#213

Buddha was asked, "What have you gained from meditation?" He replied nothing! However, let me tell you what I have lost: Anger, Anxiety, Depression, Insecurity, Fear of old age and Death.

This is a sound way of explaining the feeling that is achieved in meditation, prayer, or reciting mantras. What is accomplished is the loss of fear. Everything mentioned: anger, anxiety, depression, insecurity, fear of old age and death, is a result of fear. 

Buddha lost all his fears through focusing his mind, using this form of mental exercise while sitting quietly in reflection. When you take a look at your fears, whether it is through one of these methods or jogging, walking in the forest, working in your garden or playing your music, you can face the fear head-on, and work on releasing it. 

These moments of quietude, all alone with your thoughts, open you up. They heighten your awareness of things around you and feelings within you. This affords you the opportunity to really look at what scares, upsets or depresses you. And eventually this process results in less fear, and you can actually feel the joy bubble up from within you.