Keeping Meditation Inspired:
A Lesson from the Tahoe Bears
The two brown bears that lumbered past our cabin at Lake Tahoe were larger than I’d ever imagined a bear to be. Twilight was falling, and a steady rain was coming down.
Jyotish quietly but emphatically said, “Look,” pointing out the window.
There they were, walking slowly by, not more than fifty feet away. Before disappearing into the trees, one stopped and shook the rain from his fur like a huge dog. It was thrilling to see them.
We had come to Tahoe for rest and renewal, enjoying the stillness of the lake and woods. The bears were an unexpected blessing—though we were grateful they didn’t see us as one.
That moment reminded me how important it is to take breaks from time to time. Amid daily demands, it’s easy to lose inspiration for meditation and let our practice become mechanical.
“Rust Never Sleeps” is the title of an old song, and it’s a fitting image for how inspiration can slowly erode under life’s pressures.
Here are four ways to keep your meditation practice joyful and alive:
1. Take Time Out to Renew Your Sadhana
Give yourself space away from daily pressures to focus on your spiritual life. Meditate without rushing or watching the clock. Rest in God.
2. See Techniques as Tools, Not the Goal
Meditation techniques are helpful tools, but they are not the final experience.
An artist uses paints to create beauty, yet pigments alone don’t make a painting. It is the artist’s consciousness that brings it to life. In the same way, we bring devotion and vitality to our practice.
3. Remember You Already Belong to God
Begin meditation with the feeling that you are already part of a greater reality—already connected to the Divine.
Swami Kriyananda wrote:
“The secret of meditation is to pray with deep faith—not as an outsider to heaven, but as one whose true, eternal home is heaven.”
That home is never far away.
4. Replace “I Should” with “I Choose”
Try exchanging the burden of “I should meditate” with the freedom of “I choose to meditate.”
Discipline is important, but meditation is ultimately a joyful choice—one that leads us toward inner peace.
An Invitation
Sometimes the best way to renew inspiration is to step away from routine and immerse ourselves in silence, nature, and spiritual support.
If you feel called to deepen your meditation practice, we warmly invite you to spend time with us at Ananda Retreat Center. Here, surrounded by uplifting vibrations and natural beauty, you can rest, recharge, and reconnect with your true, eternal home in God.
We look forward to welcoming you.
— Nayaswami Devi
The two brown bears that lumbered past our cabin at Lake Tahoe, California, were larger than I’d ever imagined a bear to be. It was twilight, and a steady rain was falling. Jyotish quietly but emphatically said, “Look,” as he pointed out the window: There they were, walking slowly by, not more than fifty feet away. Then, before the bears got out of sight, one of them stopped and shook the rain from his fur like a huge dog. It was thrilling to see them.
We’d come to Tahoe for some relaxation, and were enjoying the stillness and peace of the beautiful lake and woods. The bears were an added treat (although we were grateful that they didn’t see us that way).
It’s helpful to take breaks from time to time to renew and refresh ourselves. Amidst the demands of daily life, it’s too easy to lose inspiration for meditation, and let our practice become mechanical.
“Rust Never Sleeps” is the title of a song that was popular some years ago. It’s a great image to convey the potential erosion of our inspiration and joy by the downward pull of demands and problems around us.
Nayaswami Devi