The Journey from Effort to Effortlessness
It is said that ‘Art’ in its pure form is Divine, be it singing, dancing, painting or even meditation, has a strange captivating power that takes you to another level of consciousness and connects with something beyond words.
Anyone can learn art, but to achieve such mastery for mesmerizing performance and that too with little or no preparation is a state that is achieved through years of practice. The artist’s art becomes divine when technique, calculation, and practice become effortless, allowing it to flow naturally, touching the hearts of those who witness or listen to it. Same goes for meditation. When meditation becomes effortless, it becomes a transformative tool that turns a regular practice into a divine experience.
Let’s try and understand the process to achieve effortlessness in meditation in the light of art and find out how deliberate efforts transform into something truly profound—the ‘Spiritual Experience’.
Effortlessness as the Fruit of Discipline and Dedication
The journey to become a master starts with concentrated effort. Consistent dedication, patience in bulk, and often a love for the art are required to reach the goal. One needs to spend years refining their skills, overcoming challenges, and growing slowly and steadily each day.
Likewise, in meditation, the self-realization is effortless, but to sit for meditation to cleanse and nourish the subtle system needs effort.
As in the beginning to understand any craft a student needs to practice tirelessly and learn the fundamentals with deliberate effort, at times cutting ties with the outer world to focus on precision is required.
Over time, efforts for patience and persistence draw the artist to the gradual process of learning. Transforming discipline and commitment into passion, and making practicing a joyful act of self-expression.
The Divine Connection: When Art Speaks through the Soul
Art becomes divine if it becomes meditation, ‘Tapasya’ for the artist, and meditation becomes ‘Alive’ once the connection with the divine is established.
When an artist is in complete surrender and no longer tries to impress or prove mastery but enjoys and expresses himself honestly and is one with his craft, it becomes his second nature,– ‘Sava-Bhaav.’ Sva means Atma, and Bahaav means Nature—the effortless state where art transcends technique and becomes a natural expression of the artist’s inner self. His art is no longer mere calculation but the purity manifested—at this point it becomes ‘Alive’. And the essence of his genuine work resonates with his audience, creating an emotional bond that words alone cannot convey.
Becoming one with the whole
Until a musician becomes an instrument himself by letting the music flow through him, audiences cannot feel the purity of his craft. The performance becomes a mere display of a skill rather than a communion between the artist and the art. These moments of effortless expressions in dance and music can deeply touch and inspire the audience, leaving a lasting impact.
Now it is already known that the joy of pure art goes beyond technique; it lies in spontaneity. If a Yogi or an artist is full of himself, then he is ready to receive neither grace nor growth. As aptly quoted by Shree Mataji, “As I told you, the drop becomes the ocean, and the drop has to become the ocean by dissolving all its “drop-ness” with other drops. And all the drops dropping their drop-ness become the ocean ultimately.”—Shree Mataji Nirmala Devi JI (The Importance of Dedication and Devotion-1982/08/06)
Shree Mataji has also explained the importance of Effortless meditation “Just expose you. See, when the sun shines, all of nature exposes itself to the sun and receives the blessings of the sun ‘Effortlessly’, it doesn’t put in any effort; it just receives itself when it receives the sun’s rays, and then the sun’s rays start acting and activating.”
Surprisingly it is no longer the same today. Almost all yoga studios that claim to teach meditation begin their sessions with the concept of visualization. Yogis are asked to imagine their chakras, channel and above all to feel that they are in bliss; they are taught to repeat affirmations that have nothing to do with spiritual enlightenment and leave aside healing.
Visualizing the chakras or imagining bliss can never give the feeling of real connection with cosmic energy; not at all justifiable to call it divine. Imagination is a mental endeavor, while meditation is a dialogue between a yogi and the divine where one listens and the other responds. With Kundalini Awakening this whole process becomes completely effortless. Kundalini makes you feel the subtle system(chakras and nadis) in your hands as proof of their existence and your state. It bestows a pure state of consciousness when there is no other, only—reality, the present.
Inspiring Others through Effortless Art
Witnessing an artist or yogi who has mastered effortlessness is a most moving and inspiring experience. It shows what could happen when the soul and skill unify. Even if we don’t know about the depth of an artist’s journey, his passion, joy, and years of practice can be felt, which have allowed him to reach this point. It encourages us to seek the same level of joy and depth and reminds us that this potential lies within us also.
Conclusion: The Divine Gift of Effortless Art
When technique translates into profound expression, free from conscious boundaries of thought—it becomes a sacred gift, a divine experience. This kind of art bridges the gap between the audience and the artist. Mastery in art or meditation is attained when it becomes effortless, the pure form that emerges when we allow the art to flow naturally to follow the natural flow.
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image: Pinterest