So why do Buddhists meditate? More importantly, does meditation work? Many people want to know the answer to this and the answer is quite simple…

They do so to achieve enlightenment

What is spiritual enlightenment? It is the realization that everything in the universe is really “one” because it all comes from the same energy source.

What’s the point?

According to Buddhists, when you understand that everything is really “connected” you get to stop suffering because you realize that nothing is really “good” or “bad”—they are all the same. People suffer because they want things to be a certain way…and their attachment to that causes them to suffer.

How to stop suffering

Most people suffer because they want to be making more money than they are. They want this because they think it would be preferable to make more money…rather than just accepting their current income for what it is. If they knew that more money wasn’t really preferable they could stop suffering.

That’s where meditation comes in

According to Buddhists “knowing” that everything in the universe is connected and “experiencing” it are 2 completely different things. This practice supposedly helps you experience it firsthand.

So how does it help you “experience it”?

Well, advocates of the practice claim that your mind that gets in the way of you experiencing the interconnectedness of everything. Therefore if you can just get your mind out of the way you can experience everything as one energy.

How do you eliminate the mind?

That’s the hard part…and it often takes years to master. This is what chanting mantras is supposed to help with.

So does meditation work or not?

Some people claim that it has helped them experience this “one energy”…and therefore stop suffering…but for the vast majority it does not.

Also there is no conclusive proof that everything comes from one energy source in the 1^st place…which is what this whole practice is based on.

To sum up…

So back to your original question…”why do Buddhists meditate?” they do so to achieve enlightenment and stop suffering…but whether it really works or not is debatable.

So is Buddhism the right philosophy or not? Discover the answer by clicking here…

Do meditation and Christianity jibe? Many people want to know if they can do this and still maintain their faith.

So will you lose your faith?

Of course not–all you need to be saved is to accept Jesus as your Savior. Technically you can drink alcohol…smoke pot…steal…and even murder…and you will still going to Heaven if you’ve done this.

However that doesn’t mean you SHOULD do those things…and if you do then you need to question whether you were really saved in the first place.

Is meditation a sin?

It depends on how you do it. There is the protestant version and the “transcendentalism” version…and they are as different as night and day. The Biblical form is “focused thinking” about God or the Bible.

The new age/eastern version is where you “clear your mind” and let it go wherever it wants. You make no effort to think anything at all to focus on anything…and in fact doing so defeats the whole purpose.

The main reason Christianity and meditation don’t match

One of the main ideas of transcendentalism is that everything is “one” and that your mind prevents you from experiencing yourself as a part of everything. The solution?

Get the mind out of the way. This realization of oneness or “change in consciousness” is the method for achieving enlightenment…and how Buddha “became enlightened”.

So why does this violate Christianity?

#1) We ARE NOT one with God

According to Protestants there is a God who is separate from us and the only way to Him is through Jesus Christ…not through clearing your mind and altering your consciousness. We are not “one” with God because our sin has separated us from Him.

#2) We are to GUARD our hearts

The Bible clearly teaches we are to guard our heart, because when we let our guard down we open the door to spiritual deception. Clearly eastern meditation is not guarding your heart…it’s the exact opposite.

So does transcendental meditation really work?

That depends on what you are trying to accomplish. If you want to simply relax and be more aware of your thoughts than I suppose it does…but at the same time it opens up the door for Satan to plant lies in your mind.

So to sum up…

Christianity and meditation are not compatible because their core principles are in direct conflict with each other. Want to relax? Go for a stroll on the beach…take up a sport…or read a book… or do deep breathing relaxation techniques.

Is Christianity really the “true religion?” Discover the answer by clicking here

Why is my life so boring? If you’d asked me this 1-2 years ago I would have said experiencing and doing exciting things is the answer.

Let’s face it…most people live very dull lives.

They work their 9-5 Monday-Friday, spend the weekends catching up on yard work…and the next week the grind starts all over again. Until recently I was one of them. But I finally decided enough was enough…I wasn’t going to settle for my boring existence anymore.

In the past 12 months I’ve…

Taken up and become reasonably proficient at snowboarding…kayaking…mountain climbing…rock climbing…and skateboarding. I’ve gone on 8 trips…2 cross country. I’ve launched a reasonably successful online marketing business.

What I’ve discovered…

Experiences are not enough to generate constant excitement. They might be exhilarating for a little while…but after a certain point it wears off.

How to be excited about life EVERYDAY

In order for this to happen you need to know the answer to the question—“why am I here on earth?”

So the obvious question is–how do you find your purpose in life? First things first…the only way we can have a purpose if God exists.

Why we CANNOT have a purpose if God doesn’t exist

If God didn’t create the world then we are all here by pure chance. If this is the case than none of us has a reason for being here…and therefore life has no meaning at all.

On the other hand if God created the world than He obviously had a reason for doing so…and therefore each one of us has a part to play in His grand plan. So what it all boils down to is…

So is God real or not?

That’s the question of the hour. If He does than you can find excitement in life…but if He doesn’t you will always find yourself asking “why is my life so boring?”

The life is meaningless philosophy has been around since the dawn of time. Ever since people first walked the earth they have tried to explain our purpose for being here without God. First things first…

Life CANNOT have any meaning at all without God

It’s impossible. Whether you believe in God or not you have to admit that this is true.

Don’t worry—I’m not about to launch into a sermon

So far I’m just establishing that life cannot have any meaning without God. Let’s quickly examine the most popular atheist philosophies to illustrate my point.

#1) Evolution

The very premise of this “theory” is that we are all just here by “random chance”. Since the world itself is here by “pure luck” then there is no way your life could have any meaning whatsoever.

#2) Buddhism

The goal of Buddhism is to realize that nothing has any meaning…also known as enlightenment. When you realize that you get to stop suffering.

What happens after enlightenment?

When you die in this state you earn the right to “cease to exist”.

So with either “life is meaningless philosophy”…

It doesn’t matter how good or bad a life you live. At the end of the road you simply “cease to exist” just like everybody else.

There are many more variations of atheism but they are all relatively similar…and since these are the 2 most prominent I will just deal with them for now.

My experience with Buddhism…

I was able to escape suffering…but I also lost the joy of life because now everything was utterly pointless. On the one hand you don’t have to suffer anymore from “bad” things happening…but you also lose the joy of “good” things as well.

What’s the point of all this rambling?

If you are struggling to find meaning in your life then it’s because you don’t believe in God. There’s simply no other explanation.

If you do believe in God than life has to have meaning…it just might not be the meaning you want because you “have to” live a certain way.

So you have 2 options…

Option #1

God does exist…you “have to” live a certain way…and if you don’t there will be consequences. In this case life DEFINITELY has meaning.

Option #2

You are free to live however you want in a completely meaningless world…knowing that in the end you will just cease to exist like everyone else. Depending on your beliefs this might take 1 or 100’s of lifetimes…but it will happen eventually.

I’ve lived on both sides of the fence…

And I can definitively say option #1 is much more exciting and fulfilling.

But you’ve proven nothing!

I know. I have not established what happens after life…or if God exists…simply that the “life is meaningless philosophy” is the only option if He does not. So the obvious question is…

So does God exist or not? Discover the answer now by clicking here

I’m a huge fan of Tim Ferris and 4 Hour Work Week. Its premise is about how to work less and do more…and who wouldn’t want that?

In the past year I’ve really taken it to heart

I still work a lot but I’ve also started experiencing more of life. Within the last 13 months I’ve taken trips to Arizona and Oregon, gone on 6 trips to the Adirondacks, climbed 4 mountains higher than 4,000 feet, and taken up kayaking, snowboarding, and rock climbing. Basically I’ve been doing the adventurous things I’ve always wanted to.

But it wasn’t enough…

I had figured out how to live the good life…but I was utterly miserable. What the heck was going on?

Ever heard the u2 song “I still haven’t found what I’m looking for?”

Up until last week that song described me exactly. I believed in Jesus…but I was still running. I was still trying to find the meaning of life in all the wrong places.

Last week it finally hit me…

I realized that while I was proclaiming to be a Christian and even doing a lot of good things, I was not seeking God with my whole heart. I was chasing experiences instead of Jesus…and just squeezing Him in when there was time.

What does this have to do with Tim Ferris and the 4 Hour Work Week?

Since this is such a popular book and it’s impacting so many people, I thought I would offer my firsthand experiences with it to help you learn from it. It is a great book on improving your productivity and doing fun things…but I now believe the conclusions are wrong.

The purpose of our existence is NOT to enjoy life…

This will not increase happiness…it will just leave you empty and meaningless. That’s not just my conclusion…it’s been the findings of many others who’ve gone before me.

What’s the REAL meaning of life?

If you are feeling nothing you do has any meaning…even if you are a Christian…I can guarantee you that it’s because you aren’t sold out for God. Nothing on this earth is ever going to satisfy you because it wasn’t designed to.

Does that mean its’ wrong to have earthly goals?

Of course not…as long as you keep God squarely at number 1. And don’t worry…He will take care of your earthly needs as long as you put Him first.

The point of all this Four Hour Work Week review…

Having fun and experiencing things according to the Tim Ferris 4 Hour Work Week mold is okay…as long as God is the purpose of your existence. You can’t just squeeze God in where it’s convenient…otherwise you will never find contentment and happiness.

Still not convinced? Is Christianity the only way? Click here to learn more…

The debate rages on…do the law of attraction (LOA) and Christianity agree with each other or not? Sure they do–to a point.

So what is “The Secret” movie and the LOA about?

In case you have been living in a cave for the past few years, the main point is that you can create the life you want.

Does the law of attraction really work?

Yes it does. There have been many people who’ve used the principles taught in “The Secret” book or movie to attract wealth, adventure and just about anything else.

The DANGER of using it

Finding true fulfillment from worldly things is impossible–I know this from experience. In the past year I’ve pretty much created my dream lifestyle.

I’ve taken 8 trips…started snowboarding, rock climbing, and kayaking…and climbed 4 mountains taller than 4,000 feet. I was getting all the adventure I’d always wanted to…but I still didn’t know how to find peace in my life.

Do you ever feel like there is something missing?

I sure did…and I FINALLY realized over this past weekend what it was–I was putting the law of attraction before Christianity. I’d always heard that nothing on this earth would ever satisfy me apart from God…and I learned that from experience.

Meaningless meaningless…everything is meaningless

Whether you follow Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity or any other religion, there’s 1 commonality in all of them–you are going to die at some point. Nothing earthly, whether it be health, wealth, experiences, etc is going to last.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness…

And all these things will be added to you. When you seek those other things first then even if you do get them they aren’t going to satisfy.

Conclusion— how to find peace within yourself

First things first…the law of attraction and Christianity are compatible. But it’s very easy to get so focused on creating earthly wealth or experiences that you forget about God…and I know this from experience. Seek God first and only then will you ever find true love and happiness.

Not convinced? Is Christianity the only true religion? Click here to discover the answer…

What is the meaning of life, the universe and everything? Most people spend their whole lives searching for the answer but never finding it and…

Up until yesterday I was one of them.

Even though I’m a Christian (I even have a part time blog devoted to defending it) it still wasn’t a way of life. My attitude towards life was to work towards my earthly goals (traveling the world and doing exciting things) and when there was time I would squeeze God in.

This past year I’ve taken trips to Oregon and Arizona, 6 trips to the Adirondacks, climbed 4 4,000ft mountains, and taken up snowboarding and rock climbing but…

I still wasn’t happy

I’ve always had the sense that I should be doing something more for God but never quite knew (or cared) what it was. I never felt “sold out” or passionate like so many others I knew.

That all changed this weekend

Since I had yet to take any major trips this summer I had been planning a trip to the Adirondacks (my favorite place on earth) for quite some time.

I anticipated the trip all week long…

But when I got there I began feeling these heavy and dark feelings I had never felt before. I’ve never battled depression and so this was something totally new to me.

What was going on?

There were no particular thoughts that were attached to these feelings so it wasn’t as simple as just changing my thoughts to feel better.

The feelings made no sense at all

I was in my favorite place on earth…I was going kayaking on Friday…white water rafting on Saturday…mountain climbing on Sunday…and kayaking again on Monday. Being the huge outdoor fanatic I am this was a dream trip.

Why then did I feel miserable?

As the 1^st day wore on I began feeling worse and worse. I could hardly sleep at all that night because I couldn’t shake this intense dark feeling.

Finally around 5 I asked God to give me peace, and I slept soundly the rest of the night. I didn’t feel like I had broken through but those horrible feelings at least subsided.

The real answer wouldn’t come until the next morning…

Since I overslept due to the restless night I had missed my whitewater kayaking trip, so I decided to take a hike. As I walked the same dark feelings began tormenting me again.

I had reached the end…

Out of desperation I began to worship. After a short time those feelings began to fade and I had this incredible peace I hadn’t felt in a LONG time.

During this time I had a sudden realization that I hadn’t been giving God everything I had and until I did, the rest of my life wouldn’t work out.

I had an incredible peace for the rest of the hike

When I got back I was physically exhausted but mentally rejuvenated. I decided then and there to forego the final 3 days of the trip, come home and start my new life…

This time SOLD OUT for God

Why do I share this? I’m letting you know that if you are a Christian, unless you make God #1 in your life your life just isn’t going to work–period. If you aren’t a Christian, what are you waiting for? You will never find fulfillment outside of God.

Remember…I was living the good life

I’m not rich by any means but I’m certainly not begging for food and working a deadbeat 9-5 job. All I’d ever wanted was adventure and I was living the adventurous life I’d always wanted to—and it still wasn’t enough.

Even though it came to a breaking point this weekend, I had been feeling empty and unhappy for quite some time. I was doing everything I wanted to and yet it still wasn’t enough because…

Life is meaningless outside of God…

This was my main realization on this trip. All the experiences I had chased so hard were not going to last. Nothing else was meant to satisfy you outside of God. The question you need to ask yourself is…

Do you feel like your life has meaning?

If not then I can guarantee you that it’s either because (a) you aren’t a Christian or (b) you are a Christian but you aren’t “sold out” for God. That was me until this weekend.

I guarantee you…

If you don’t make God the center of everything you do then you will never find happiness and fulfillment. All the adventure in the world is not going to satisfy you.

Conclusion…give God your all

You can either learn from my mistakes or you can discover this for yourself…but I guarantee you won’t find peace and happiness anywhere else.

Is Buddhism TRUE OR NOT? Discover the answer by clicking here…

When did Buddhism begin? It was started by someone named Siddhartha Gautama…more commonly known today as “Buddha”.

When did he live?

Roughly 500 years before Christ, although the exact date is not known. He achieved “enlightenment” (or so he claimed) around the age of 35 and he spent the rest of his life teaching his findings.

So to answer your question…

The rough date he started teaching his philosophy was 2500 years ago (or 500 BC). It is currently one of the biggest religions in the world although it really is more of a “philosophy” than a religion.

Why was Buddhism founded?

As an answer to suffering. Buddha spent the first 29 years of his life living a life of luxury as part of a royal family. Since he lived a sheltered life from poverty, when he finally came upon suffering that it made such an impression on him that he set out trying to find a method to end it.

He spent the next 6 years of his life searching for an answer

At one point he meditated for 49 days in a row sitting beneath a tree. At the end of the time period he claimed he had achieved enlightenment or insight into the nature and cause of suffering.

What was the solution?

The 4 noble truths. The basic premise of them was to overcome suffering by giving up attachment to worldly things. Therefore, this answers the question when was Buddhism founded.

Is Buddhism TRUE OR NOT? Discover the answer by clicking here…

What is nirvana in Buddhism and how does it relate to everyday enlightenment? This is one of the more central points of the philosophy so understanding it is key to grasping it.

Here are the 2 main points that will help you understand this concept.

#1) All life is suffering…

And…

#2) by giving up attachment you end suffering

The path to giving up attachment is becoming “enlightened”. What does this have to do with nirvana? This is the state of mind you enter when you’ve become enlightened. The obvious question after this is…

What is enlightenment?

It is when you learn “the truth” about life.

And what is the truth?

In a condensed form…all life is meaningless because everything is connected. Buddhists believe that everything comes from one energy source, and because of that nothing is separate from each other.

Since everything is “one” nothing is really good or bad because it’s all the same.

Everything is devoid of meaning

When you understand this you get to stop suffering because you realize that nothing has any meaning apart from that which you give it. This is because…

Suffering is caused by attachment

Therefore when you give up attachment, you end suffering. This in a nutshell is everyday enlightenment and what nirvana in Buddhism is. Think about it…most people spend a lot of time wishing they were rich and they had a better life than they do.

The more they think about it the more they suffer because they are not content with their current state of affairs. If, however, they realize that it isn’t preferable to have more or less they could stop suffering from their lack.

Enlightenment is NOT just head knowledge…

According to the philosophy it’s one thing to understand these points…and quite another to actually experience the interconnectedness of everything firsthand.

How do you EXPERIENCE it?

The most standard path is through many years of meditation. This could be through a guided meditation prayer other self help treatment methods, but the main purpose is to help you to “feel at one” with everything else.

From there you will more or less stop experiencing life separately from everything else. You will still experience it separately to some extent until you die but not nearly as much as you used to.

What happens when you die in a state of nirvana?

You then earn the right to stop returning to earth through endless reincarnations. The philosophy teaches that everyone continually reincarnates until they reach enlightenment.

Once you have achieved it then you no longer have to return. You then will reunite with the one energy source you came from and you as a separate self will basically cease to exist.

Are there dangers of enlightenment?

To many people it sounds great because they get to stop suffering, but a lot of people who’ve used meditaion techniques for years have also reported losing the passion of life too.

After all, its’ pretty hard to get too enthused over a meaningless existence with the ultimate end of losing your self existence.

To sum up…

So what is nirvana in Buddhism and everyday enlightenment. It’s the realization (whether real or delusional) that everything is meaningless…which can be a good or a bad thing, depending on how you look at it.

Is Buddhism TRUE OR NOT? Discover the answer by clicking here…