Meditation is sometimes regarded as a selfish activity. While we pray for others, it seems that meditation is done only for ourselves. We like to believe that prayer benefits other people, that it changes the world; but it appears unlikely to us that meditation can change anything but ourselves.

A Far Eastern master addressed this matter about seven hundred years ago, and in doing so he changed his religion for ever. What he said deserves to be better known, for if he is correct -- and millions of people think he is -- then it turns out that meditation can be one of the most beneficial things we can do, not only for ourselves but for every living creature in the world.

In brief, our friend pointed out a basic truth in his religion -- that each of us is one with everyone and everything else in the world. Incidentally, this is also a Christian truth. St. Paul says, "So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another" (Rom. 12:5), and "We are members one of another" (Eph. 4:25). And Paul implies a kinship with all creation when he says, "For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now" (Rom. 8:22), which strongly suggests that the salvation offered by Christ is for all created things.

Now, if it is true that we are one with everyone and everything else, it must follow -- as our Eastern friend maintained -- that when I meditate, everybody and everything else meditates too: my friends, my enemies, the entire world. And if that is true, then it also follows that our Step 11 meditation practice is tightly linked with our practice of Step 12 -- carrying the message to others. Armed with this insight, we can commit ourselves to our meditation with the assurance that it is one of the most unselfish and loving things we can do.