Do pillars matter?

 Owen teaches the 5 pillars Stillness Meditation Touch Therapy system as Dr Meares taught it to him and wrote about it in his books and papers. The 5 elements Owen calls pillars are:

P1. Solo Stillness Meditation. 

Daily practice of quiet, effortless mental relaxation.

P2. Meditation progression

Gradual development through slight, manageable challenge.

P3. Living in calm AND ease

Allowing calm to flow into ordinary life, not just meditation sessions. Not just being calm but learning to act and respond in real time with ease, even when  facing challenging situations. 

P4. Meditation support factors

Practical mind and body conditions that make meditation easier to learn and sustain.

P5. Stillness-powered meditative touch therapy

Touch, hover or non-touch support used to help the person settle more deeply.

Differences, which apply to some other systems, including some said to be linked with Meares' system are outlined below:

• P1 (Stillness Meditation) similar assuming effortlessness rather than focus is taught. P1 is impacted by diminished or absent P2-P5.

• P2 is virtually absent. No incremental challenge means no meditation progression. 

• P3 is diminished without ease facilitated by P2.

• P4 is weak or absent. Support factors are forgotten or glossed over. 

• P5 is weakened. Nonverbal communication (eg touch etc) is downsized or absent with more talk using words.