PRACTICE OF MEDITATION.(Med 85)

PRACTICE OF MEDITATION.(Med 85)

Swami Chidananda

Concentration brings us to the threshold of Yoga proper. Whatever may be the faith, whatever may be the external details of spiritual life, the central process which ultimately all seekers are gradually trained to do is meditation. That is, detaching and attaching – detaching one’s consciousness from the awareness of the world of names and forms, and attaching it to the inner Ideal, the ultimate Reality. It is the switching off the senses from the instinctive perception of the external world, and the switching on the inner faculty of the pure mind upon the Ideal to be attained. This is the ultimate way through which the seeker has to enter the supermundane realm.

The spiritual concentration is based on the denial of the individualistic personality by affirming: “I am not this body. I do not belong to this perishable world. I am ever-free, ever-perfect spiritual entity.” Here the seeker tries to concentrate on the internal source of his Being. It is totally inward and spiritual. Try to tell yourself and feel that there is no universe, neither the sun nor the moon. There is nothing. Efface the universe from your thoughts. You alone are. Now, slowly begin to negate your personality – the head, face, limbs, etc. Then what is there? When you feel that there is absolutely nothing, slowly bring in the thought that the Lord alone is. Then you fill your mind with your particular conception of God as taught by your guru. If you are a vedantin, feel that there is only one vast expanse of limitless Existence, unfathomable Peace and infinite Bliss. There is nothing else.

These twofold things – negating the entire world and even your personality, and asserting positively only the presence of Supreme Being – are powerful helps. The more you practise these, the easier it becomes to immediately get into the mood of meditation. When there is no thought of the world at all, and the entire consciousness is filled with the one thought of the Supreme Being, then start the meditation. Concentration is one per cent a question of theory and ninety-nine per cent a question of practice. Daily practice alone will help you. Abhyasa is the keyword to success in concentration. Continuing of the current of meditation through out the waking, dream and sleep states, keep up a link of meditation even while a certain portion of the mind goes on doing ordinary work. This method is called ‘Brahma-abhyasa’ or ‘Brahma-chintan’.