The Mai issue of the German Brigitte Woman contains two articles on meditation – if they were heeded it would mean a big change for Germany
The Mai issue of the German Brigitte Woman (‘the magazine for women over 40’) carries two articles on meditation, ten pages in total, although not pre-announced on their cover. One of the articles, by Oskar Holzberg, has the title ‘Why do we suddenly have to want to meditate…’ and mentions ‘Bhagwan-Osho’ as the one hammering his Western disciples in Poona incessantly, asking them to “Meditate!”
It appears that the Germans not only have succumbed to the fitness trend (no nation looks as healthy and fit as they do!) but now have to undergo the stress of having to meditate to fight stress. He also mentions that the Süddeutsche Zeitung recently published an article with the title “Meditation has arrived bang in the middle of society.”
He refers to Jack Kornfeld and Jon Kabat-Zin as the ones who have brought meditation ‘out of the religions’, as he says. It is also interesting to read that in the articles meditation is described as either ‘scanning the body’ or ‘watching the breath while meditating on empathy’…
Recently meditation is being praised by the scientists who say that meditation not only changes the brain activities but changes the brain itself, strengthens the immune system, increases wellbeing and – helps cope with stress! Further benefits: helps with fear and depression, improves concentration and intuition. But the author is well aware of the fact that if we meditate for a particular purpose all benefits disappear!
The second article (if you read magazines back to front as I do) is an interview by Monika Murphy-Witt with neurobiologist Gerald Hüther and Yoga expert Anna Trökes.
This article goes deeper, even mentioning the word ‘change’. Hüther says (loosely translated), “In future we don’t need people to fulfill any duties, or follow others. We need people who are selfconfident, competent, strong; people who are able to rest within themselves, who don’t want to make a better world but want to live in a different way with other people.”
Trökes: “When we work with the body, breathe consciously, meditate, there is only the now. … This creates trust to question what we have done so far – and this will create change. … This change will turn you into truer beings and you might no longer be so well accepted by your family, your bosses, your old friends. You will become free to think your own mind.”
I say, “Germany, beware!” Once the elite and top managers start meditating and find themselves – and will have discarded many of their futile activities – who will run the industry? Who will tolerate the politicians? Who will care what the neighbour says? Who will bail out the rest of Europe?
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