Don’t think the purpose of meditation is to go deep into consciousness, wrap a blanket around yourself, and say, “How cozy! I’m going to curl up in here by myself; let the world burn.” Not at all. We go deep into meditation so that we can reach out farther and farther to the world outside.

In meditation we are going deep into ourselves, into the utter solitude that is within. As a counterbalance to this, it is necessary to be with people: to laugh with them, to sing with them, and to enjoy the healthy activities of life.

Meditation and selfless action go hand in hand. When we try to live more for others than for ourselves, this will deepen our meditation. When we deepen our meditation, more and more energy will be released with which we can love and help others.

-Scott Anderson