Meditation Techniques: Understanding Meditation

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Meditation Techniques: Understanding Meditation

"To him who is perfect in meditation salvation is very near," is an old saying. Do you know when a man becomes perfect in meditation? When as soon as he sits down to meditate he becomes surrounded with divine atmosphere and his soul communes with God.

Sri Ramakrishna

God's little one...

Meditation is somewhat differently understood in different cultures of the world and ever so often, also within the same culture.

Meditation is a blossoming of the divine consciousness within. It is not concentration as is oft misunderstood. Meditation does entail concentration but it is a state of being that is much more relaxed than as in simple concentration. In fact, pure concentration where nothing exists except the point on which one concentrates leads to meditation. During concentration, the mind is controlled, but the point at which it becomes meditation cannot be controlled. Just as one falls into sleep, one slips into meditation.

Much of the world today confuses meditation with a lot many exercises that are geared to relaxing the mind or releasing stress. Meditation is not music therapy and nor is it rhythmical dancing, though these can and do have their own inherent benefits. Simply put, as Paramahansa Yogananda described it, "meditation really is a scientific technique of concentration on God." And while there are paths and ways that take you into the sublime lake of meditation, once you get into it, meditation really can be the one golden Light that will dissolve the darkness of incarnations.

True meditation is conscious realization of God through one's intuitive perception. One attains this state when through interiorized concentration, one is consciously able to disconnect one's attention from the sense stimuli and thereby remain undisturbed by the sensory impressions of the outer world. As one withdraws the life force from the body's billions of cells and also from the nerves, one is able to consciously perceive the life force trickling back through the innumerable channels back into the astral centers of the spinal cord and thereon through its own processes into the three luminous channels of the astral spine (composed of a more subtle form of life energy). The three currents then merge into one as they pass through what is known as the brahmanadi - the 'spine' of the causal body (man's body of ideas and consciousness).

In simple terms, Paramahansa Yogananda referred to this causal brahmanadi as a still finer channel of vibratory consciousness- the tenacious fabric on which the patterns of the universe and man's being are imprinted. As one channels one's ego, life force, and processes of consciousness up through the causal 'spine' to its opening at the top of the head and then guides them thereon to pass beyond bodily confinement and attachment, one is able to experience the union of one's Self with the Supreme Infinite.

The most favorable hours for meditation are the two junctions of the day and the night. Nature during theses hours is calm and at rest. Rising early, especially waking up as the sun itself rises in the dreamy sky is helpful on the spiritual path. At the junction hours, the breath passes through both nostrils; it usually passes through one only - which is disturbing to the mind.

Each of us is inherently Divine. We are all born in the image of God, and are manifestations of his virtuosity... but in the fleshly box of the physical body, we consciously overlook the angelic origin of our beings. All that exists is One. Ignorance sees the manifold, wisdom realizes One. Modern science has started to accept this oneness of our entire universe and meditation entails the practice of dissolving everything into the one ultimate reality - Spirit. It stirs in us the consciousness of our divine origin. Through practical experience it establishes in us a faithful understanding of our true nature. Solid matter melts into liquids, the liquids into gases, the gas into the ether and then the mind; the mind will then melt away... all into Spirit.

The experience of meditation is a journey backwards in itself. The plays of the mind come to a halt and one's consciousness expands. Even when one stays in the meditative state for a little while, the peace and rest one experiences is oft more than that gained from deep sleep. In deep sleep our minds are still restless, but in deep meditation, the workings of the brain almost come to a halt. It is the only way one can give true rest to one's system.

The journey of the meditative path is not one of intellectualism. The world is teeming with people who have intellectually mesmerized themselves into believing in their own superficial divinity; who have theorized dictated principles or memorized the written word. The path to God my dear, is only one of practical effort. There are no short cuts. No saint is going to turn you into God; the true ones will enlighten your way and help lighten you of your burdens, but verily, you have to go the whole way yourself. You should, however, not seek to be hasty in imagining beforehand, the benefits that the processes may bestow. Only loving attention, a sincere eagerness to introspect and learn, and steadfast perseverance will carry you to the isle of bliss on the far shore of meditation.

The more you practice, the more will you experience the benefits of peace, good health, understanding, wisdom, love and joy... As the months go by, meditation will have become a habit. In due course, you will be able to honestly look back over your life and notice for yourself the wonderful changes that have manifested. Irrespective of the pressures of daily living or your own inner battles with desires and wants, you must keep your most important appointment - with God.

Like a torrential river, the radio of the typical mind is always full of static and unless this static is eliminated with the salve of concentration and devotion, you will not be able to create within yourself a temple of tranquility. It is only in this state that one is able to perceive the seer or the higher Self, and also find one's self actually merging into and becoming one with It. The meditative state transcends the limitations of finite space and time. Here there is neither a past nor a future, only the consciousness of I am in the eternal now. Please do not wait for a future moment to try out the techniques or explore further on this subject.

Procrastination will foster further laziness, and the more you delay, the further you will be from the understanding of what you really want in life. The solution to depression, freedom from stress, unhappy relationships, restlessness... is all right here within the center of your own being. Be willing and God will help you. For each little step you take, He will take a hundred. From the deep bosom of your heart, He is giving you His soul call. That call is the song you will be receptive to in the chapel of meditation. Do not deny Him His faithful trust in you, and you will find that neither will He ever betray you. Noble one, take to meditation.

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See also: Meditation Techniques, Meditation, Meditation for Beginners, Meditation Techniques)