The Ninja’s Hidden Door: Where Our Mind Goes During Meditation

How much of our day are we truly present in the **"here and now"**?

Before we know it, our consciousness has slipped away into regrets of the past, anxieties about the future, or idle daydreams. I call this movement of the mind "Abduction." Perhaps it is only when we return from this abduction that we truly reunite with our authentic selves.

Abducted by Thought

During meditation, we are often "abducted" by our thoughts.

It is like the revolving trick door of a ninja house. Without us even noticing, the wall spins, and our consciousness is whisked away to "the other side." While we are there, we lose all sense of where we actually are.

It is only when the wall spins once more, bringing us back to this side, that we can look back objectively and realize:

"Ah, I was lost in thought."

Lost in the Whirlpool

The reason it is so difficult to "try not to think" is that while you are in the whirlpool of a thought, you lack the self-awareness to know you are in it.

It is similar to focusing on the hot air balloon during an eye exam. When the focus is sharp, reality is clear. But as soon as a thought intervenes, the scenery immediately blurs.

However, the essence of meditation is not the "effort to refocus." Observe closely: you will see that the act of refocusing is, in itself, a **natural phenomenon** that occurs all on its own.

Leaving the Functions of Consciousness "As-Is."

Meditation is about leaving the functions of consciousness exactly as they are.

By not judging, not interfering—by leaving things "as-is"—we can quietly unmask the "mechanics" woven by the heart and mind. Once these mechanics are clearly seen, we simply need to learn how to coexist with them skillfully.

A Place Called "I’m Home"

When you return from the other side of the wall, all you need to think about is:

"I’m back. I’m home."

Then, simply reacquaint yourself with the reality before you—the one that requires no words.

Even so, the mind will likely be abducted by thought again and again. But when you return and realize you were gone, there is absolutely no need for regret. After all, that is simply nature taking its course.

Just as it is.

In its natural state.

Words and Photo by K E I K O