Turtle Meditation

2 months ago By Yogi Anoop

The Deep Secrets of Life in the Tale of the Hare and the Tortoise

In the well-known story of the race between the tortoise and the hare, we see that, in the end, the patient tortoise wins while the quick and impatient hare loses. This story attempts to show us that a journey taken with patience and stability is far more important than a quick, rushed approach. The tortoise wins because of his patience and steadiness, while the hare loses due to his haste and impatience.

Now, imagine if we were to declare the hare the winner in this story. What would the outcome be? Could the hare handle this victory? With his restless and impatient nature, would he even experience peace? In my experience, no. Even if the hare won, his restlessness and impatience would prevent him from truly experiencing peace. He spent his journey in a rush, practicing only speed and instability, which means he could never cultivate calmness within his mind and heart.

The hare might have reached the destination first, but even upon reaching it, his restless nature would not allow him to experience peace. For him, the journey was merely a practice in reaching quickly, not in cultivating stability. In my view, if the journey itself lacks stability, then peace cannot be found even upon reaching the goal. This story teaches us that this is not just a race; it is a metaphor for life’s journey. And this journey cannot be successfully completed in haste.

On the other hand, the tortoise experienced every moment of his journey with stability and peace. He moved slowly, experiencing each step of his journey. His journey became a practice, a form of meditation. When he reaches his destination, he will feel a deep sense of peace and stability. He will have no difficulty slowing down or stopping, unlike the hare, who cannot halt his pace because he never practiced control during his journey. For the hare, reaching the destination only signifies physical and mental exhaustion, while the tortoise, having never rushed, arrives without any fatigue and finds his stability deepened.

In Indian scriptures, the tortoise is revered as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, symbolizing that life is a journey. The more you live it with patience and awareness, the more you experience peace and stability.

Based on this philosophy, I have developed several meditation techniques that allow us to free ourselves from thoughts and emotions. In this, life does not have a final objective; instead, the journey of life itself is the purpose. Each moment of life becomes an opportunity to live fully. In this meditation practice, the sushumna nadi (the central energy channel) becomes most active, and the “rest and digest” system functions more effectively.

From both a theoretical and practical perspective, this method can contribute to longevity. However, I place greater importance on the experience of quality in life rather than merely its length.

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