How To Meditate? -Part-4 By Sri Swami Venkatesananda

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Radhe Krishna To All,

 

Several methods have already been suggested not only to offset obstacles but to

keep the meditation alive and alert. The very best is of course to seek the

source of the sound of the mantra that is heard, and then the identity of the

one that listens to the mantra. If this method is mastered, no disturbances

(internal or external) need distract you, because you know how to make use of

any disturbance! Anything that happens inside or around you is only going to

stimulate you to greater vigilance. If there is a distraction, this vigilance

will confront it with the question, " I am watching my breath and repeating the

mantra. From where do you come? " Thus, there are no obstacles at all from there

onwards.

On no account should you give up the morning meditation and get up from your

seat before the appointed time: if the mind knows that you are a hard

taskmaster, it will meekly obey you.

 

One of the main reasons why this meditation exercise is performed in the early

morning hours is because it is then that the ego-sense arises after the period

of deep sleep earlier. It is therefore possible to ask oneself: " Where was this

ego-sense a few minutes ago? How does it arise and what is its source? "

 

Even during the day, close your eyes every hour and consciously withdraw the

mind from the world, repeat the mantra and meditate upon god for just a few

seconds. Keep up the current. If you keep a small japamala (rosary) in your

pocket, it will help.

 

By even attempting to practise meditation you will enjoy peace of mind and the

ability to concentrate the mind at will wherever you are.

Another period of meditation just before going to bed is of incalculable

benefit. It carries the fruits of meditation into the state of deep sleep. A

great spiritual teacher said that if you restore order to the mind before you go

to sleep, the mind is free to refresh itself thoroughly. Meditation restores

order to the mind.

 

Of course all that has been described so far is no more than japa or the

repetition of a mantra and the visualisation of what that mantra represents.

These are effective aids—but in themselves they do not constitute meditation.

The use of these aids is based on a simple and sound principle. The world

outside is mainly name-and-form to us: the other sense stimuli are not so strong

as the visual and the auditory. Our waking consciousness is dominated by sights

and sounds. Our inner world is even more so. Our dreams (day dreams as well as

night dreams) are also made up of these two. Objectivity is name and form.

Hence, the student of yoga replaces the multitude of names and forms (worldly,

exciting, emotion-generating and pain-ridden) by one name and form of god

(divine, sublime, peace-giving and bliss-filled). This too is name and form, and

this too is an object—though surely god is not a name and form, and god is not

an object. Ultimately therefore

even this will go; but pushing it is foolishness.

 

Used rightly, however, these aids turn out to be valuable. And, what is their

right use?

 

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras suggest the following:

 

When the name and the form are perfectly steady, the student begins to question

it. " Is this the reality? Is this the self? Is this god? Is it not my own

imagination, the object of my thought, the projection of my mental

conditioning? " This questioning is not just mental or intellectual exercise; it

is much deeper, for by this time the mind is fully concentrated, the image is

clear and steady, and the mind is calm.

The answer to all these questions is an obvious ‘yes’. However, the student

does not abandon the whole thing and get up and walk away. He enters into

himself even more deeply. The enquiry may continue along these lines: " This is

not the self or the reality. But, then, what is it? How is the unuttered sound

heard within: what is it made of? How do I see this image, where is it, and what

is it made of? " Surely, there are no verbal answers to these questions! The

sound is not made in the usual way (by the vocal cords, etc.). The image of god

(or whatever it is that is chosen for the inner visualisation) is not there as a

solid substance. What is it made of? ‘The mind-stuff’ is an unacceptable

answer: it is an expression as meaningless as the other one we suggested to

ourselves as an aid—‘god within’. To be meaningful it must be as real and

as clear to you as this paper is. Thought answering a question concerning

thought is waste of time.

Hence, we pursue the enquiry by direct internal observation. The vital aspect

of this part is to reject all thoughts concerning this phenomenon.

 

At this stage the observing consciousness looks steadily at the object. There is

no movement of thought. There is great clarity. Suddenly it becomes clear that

the object is but a reflection, a projection in the indivisible consciousness.

Thus the division between the observer and the observed is abolished; and this

gives rise to an experience of inner delight.

 

However, there is still movement in consciousness. Consciousness is still aware

of itself: this is the original division which is therefore potential diversity.

There is the awareness of ‘I am’ which can easily expand itself into ‘I am

this’, ‘I am that’ etc. Hence, even this is known as samadhi with

consciousness, or samadhi with the seed of diversification present.

 

Beyond this no effort on the part of the student is of any use, nor is it

necessary. An effort is the expression of the ego, perpetuation of the division;

abandonment of the effort is also the expression of the ego’s inability or

unwillingness to reach this point. The ego-sense should reach this point and in

total self-surrender abandon all effort to abolish division, in the knowledge

that the ego itself is the creator of the division, it is itself the division.

What happens beyond this the masters have alluded to as ‘divine grace’.

Patanjali also speaks of god as what remains after the ordinary self-awareness

ceases to be (purusha visheshah).

Awareness of division is the abolition of division. There is no division in the

awareness which is undivided by the division. This position is not reached, it

is not something to be attained: it is, it always is. When the dividing ego is

seen to be incapable of dividing the indivisible, the shadow is seen as shadow;

that which is is: it alone is—and that is kaivalya aloneness or all-one-ness,

the knowledge that infinite diversity is infinite.

 

How this enlightenment takes place no one knows. At one moment this inner light

begins to shine everywhere in your consciousness, and suddenly the ‘I’ has

disappeared. It was not there in the first place. Only consciousness remains.

Knowledge alone remains. Action alone remains. Seeing alone remains. Without the

ego creating a division, a space between I and the other. When this light shines

constantly within oneself, only then is one able to realise that what goes on

inside is love; that that love is genuine and that that love is directed towards

the omnipresence.

 

If you are further interested pl click this You tube link to know more about

Mantra Meditation

 

 

Regards

 

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

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