focussed use of mantra (TM) might be applicable to cut through the distractions, to space beyond - just a thought. You never know in this game, its so personal.

[evgeniaanyebe]

There so much confusion around meditation. I, m glad I came across this video.
It deffinenetly brings more clarity . It sounds encouraging .
Thank you !

[erindambrosio]

i luv Peter Russell. This way speaks to me!

[oldladybird]

My meditation is working in my flower beds.I feel peace an the presence of God.

[dtaberer]

Such an amazing gentleman. Really enjoy your online lectures.

[ToddSloanIAAN]

Those that made a thumb down probably want you to search for the stillness inside so you miss the elephant here and believe someone else's description is this holy grail...!

[burmanhands]

Something else occured to me now and that is that when we dissolve blockages internally we may be doing the same on all levels of the manifesting world in some way at the same time - during our cosmically extended consciousness during meditation, this may well be the only way to change reality. Once the world has manifested, become "hard" the reality becomes a world of systems, mechanical and only manipulable in small ways, as mankind finds all the time. You probably got this already but its great when these ideas come.

[osmanosman]

TQ.for sharing. I learn something new from experience of others.🙏🙏🙏🙏👍👍👍❤❤

[honestmicky]

I'm currently reading Peter's book 'From Science to God.' Excellent video and book, much appreciated : )