Meditation to Heal

During the mysterious disappearance of Flight 370 of Malaysia Airline jet in March 2014, Malaysia Airlines offered to fly K.S. Narendran to Kuala Lumpur because his wife, Chandrika Sharma, was one of the 239 people aboard the passenger jet

But Narendran declined. He didn't see any point to leaving India when there was no information. He preferred to stay at home in the south Indian city of Chennai, surrounded by his family and friends.

We all have our different ways of coping with grief and tragedy. Others who had relatives on Flight 370 have publicly expressed their anger and frustration as the days marched on with few clues about what happened to Flight 370. For example, two mothers wailed at a press briefing room in Kuala Lumpur; their grief echoed around the world on television sets and on the Internet

Narendran said he has drawn strength from his recent experience with an ancient technique of meditation in India that enabled him to see things as they really are, and not as they appear to be.

According to Narendran, meditation has taught him the essential message of transience and impermanence, letting him see everything in perspective. More importantly, meditation allows him to practice being in the "present," however difficult it may be. In coping with grief and tragedy, it is important to know how to manage "the menace of an overworked imagination”

Generally, there are different stages for an individual to go through with the pains of grief and bereavement: denial; anger; bargain; depression; acceptance. At first one may look at the grief with disbelief; may become angry with the thought of “why me?”; may even bargain with a Higher Power to reverse the situation; may become depressed; and finally may have to accept the reality of grief and tragedy.

Narendran chose to use meditation to cope with his grief and tragedy. There is much wisdom in that choice and decision. Meditation not only relaxes the mind, but also enables the individual to stay in the present moment, and thus seeing things as they really are. That explains why Narendran seems very composed despite the tragedy of losing his wife. Meditation has been used since time memorial to heal the body, the mind, and the soul.

Life is never a bed of roses. Even if it is, there are thorns, and somehow we all have to live with them. Given that everything is this world is impermanent, grief and sorrow is inevitable. But don’t let your grief and tragedy make you live as if nothing is a miracle. Protracted grief and sorrow may lead to depression and negative thoughts that may haunt you for the rest of your life. Use your mind through mediation to help you cope with grief and tragedy that may come your way on your life journey.

Stephen Lau

Copyright© 2018 by Stephen Lau