Meditation is not a means to an end; it is both the means and the end – J. Krishnamurti
The statement “Meditation is not a means to an end; it is both the means and the end” captures a profound truth about the nature of meditation and its role in the journey of self-awareness, mindfulness, and spiritual growth. To fully understand this concept, it’s important to break it down into its philosophical and practical components.
Meditation as a Means
In many traditions, meditation is seen as a tool or practice to achieve certain goals, such as:
- Stress Reduction: Many people take up meditation to cope with stress and anxiety. It acts as a method to calm the mind and reduce the physiological effects of stress.
- Mental Clarity and Focus: Meditation improves concentration and helps individuals gain better control over their thoughts and reactions.
- Emotional Healing: Practices like mindfulness meditation or loving-kindness meditation (Metta) are often used to process emotions and cultivate positive feelings towards oneself and others.
- Spiritual Awakening: In spiritual traditions, meditation is often seen as a path to enlightenment, self-realization, or communion with a higher consciousness.
When viewed as a means, meditation is instrumental — it serves a purpose beyond itself. It is a bridge between a current state (e.g., stress, confusion, or ignorance) and a desired state (e.g., peace, clarity, or enlightenment).
Meditation as the End
However, the deeper realization expressed in the quote is that meditation is not merely a stepping stone but is, in itself, the destination. This perspective is especially emphasized in non-dual traditions such as Zen Buddhism, Advaita Vedanta, and certain strands of Taoism, where the goal is not to attain something external or future-oriented but to fully experience the present moment.
When meditation is the end:
- Presence is the Goal: The act of meditating — sitting in stillness, observing the breath, or engaging in a mantra — is itself the fulfillment. There is nowhere else to go, nothing else to achieve.
- Non-Striving: Meditation, in this sense, is about letting go of ambitions and accepting things as they are. It is a state of being rather than doing.
- Eternal Now: It brings the practitioner into a direct experience of the present moment, dissolving the duality between the seeker and the sought. There is no “better” state to achieve because the fullness of life is already present.
Synthesis: The Dual Nature of Meditation
The paradox of meditation being both a means and an end can be reconciled through practice. Initially, many approach meditation with specific goals in mind, and that’s entirely valid. Over time, as the practice deepens, the practitioner often realizes that the true benefit of meditation lies not in what it can bring but in the experience of meditating itself.
For example:
- A person might begin meditating to reduce anxiety (the means) but eventually finds that the act of meditating provides a sense of wholeness and acceptance (the end).
- Through regular practice, meditation transforms from a tool used to fix something to an expression of the practitioner’s natural state of being.
Practical Implication
Approaching meditation with this understanding changes the practice. Instead of sitting down to meditate to get somewhere, you meditate to be where you are. You transition from a goal-oriented mindset to an experiential mindset.
- Instead of “I meditate to become peaceful,” it becomes “I meditate to experience whatever is present, including peace or chaos.”
- Instead of “I am meditating to achieve enlightenment,” it becomes “I am meditating because this moment is complete as it is.”
Conclusion
The beauty of meditation being both the means and the end is that it allows for a harmonious blend of progress and presence. While it starts as a practice to achieve something, it often evolves into a practice of simply being. The journey and the destination merge, offering a profound sense of fulfillment and contentment.
