Dude is 45 years old and we are already planning for his death. In other industries he would just be hitting his stride. In this one we are getting fitted for diapers.
Thanks for posting this. It was great reading through this and seeing how meditation has helped people retain a little sanity in this crazy world. My take on meditation is heavier on faith than most of what I've read here so I thought I would submit it as an alternative.
I've been practicing zazen on a daily basis for almost twenty years now, and Tai Chi Chuan for almost as long. I am extra lucky in that my wife practices as well, and often we spend whole weekends and even vacations meditating together.
We get most of our inspiration to practice from Uchiyama Roshi, who wrote "Opening the Hand of Thought", and his student Shohaku Okumura who is now teaching in Bloomington, Indiana (and has just published "Realizing Genjokoan" which has also been profoundly helpful to us).
There have been many experiences both painful and joyous, but none of them last, no matter how much I've wanted them to. The lesson of course, is that you must let go, no matter what. According to Uchiyama, the first step to sincere practice is to clarify death. Since none of the stuff we normally value (status, wealth, relationships) stay with us when we meet that final experience, it is obvious that we must let go of them and settle on what is of true value. As a buddhist, what has true value is the true self, which is the self that is connected to all other beings. We practice zazen to let go of our petty self, and allow the true self to manifest, similar to how a Christian's or Muslim's true faith in God could allow God's love to act through them. For me, zazen has always been an act of faith towards the belief that there is this true self, that it is interconnected, and interdependent, and that it is in all of us and that it transcends each of us. This faith allows me to let go, to trust everything to zazen, and unclench however slightly from my selfish preoccupations.
I would say the greatest benefit of meditation for me is this realization that I can let go, that I am not a prisoner of my delusions no matter how persistent they may be, and also this faith in a true self that carries me through difficult circumstances and helps me correct course when my actions fall short of my ideals.