The power of meditation

In the ongoing classes right now, we are studying a book called Awakening the Buddha Within by Lama Surya Das. Surya Das is a practitioner in the Dzogchen school of Tibetan Buddhism. Here is a Dzogchen teaching on meditation that emphasizes the importance of regular practice and long term perseverence:

In the beginning, meditative awareness is like a small flame, which can easily be extinguished and needs to be protected and nurtured. Later, it is more like a huge bonfire, which consumes whatever falls into it... Then the more thoughts that arise, the more awareness blazes up, like adding logs to a bonfire! Emaho!* Everything is food for naked enlightened awareness!

-- Dzogchen Master Jigme Lingpa

*"Emaho!" is Tibetan for "How wonderful!" or "Hallelujah!"