--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What is meditation? It is not your…" description: "\"What is meditation? It is not your character, it is not what you do. It is what you are. It is not the character, it is the consciousness that you brin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d4/rajneesh-54_character_what-is-meditation-it-is-not-your-charac_269533.jpg" --- # What is meditation? It is not your character, it is not… ![“What is meditation? It is not your character, it is not what you do. It is what you are. It is not the character, it is the consciousness that you bring to whatsoever you do. The doing is irrelevant. Whether you are doing it consciously or not is the question, whether moral or immoral. Are you…” quote by Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d4/rajneesh-54_character_what-is-meditation-it-is-not-your-charac_269533.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d4/rajneesh-54_character_what-is-meditation-it-is-not-your-charac_269533.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d4/rajneesh-54_character_what-is-meditation-it-is-not-your-charac_269533.jpg) > “What is meditation? It is not your character, it is not what you do. It is what you are. It is not the character, it is the consciousness that you bring to whatsoever you do. The doing is irrelevant. Whether you are doing it consciously or not is the question, whether moral or immoral. Are you alert? If you are alert, meditation happens. If you are not alert, you live in sleep.” [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Meditation is the state of alert consciousness, not a practice or moral judgment; it is simply being present and aware. **In simple terms:** Meditation is alert awareness, not a task. Key Takeaway Cultivate alertness in daily life. Themes mindfulness consciousness presence Mood calm reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - work - study - relationships - stress management Key Concepts spirituality self-awareness Questions to Reflect On - How can you stay alert during routine tasks? - What does alertness change in your moral decisions? A Different Perspective Alertness can be hard to maintain amid distractions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consciousness/) [Meditation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meditation/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Sleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sleep/) ## Related quotes > [One man has discovered that by running there is no need to meditate, just by running meditation happens. He must be absolutely body oriented.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/one-man-has-discovered-that-by-running-there-is-no-need-to-meditate/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [You cannot force meditation, you can only create the situation. And if the situation is created rightly, then meditation happens automatically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/you-cannot-force-meditation-you-can-only-create-the-situation-and-if/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [In meditation, whatever happens is bound to be expressed in creativity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/in-meditation-whatever-happens-is-bound-to-be-expressed-in-creativity/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Songwriting never feels like it's me doing anything consciously except for becoming aware somehow that it's time to let something out, or let something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scout-niblett/songwriting-never-feels-like-it-s-me-doing-anything-consciously/) [Scout Niblett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scout-niblett/) > [“Whatever one may say, writing a novel is a very different thing from living one. All the same our lives are not wholly separated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/whatever-one-may-say-writing-a-novel-is-a-very-different-thing-from/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [“Before you can discover your life’s Purpose, you must separate from your comfortable and ordinary world. Then we will initiate you into a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mastin-kipp/before-you-can-discover-your-life-s-purpose-you-must-separate-from/) [Mastin Kipp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mastin-kipp/) > [“The unconscious mind goes on doing things and creating problems. There is no wall at all that you have to push through. The real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/the-unconscious-mind-goes-on-doing-things-and-creating-problems-there/) [Osho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/) > [Consumer wants can have bizarre, frivolous, or even immoral origins, and an admirable case can still be made for a society that seeks to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/consumer-wants-can-have-bizarre-frivolous-or-even-immoral-origins-and/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [Food is being purposefully formulated to addict you.Then it is purposefully marketed, targeted to young children to addict them at an early age. 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Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-a-walters/) > [I do not think homosexuality is immoral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-do-not-think-homosexuality-is-immoral/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character--that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-remember-that-intelligence-is-not-enough-intelligence-plus/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [IMMORAL, adj. Inexpedient. Whatever in the long run and with regard to the greater number of instances men find to be generally inexpedient comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/immoral-adj-inexpedient-whatever-in-the-long-run-and-with-regard-to/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More by Rajneesh > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [It all depends on you. You can go on sleeping forever, you can wake up right this moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/it-all-depends-on-you-you-can-go-on-sleeping-forever-you-can-wake-up/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [The greatest mystery in life is not life itself, but death. Death is the culmination of life, the ultimate blossoming of life. In death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/the-greatest-mystery-in-life-is-not-life-itself-but-death-death-is/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [This mind is a prison. It cannot find any freedom anywhere. It must die before freedom comes to you. But we have taken the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/this-mind-is-a-prison-it-cannot-find-any-freedom-anywhere-it-must-die/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Never belong to a crowd; Never belong to a nation; Never belong to a religion; Never belong to a race. Belong to the whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/never-belong-to-a-crowd-never-belong-to-a-nation-never-belong-to-a/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Money should not be in the hands of individuals; otherwise it will create this problem of being burdened with guilt. And money can make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/money-should-not-be-in-the-hands-of-individuals-otherwise-it-will/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Marriage is going to disappear, should disappear. And now the point is coming in the history of humanity where it becomes possible that marriage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/marriage-is-going-to-disappear-should-disappear-and-now-the-point-is/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [A mature mind is one who understands the impossibility of knowing the ultimate, and with this understanding there is a new dimension: the dimension…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/a-mature-mind-is-one-who-understands-the-impossibility-of-knowing-the/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [The word religion comes from an origin which means "coming together." But priesthood has been doing just the opposite, it has created splits in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/the-word-religion-comes-from-an-origin-which-means-coming-together/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Love and laughter go together; and laughter is one of the greatest medicines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/love-and-laughter-go-together-and-laughter-is-one-of-the-greatest/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [There are people who want to become rich; they become rich. If you persist you can fulfill any kind of stupidity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/there-are-people-who-want-to-become-rich-they-become-rich-if-you/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Just take one thing out and the whole palace, the whole edifice of the human mind collapses. Take effort out of it and desiring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/just-take-one-thing-out-and-the-whole-palace-the-whole-edifice-of-the/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [To me, man means awareness of death. I am not saying become afraid of death; that is not awareness. Just be aware of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/to-me-man-means-awareness-of-death-i-am-not-saying-become-afraid-of/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [So your life becomes a vital celebration, your relationship becomes a festive thing. Whatsoever you do, every moment is a festival. You eat, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/so-your-life-becomes-a-vital-celebration-your-relationship-becomes-a/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > ["Serenity" is the flavor of meditation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/serenity-is-the-flavor-of-meditation/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) [Explore all 1,885 Rajneesh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. 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But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. 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