That is, only gradually, in most cases, will it become clear that meditation is what we are, not what we do, and that the separate self or finite mind is what we do, not what we are. Until this is recognised, meditation will seem to require an effort, and if this is the case, and for as long as it seems to be so, we should make the effort. In time it will become clear that we cannot make an effort to be or know our self—we can only make an effort to be or know something apparently other than our self—and at that point our effort will come spontaneously to an end.

Rupert Spira

from Being Aware of Being Aware