Medi practice

 Meditation, as the word is used here, describes a process of gently letting go of all that comes between yourself and the calm, loving, pristine depths of your own inner being. 

We each have a calm, kind, loving, accepting, and supportive inner core to our being, but unfortunately, most of us have become unconsciously  attached to the incessant chatter of the ego's old and largely ineffective schemes of attempting to pursue the enduring joy, love, esteem and well-being which truly are our innate birthright. 

Due to flawed emotional programs for happiness and well-being (many of which were created during childhood), we have long been misled by our own mind, and we need to refocus our attention toward the calm, pristine depths of the Inner Life.

The relationship which we instinctively long for, the relationship which we need above all others, is a deep inner relationship with the Divine Presence which illuminates, guides and empowers us in the perfect way that no human relationship can ever achieve.

rather than thinking of yourself as "I" or "me" (something known and having rather fixed qualities), begin to think of yourself simply as an on-going process (a work-in-progress), an ever-changing process which is powered and nurtured by the ever-present ocean of Love in which we are immersed.

Simply open yourself to new possibilities, new ways of life, and relax into the vast Ocean of Being, seeing yourself as an on-going work of art, having unlimited potential for inner peace and happiness.

Results:

The old, unsatisfactory mental habits have often been accumulated and reinforced over many years, so it may take some time and dedication to overcome them. At first, meditation may seem like a burden, but over time, it will likely become an important and cherished part of each day.

As a first step, sort of a trial period, meditate at least once a day for thirty consecutive days, and then carefully examine your daily life: are you calmer? more peaceful? behaving more beautifully? expressing greater loving-kindness? living with greater ease? If so, you're on the right track!

begin with whichever meditation is easiest and most appealing to you:

If imagining yourself in a peaceful place is easier for you, then begin with Abiding Peace.

If imagining yourself immersed in the presence of love is easier for you, then begin with Loving Presence.

If imagining yourself in the midst of great beauty is easier for  you, then begin with Awesome Beauty.

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A great obstacle to the flow of Divine Presence arises whenever we ourselves are not present, that is, when we are not engaged in the

present moment. Our lack of engagement with the present moment is, in general, due to our own conditioning, our own outdated, habitual responses to life's situations. Whenever we respond to a situation with a habitual response, we are no longer responding in harmony with the present moment, and the burden of our old baggage isolates us from the inner guidance and loving-kindness which is the very solution to every situation.

In order to be effective instruments of Divine Presence, we ourselves must be fully present in each moment, in each situation, always responding from that fountain of inner guidance and loving-kindness, not with old habitual responses. All too often, some minor event brings about a major response, triggered by an old (and often unconsciously recalled) memory of something which occurred at an earlier time in our life. But that was a different situation, it was a different time.

The subconscious response of the ego is trying to help us find the pleasure, affection and esteem that we deserve, but it does so by playing over and over some old response to some other situation from our past. And whenever we respond, consciously or unconsciously, out of our past conditioning, we are actually responding to some other situation from some other time rather than responding to the living reality of the present moment.

To enjoy the love, harmony and beauty which are our birthright, we must be fully present, fully engaged, here and now. We must respond to the needs of present moment as instruments of Divine Presence, not as servants of our ego's old habits and unconscious reactions. Be here. Be beautiful. Now.

Meditation daily life

 

MEDITATION AND ITS UTILITY IN DAILY LIFE

Meditation is not for a few but is necessary for all human beings. The inner self of a person

touches the Higher Self (the Param-Tattwa) during deep sleep daily. This unknown touch recharges

the battery of man. So, when he gets up from his sleep, he feels that he is refreshed, full of strength

and relaxed. This is a natural process for all persons alike. If one could not sleep properly, he feels

disturbed and is in a sort of weariness. It is the experience of every man, whether he is rich or a

beggar, a literate or an illiterate, an executive or a labourer, a farmer or a business man, a housewife

or a huckster. So, every man needs peace, strength, ability to discharge his duties and for

tranquillity of mind. So, a wonderful discovery of man is to keep his inner self in touch with the

SOURCE in a wakeful state for longer periods continuously through specific type of systematic

practices. This is called the art of meditation. And such a person is said to be a YOGI without any

discretion/distinction of caste, creed, colour and country.

Dhyanam nirvishayam manah—That state of the mind, wherein there are noVishayasor

sensory thoughts, is meditation.

Whether oriental or occidental, Hinduism or Mohammedanism, Buddhism or Jainism,

Christianity or Judaism, Shinto-ism or any other ‘ism’, the spiritual purpose and meaning is to lead

an individual soul to the ecstatic communion with the Universal Divinity or ONE TRUTH, the

SOURCE. A continuous flow of perception of thought is Dhyana—Tatra pratyayaikatanata

dhyanam.It is the flow of continuous thought of one object or God or Atman or Supreme

Source—Tailadharavat. According to Raja Yoga, meditation is the seventh rung or step in the

ladder of Yoga. One cannot attain this state unless he knows the art of “Concentration”. What is

concentration?—Desa bandhas-chittasya dharana.Concentration is fixing the mind on an external

object or an internal point continuously, without interruption or break for twelve seconds. So, an

aspirant has to develop himself in concentration, which itself is changed into meditation, if his state

of keeping the mind focused at one object/point/subject continuously and spontaneously for

12x12=144 seconds. It is termed as ‘Dhyana’ in Sanskrit scriptures, which comes from the root

‘Dhi’. In English we generally call it ‘intellect’ which is the basic root with different derivations in

different practices. However, ‘Buddhi’ (reasoning faculty) is said to be directly based on this root

term; yet this term is used liberally by all systems of Yoga, which is central theme of all mystic

techniques leading one to higher levels of spiritual consciousness with profound depths of spiritual

expansion and takes one to God-realisation or Self-realisation.

Meditation may be objective, or on qualities or purely subjective or one’s own breath. In

objective meditation theSadhakameditates upon an idol or picture of hisIshta devata—may be

Lord Shiva, Vishnu, Rama, Krishna, Christ, Buddha or any other god or goddess. For him, the idol

is something alive, vibrating with supreme reality, omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent. He may

meditate upon the beautitude, the qualities, the activities of hisIshta-devata. Or he may meditate

upon the all-pervading pulsating Supreme Energy which is within him and without, permeating

everywhere. This is subjective meditation. Similarly on his breath while inhaling and exhaling with

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MINIMAL SILENCE. All meditations are good; what counts is the intensity and unbroken

continuity of meditation.

An aspirant has to rest his soul on the bosom of the Lord, to bathe in the bliss of Divine

ecstasy, to drown his ego in the ocean of eternity, to draw sustenance and strength from the

SOURCE to attain whatever he is capable of achieving. ASadhakashould meditate regularly, chew

and digest what he has learnt, to transform what he has learnt into wisdom, to apply that wisdom to

solve the problems that cross his path daily. Says F.W. Robertson: “It is not the number of books

you read, nor the variety of sermons you hear, nor the amount of religious conversation in which

you mix, but it is the frequency and earnestness with which you meditate on these things till the

truth in them becomes your own and part of your being, that ensures your growth.”

A sincere spiritual seeker meditates to realise the Ultimate Reality to unravel the mystery of

life and death, to understand in the bottom of his heart, what is Truth. Once he knows Truth, he

knows the Ultimate Reality, he becomes That, and there is nothing more to know. A person who has

realised Brahman, becomes Brahman, and lives in Brahman. Knowing is being. That is the highest

state.

India has been fortunate to have produced many saints and seers who had realised the Truth

and for more or less time lived in a state of Divine Ecstasy. Even during the past hundred years

people have witnessed such saints like Paramahamsa Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda, Swami

Ramatirtha, Sri Aurobindo, Ramana Maharshi, Swami Ramdas, Swami Sivananda and several

others of world fame. Ramakrishna would while talking relapse intoSamadhiand often prayed to

his Divine Mother not to draw him frequently into Her Bosom so that he can converse with his

disciple, particularly his darling Naren later known to the world as Swami Vivekananda so that he

could prepare a band of workers to spread his message, the holy message of India. Swami

Ramatirtha was often seen in a state of ecstasy during last seven years of life in India and United

States. Swami Sivananda was another who would often sing and dance or be just be quiet in divine

ecstasy. There have been more in India and quite a few messengers of God in other parts of the

world.

Meditation and concentration are often treated as synonymous. However, I have drawn

earlier a distinct line between concentration and meditation. In further explanation when one brings

to bear all his thought waves on a single point or spot like a laser beam where the scattered rays of

light are concentrated, it is concentration. Every body needs concentration to understand, assimilate

and apply any information, any knowledge. When the concentration is prolonged for 144 seconds,

it is called meditation and when extended to 144 multiplied by 144 i.e. 20736 seconds = 345.6

minutes, it is said to reach the state of Samadhi. According toAshtanga Yogacomprising two main

parts of Hatha Yoga—Yama, Niyama, Asanaand Pranayamacovers the first one, whereas

Pratyahara, Dharana, DhyanaandSamadhi,is the second part. There is no equivalent word in

English language forSamadhi. Concentration is the sixth, Meditation the seventh andSamadhithe

eighth and last stage of Yoga when theSadhakais united with the Supreme Being. It shows that

concentration leads to Meditation, similarly prolonged constant meditation leads toSamadhi.In

other YogasManana, Nididhyasana, Upasana, Chintana, Dhyana—these terms are used in

different Yogas with subtle differences in their techniques.Mananais a sort of reflection. It is just

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MEDITATION AND ITS UTILITY IN DAILY LIFE

to chew the cud slowly and nicely. It is done through into intense practice ofManana.Chintanais

also a sort of reflection and meditation to assimilate the thoughts in consciousness for proper and

significant impression with profound understanding. Intense meditation on the Self or Brahman or

ANY SPIRITUAL ILLUMINED PERSONALITY is termed as ‘Nididhyasana’. As Saint Francis

of Assisi did. ‘Upasana’ stands for devout meditation which is being used in both i.e.,Jnana Yoga

SadhanaandBhakti Yoga. Upasanameans ‘sitting near by’. InJnana Yoga Sadhanathe seeker has

to sit near the Self or Brahman; whereas inBhakti Yogaa devotee has to sit by the side of God.

A keen and true regular practitioner (Sadhaka) will attain quick and sure results, when he

proceeds properly stage by stage under the guidance of his GURU or master. The first four parts are

meant to purify the mind and keep the body strong and fit to receive and retain the power of the

DIVINE. Many moderns, however, equate Yoga with the practice of fewasanasandpranayamas.

This is not sufficient for spiritual uplift. Yet, it is better to practiseasanasandpranayamasfor

health’s sake than not to do anything at all. But Yoga is really first to withdraw one’s mind from the

objects of senses (pratyahara), practice concentration, prolong the period of concentration under

proper guidance to reach the stage of meditation and finally become one, unite (Yoga to join to

unite) with the Supreme Reality, the TRUTH.

Thus meditation is not meant merely for the recluse, the ascetic, the renouncer. It is of

utmost important in man’s day-to-day life. It is of immense help to a student, a youth, an old man. A

man who can meditate will become a better manager, a better businessman, a better executive and,

above all, a better man. Conversely, if a person cannot meditate, he will lack composition, courage

and confidence to achieve his goal. Nowadays, several medical doctors and psychologists advise to

their patients suffering from nervousness, unusual irritation, disordered mind, fear and inferiority

complex and lack of self-confidence to meditate in a specific manner along with the medical

treatment. So, the meditation is very necessary these days when man leads a life of tension and

complexity.

Every morning and evening, preferably at dawn and dusk, sit down in a comfortable posture

with your backbone straight, relax each and every limb of your body, and then your mind, and sit

unmoved, in the same pose, as long as you can. It is always better to invoke yourGuru(master) and

Ishta Devatafirst, when you sit for meditation for their blessings and guidance and gratefully thank

them again when you finish the meditation. Gradually, increase the time of your meditation. It is

easier to relax your limbs of the body but not so easy to relax your mind. This process of relaxation,

stillness and body awareness will automatically reduce the speed of your breathing, which, in turn,

will help in meditation. So many thoughts will cross your mind now and then. They may even

disturb you. Do not be afraid. Try to remain calm and watch them with equanimity. Let them come,

let them go. Do not fight to free your mind from thought waves. Try to be indifferent to them. But do

not observe these thoughts with equanimous mind. Gradually, automatically the flitting of thoughts

across the canvas of your mind will diminish. After sometime—sooner than later—you will be

absorbed in yourIshta-Devataif your meditation is objective, or in your Being, if your meditation

is subjective. Once, you get the taste of it, believe me, you will like to taste it more and more and

more.

Yoga in daily life

 

daily

Py label thoughts

 most important practice: To observe whether thoughts are Klishta or Aklishta is extremely useful. It is the foundation practice of observing your thought process. This is done when observing both individual thoughts and trains of thoughts. This can seem so simple a practice as to brush over it as being unimportant, but this is a big mistake. Observing whether thoughts are colored or not colored is useful both at meditation time, and during the activities of daily life.

Klishta, or colored thought patterns:

Often these have a disturbing quality.

Sometimes

disturbing.

they

are

just

distracting,

not

really

At other times we may enjoy or cultivate the thought

patterns, although they are still colored. In other words, we like our attractions.

Interestingly, we also hold on to our aversions in such a

way, that it is like we want to keep them around too.

Many of the mental impressions that seem to be related

to "I" or "Me" are colored, or Klishta.

Aklishta, or not-colored thought patterns:

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These are neutral. Much of the information stored in our

mind is merely data that is there for day-to-day living. Household or office objects are good examples of objects whose impressions are naturally neutral.

In a public area we see many people, some of whom we

may have seen before, but do not know. These too are often Aklishta, or uncolored memories.

Sometimes

we

have

thought

patterns

that

were

previously colored, but have lost some, most, or all of their coloring. Good examples are past habit patterns that we have truly let go of. The thought impressions of those past habits are now mostly neutral if the habit has really been changed.

Are useful on the spiritual journey

What to do:

Observe the rise and fall of thoughts: Simply observe the individual thought patterns that naturally flow in the stream of the mind. They rise and fall as a normal process. Then, simply observe whether a certain thought pattern is Colored or Not-Colored, Klishta or Aklishta.

Literally ask yourself: "Is this thought colored or not colored?" "Is this thought klishta or aklishta?"

Talk with yourself: The way to observe is to literally ask yourself with your inner voice, "Is this thought colored or not colored, klishta or aklishta?" Answers will come from within.

Literally answer yourself: "Colored" or "Not colored" "Klishta" or "Aklishta"

Verbalize the words: You will then want to train your mind by internally saying the word or label, such as "Colored," "Not-Colored," "Klishta" or "Aklishta". (This goes along with the process of observing whether the thought is Useful or Not Useful, which is described in a section below.)

The process might go something like this:

Љ. Thought arises.

Њ. Ask, "Is this thought colored or not colored?" Ћ. Answer comes, "Colored!"

Ќ. Ask, "Is this thought useful or not useful?" Ѝ. Answer comes, "Not Useful!".

Ў. Train the mind with, "Mind, this thought is not useful!" Џ. Then you can either let go, explore, or cultivate the

thought. (The effect of this is cumulative. It may seem

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slow at first, but it builds up over time.)

With a little practice, the process comes very quickly, something like this:

Љ. Thought arises.

Њ. "...Colored... Not Useful..."

Ћ. "Let go of it, mind...." (or explore it further if you

choose)

Or:

Љ. Thought arises.

Њ. "...Colored... Useful..."

Ћ. "This is a good idea... I should do this..."

Or:

Љ. Thought arises.

Њ. "...Not Colored..." (or only mildly colored)

Ћ. Thought naturally drifts away.

Intentionally allow a thought to arise: Practice this by intentionally allowing a thought pattern to arise from within, and then observe and label it. Do this practice several times allowing different types of thought patterns to arise. With practice, this will be a very easy thing to do. Then, as a natural outcome of the observing and labeling process, it becomes much easier to become a neutral witness to that stream of thought patterns.

Examine individual thoughts: When we can neutrally witness the entire stream of thoughts, it is then easier to examine individual thought patterns, so as to further weaken their grip (weakening the samskaras that drive karma). It is also easier to begin to move beyond the mind itself, towards the center of consciousness.

Allow colored to become uncolored: We come to see that a most important aspect of yoga meditation has to do with allowing Colored or Klishta thoughts to naturally transition into Uncolored or Aklishta thoughts. The original thought remains, but gradually loses its coloring (mostly attraction and aversion), resulting in those previously troublesome thoughts becoming mere memories. This is a practical method of attaining the true meaning of nonattachment (vairagya).

top

Which of five types is this particular thought?

Then notice which of five types: Once you have observed whether a thought pattern is colored or not colored (klishta or aklishta), then the next step is to notice which of five types it is. You need not memorize the Sanskrit words, though that might come naturally as you practice this aspect of self-awareness. (Yoga Sutra 1.6)

Gunas

 Three gunas or qualities: The mind has one of three qualities (three gunas) that predominate. These three qualities are related to the mind in general, as well as to specific thought patterns:

Љ. Tamas, static, stable, inert: Negative aspects include heaviness, vice, ignorance, dullness, stagnation, or stupor. Positive aspects include stability and reliability.

Њ. Rajas, or active, stirring, moving: Impelled towards activity, which may be a negative, disturbing, distracted form of energy, or a positive activity to overcome inertia.

Ћ. Sattvas, Illumined, light, spiritual: As the veil of the other two is gradually lifted, there comes virtue, higher wisdom, desirelessness, and mastery.

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Thoughts

Cultivate a Sattvic or illumined mind, while allowing Tamas to bring stability, and Rajas to bring positive action.

What to do:

Cultivate sattvic mind: We want to cultivate the Sattvic or Illuminated state of mind, rather than a mind filled with Inertia or Negative Activity. The three gunas are said to be the building blocks of the universe, and at the same time are qualities of grosser levels of reality. For example, one might eat more Sattvic food as an aid to meditation, or create a Sattvic environment. Here, we are talking about cultivating Sattvic thought patterns.

Notice which of the three is predominant: Here, we want to simply notice the state of mind in a common sense sort of way. This is very straightforward. The mind and its thoughts might be filled with a heaviness (tamas), filled with distracting activity (rajas), or it might be filled with illumination or spiritual lightness (sattvas).

If heavy or inert: If the mind is heavy or inert, we want to bring activity so that we can approach the illuminated, clear state of mind.

If overactive or noisy: If the mind is overly active or noisy, in negative ways, then we want to allow that to pass, to transform into a clarity and illumination.

If clear or illumined: If the mind is in a clear, illumined, or Sattvic state, we want to gently maintain that state of mind.

Cultivate sattvic thoughts and emotions: In any case, we want to cultivate individual thoughts and emotions that are Sattvic in nature, that are spiritual, clear, or illumined. To do that, it is useful to label the Tamasic and Rajasic thoughts so that these can be transformed into Sattvic thoughts. It is not a matter of repressing the Tamasic or Rajasic thoughts, but of positively emphasizing the Sattvic.

For example, if Tamas is predominant, then thoughts might be heavy or negative. However, when Sattvas is dominant, then Tamas provides stability, which is useful.

If Rajas is dominant, then thoughts might be anxious or racing. However, if Sattvas is dominant, Rajas is the force that brings the useful thoughts into positive action, while Tamas has a stabilizing effect.

It's not good or bad: When considering which of the Gunas are strongest in a given thought or thought process, it can seem as if Sattvas is "good" and that Tamas and Rajas are "bad". This is not the case. What is important is that balance of the Gunas and which one is dominant. In addition to the possible negative aspects, Rajas is also the positive

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impelling force to take actions, and Tamas is a stabilizing force. Both are useful.

Allow sattvas to be dominant: For meditation, Sattvas is the Guna that the student wants to be dominant, allowing Rajas and Tamas to have little influence.

Witnessing 2

 This reminding process becomes non-verbal: After some time of doing such a practice, you will naturally find that the labeling process becomes non-verbal. It is very useful to literally say the words internally when you label the thoughts. However, the non-verbal labeling comes automatically as you increasingly become a witness to your thought process. During meditation, the thoughts can then easily come and drift away. (This means the mind is awake and alert, as well as clear, which is not meaning dull, lethargic, or in a trance.)

Label and go beyond the thoughts: Yoga science maps out many aspects of the mental process so that the student of yoga meditation can encounter, deal with, and eventually go beyond the entire thought process to the joy of the center of consciousness. We learn to label the thoughts, and then gradually learn to go beyond them.

(Some of the types of thoughts to witness are described below in this paper. Also, a summary page has been written, so that you can print this out as an aid to study and practice.)

Parts to the process of witnessing: Witnessing the thought process means to be able to: 1) observe the natural flow of the mind, and 2) notice the nature of the thought patterns, 3) while not being disturbed or distracted by this mental process. There is a simple formula to this process:

Witnessing = Observing + Non-Attachment

Weaken the grip of samskaras: When one can begin to witness the thought process, meditation can be used as a means to weaken (Yoga Sutra 2.4) the grip of the deep impressions called samskaras, the driving force of actions or karma. Then, the deeper aspects of meditation are accessible.

Training your own mind: It is important to remember that there is another aspect of labeling and witnessing that has to do with the direct training of your mind. This is the process of deciding and training your mind whether a given thought is Useful or Not Useful (This was mentioned above, and is covered later in the paper, after introducing all of the thought processes).

Patanjali states of mind_2

 Most of the time, mind flows towards the many sensory experiences we have, as well as towards the streams of memories and fantasies. 

The existence of the external world and the memories is not the problem. 

Rather, the pure consciousness mistakenly takes on the identity of those thought patterns. 

In this way, we incorrectly come to think that who we are is one and the same with these thoughts. 

The solution is to separate the seer and the seen

 There are five types of interfering mental impressions that block the realization of the true Self 

1) knowing correctly,

 2) incorrect knowing, 

3) imagination, 

4) deep sleep, and

 5) memory 

learn to witness these five kinds of thoughts with non-attachment (1.15-1.16), discriminate between these five, and to cultivate the first type of thought, which is knowing correctly

These thought patterns may be colored (klishta) or not-colored (aklishta) (1.5). That coloring has to do with ignorance, I-ness, attachments, aversions, and fears (2.3). 

The simple observation of whether thought patterns are colored or not colored is an extremely useful part of the process of purifying, balancing, stabilizing, or calming the mind so that deeper meditation can come.

Next explore and become witness to these five types of thoughts, and 

  allow the coloring to fade (1.16) through the various processes of Yoga meditation

Types of thoughts 

1) real or valid cognition-right knowledge, valid proof, seeing clearly

2)unreal cognition- indiscrimination, perverse cognition, wrong knowledge, misconception, incorrect knowing, not seeing clearly  

eg rope and snake) Mirage

Relationships with people: 

Wrong judgement of situation due to missing information.

The result might be increased egoism, attractions, aversions, or fears.

3) imagination, --

verbal misconception or delusion, fantasy, hallucination

mind often thinks and creats chains of words and images. leading to thoughts or impressions that have no actual reality.

Imagine yourself to be rich wise and beautiful when in reality you are poor stupid ugly

The mind is really taking the current thoughts, rearranging them this or that way, and then fantasizing some new combination as being the future, even though that fantasy is occurring in the present moment.

Avidya (ignorance) is somewhat like making a mistake, in which one thing is confused for another. Four major forms of this are:

Seeing the temporary as eternal: For example, thinking that the earth and moon are permanent, or behaving as if our possessions are permanently ours, forgetting that all of them will go, and that our so-called ownership is only relative.

Mistaking the impure for the pure: For example, believing that our thoughts, emotions, opinions, or motives in relation to ourselves, some other person, or situation are purely good, healthy, and spiritual, when they are actually a mixture of tendencies or inclinations.

Confusing the painful to be pleasureful: For example, in our social, familial, and cultural settings there are many actions that seem pleasure filled in the moment, only later to be found as painful in retrospect.

Thinking the not-self to be the self: For example, we may think of our country, name, body, profession, or deep predispositions to be "who I am," confusing these with who I really am at the deepest level, the level of our eternal Self.

Both large and small scales: As you reflect on these forms of Avidya, you will notice that they apply at both large scales and smaller scales, such as the impermanence of both the planet Earth and the object we hold in our hand. The same breadth applies to the others as well.

We come from a country and think we "are" that country. We say, "I am American," or "I am Indian," etc. We follow a certain path or teacher and say, "I am Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jew, or Muslim." We say, "I am a daughter, son, father, mother, sister or brother; I am the doer of this or that action; I am good or bad, I am happy or sad." Actually, none of these are ultimately "who" I am

4) nvidra = deep sleep 

Unlike ordinary sleep, which is characterized by a lack of awareness, the yogic approach aims to convert sleep into a state of conscious rest by training the mind. The ultimate goal is to achieve an alert awareness that persists through waking, dreaming, and deep sleep states. 

5) memory, remembering

Memory can take on associations: Memory is something with which we are all familiar. Some previously stored impression simply awakens, stirs in the unconscious, and then springs forth into the conscious awareness, having pierced the veil between conscious and unconscious. However, a rising memory often brings along with it many other memories that then get linked in such a way that the original memory is not seen in its pure form. In other words, the memory is being distorted; it is commingled with the other types of thought patterns.

Mere memory is less of a block to meditation: The memory being described here is the pure memory, without having stolen, or had additions from other memories or the creative, fantasizing, hallucinating process of mind. It is quite natural for these thought impressions to rise in the mind field. By discriminating between the types of thoughts, we can see which are simply memories, and which are memories that have become distorted and effectively turned into fantasies, which are vikalpa, described in sutra 1.9. Mere memory is not so disturbing to our natural peace of mind, whereas when associated with all of the other inner process, leads to the troublesome mental process that blocks deep meditation. 

The process of continually seeing ever more clearly brings progress on the path of meditation. This process of seeing clearly, of seeing things as they are, is one of the ways of describing the inner journey, eventually revealing that absolute, unchanging True Self.

klishta -- aklishta

painful -- not painful 

not useful -- useful 

afflicted -- not afflicted

impure -- pure

troubled -- not troubled

negative -- positive

vice -- virtue

away from enlightenment -- towards enlightenment

resulting in bondage -- resulting in freedom

 

Patanjali states of mind_1

 Know where you are: 

It is very useful to be aware of these stages, both in the moment, and as a general day-to-day level at which one is functioning.

 It reveals the depth of practice that one might be able to currently practice. 

Some aspect of yoga meditation applies to every human being, though we need to be mindful of which is most fitting and effective for a person with this or that state of mind.

Two of the states are desirable: Of the five states of mind (described below in more detail), the later two (one-pointed and mastered) are most desirable for the deeper practice of yoga meditation. 

For most people, our minds are usually in one of the first three states (disturbed, dull, or distracted). 

To deal with the troubled mind and the lethargic mind is progress, leading one to a merely distracted mind, from where one can more easily work on training the mind in one-pointedness.

Stabilize the mind in one-pointedness:

 By knowing this, we can deal with our minds so as to gradually stabilize the mind in the fourth state, the state of one-pointedness . This is the state of mind which prepares us for the fifth state, in which there is mastery of mind. 

(If the first two states are dominant or intense enough they manifest as mental illness.)

Knowing where your mind is now ...tells you how to get where you're going.

1. Kshipta/disturbed: 

The ksihipta mind is disturbed, restless, troubled, wandering.

 This is the least desirable of the states of mind, in which the mind is troubled. 

It might be severely disturbed, moderately disturbed, or mildly disturbed. 

It might be worried, troubled, or chaotic.

 It is not merely the distracted mind (Vikshipta), but has the additional feature of a more intense, negative, emotional involvement.

2. Mudha/dull: 

The mudha mind is stupefied, dull, heavy, forgetful. With this state of mind, there is less of a running here and there of the thought process. It is a dull or sleepy state, somewhat like one experiences when depressed, ( not meaning only clinical depression.) 

It is that heavy frame of mind we get into, when we want to do nothing, to be lethargic, to be a "couch potato".

The dull mind is barely beyond the disturbed mind, only in that the active disturbance has settled down, and the mind might be somewhat more easily trained from this place. 

Gradually the mind can be taught to be a little bit steady in a positive way, only occasionally distracted, which is the next state. Then the mind can move on in training to the Ekagra and Nirodhah states.

3. Vikshipta/distracted: The mind is distracted, occasionally steady or focused. This is the state of mind often reported by students of meditation when they are wide awake and alert, neither noticeably disturbed nor dull and lethargic. 

 in this state of mind, one's attention is easily drawn here and there. 

This is the monkey mind or noisy mind that people often talk about as disturbing meditation. 

The mind can concentrate for short periods of time, and is then distracted into some attraction or aversion. 

Then, the mind is brought back, only to again be distracted.

The Vikshipta mind in daily life can concentrate on this or that project, though it might wander here and there, or be pulled off course by some other person or outside influence, or by a rising memory. This Vikshipta mind is the stance one wants to attain through the foundation yoga practices, so that one can then pursue the one-pointedness of Ekagra, and the mastery that comes with the state of Nirodhah.

4. Ekagra/one-pointed: The Ekagra mind is one-pointed, focused, concentrated (Yoga Sutra 1.32). 

When the mind has attained the ability to be one-pointed, the real practice of Yoga meditation begins. 

one can focus on tasks at hand in daily life, 

practicing karma yoga, the yoga of action, 

being mindful of the mental process and 

consciously serving others.

 When the mind is one-pointed, other internal and external activities are simply not a distraction.

The ability to focus attention is a primary skill for meditation and samadhi.

The person with a one-pointed mind just carries on with the matters at hand, undisturbed, unaffected, and uninvolved with those other stimuli.

 . The one-pointed mind is fully present in the moment and able to attend to people, thoughts, and emotions at will.

The one-pointed mind is able to do the practices of concentration and meditation, leading one onward towards samadhi. 

This ability to focus attention is a primary skill to develop for meditation and samadhi.

5. Nirodhah/mastered: The Nirodhah mind is highly mastered, controlled, regulated, restrained (Yoga Sutra 1.2). 

 The real understanding of this state of mind comes only through practices of meditation and contemplation. 

There is no suppression of thoughts and emotions.. 

One arrives at a 

 natural process when the mind is one-pointed and becomes progressively more still as meditation deepens. 

It is not that the thought patterns are not there, or are suppressed, but that attention moves inward, or beyond the stream of inner impressions. 

In that deep stillness, there is a mastery over the pr

ocess of mind. It is that mastery that is meant by Nirodhah.

 

PatAnjali witnessing 1

In which state is my mind currently? 

Kshipta, disturbed, troubled

Mudha, dull, heavy 

Vikshipta, distracted, partly focused

Ekagra, one-pointed, focused 

Nirrudah, highly mastered, regulated 

Which of the qualities or gunas is dominant with this thought?

Sattvas, illumined, light, spiritual 

Rajas, active, stirring, moving  

Tamas, static, stable, inertia 

Which type of thought is this? 

Pramana, clear, correct, valid 

Viparyaya, misconceived, unclear 

Vikalpa, conceptualization, fantasy 

Nidra, sleep, focus on non-being 

Smriti, memory, recalling 

How do I know this is true? 

Pratyaksha, perception or experience 

Anumana, inference or thinking 

Agamah, written or oral testimony 

How do the four functions of mind interact with this thought? 

Manas: driving actions and senses 

Chitta: storehouse  

Ahamkara: I-maker 

Buddhi: decides, judges, discriminates 

Is this thought colored or not colored? 

Klishta, colored, afflicted 

Aklishta, not colored, not afflicted  

Is this thought useful or not useful?

Useful to growth 

Not useful  to growth 

If the thought is colored, which colorings are dominant?

Avidya, spiritual forgetting, veiling 

Asmita, associated with I-ness 

Raga, attraction or drawing to

Dvesha, aversion or pushing away

Abhinivesha, resistance to loss, fear 

What is the current stage of the coloring of this thought?

Udaram, active, aroused 

Vicchinna, distanced, separated 

Tanu, attenuated, weakened 

Prasupta, dormant, latent, seed 

How is this thought operating at the four levels of consciousness? 

Vaishvanara, waking, conscious 

Taijasa, dreaming, unconscious 

Prajna, deep sleep, subconscious 

Turiya, fourth, witness, consciousness  

Is this thought pattern who I am? 

Yes, it is who I am.  

No, it is not who I am.  

What does labeling and witnessing mean?

Simply observe: Labeling your thoughts is an extremely simple process of observing the nature of your thought process in a given moment. (The basic principle is so simple that it is easy to make the mistake of not doing it!)

What's useful and not useful: A simple and obvious example will help. If you have a negative thought about yourself or some other person, a thought that is not useful to your growth, you simply notice it and note that, "This is Not Useful" silently saying the words internally. Or, you may internally say only the single phrase, "Not Useful". Negative thoughts can continue to control us only when we are not aware of them. When we notice them, and label them as "Not Useful" thoughts, we can deal with those thoughts in positive, useful ways. (See Yoga Sutras, particularly the notes on discrimination)

See your thoughts honestly: This is not being negative about yourself, passing judgment on yourself, or calling yourself negative. Rather, it is a process of honestly naming the thought pattern for what it is, a negative thought. Such observation is not a guilt-ridden passing judgment, but rather, a healthy form of adjudging a situation, in this case, that the thought is negative.

Promote the positive, useful thoughts. Do nothing with negative, not-useful thoughts.

Remind yourself what is useful or not useful: What about the positive thoughts? Similarly, when positive, helpful thoughts arise that lead us in the direction of growth and spiritual truths or enlightenment, we can remind ourselves, "This is Useful," or simply, "Useful". Then we can allow those useful thoughts move into actions.

Sankara

 

Feeling, while going about, that he is a wave of the ocean of Self: 

while sitting, that he is a bead strung on the thread of universal 

consciousness: while perceiving objects of sense, that he is realizing 

himself by perceiving the Self: and, while sleeping, that he is drowned 

in the ocean of bliss; – he who, inwardly constant, spends his whole life 

thus is, among all men, the real seeker of liberation.

All this world, consisting of name and form, is only the particular 

manifestation (vyashti) of the universal Substance (viraj); it moves and 

knows all objects by virtue of the primal life (mukhya-prana) that inspires 

it. This Self like the sun, is neither the doer nor the enjoyer. Thus, 

directly realizing, does he that is full of knowledge and realization 

live his life, through incessant contemplation of the Supreme Self.

Just as the one sun, independent of other objects, yet, by virtue of 

reflection in several waters, becomes many and has the same stability 

or motion as the medium reflecting it; so does the Supreme Self seem 

to be affected by properties by virtue of its reflection of all beings, 

high and low, but, when clearly realized, shines unaffected by those 

properties.

The Supreme Self has three aspects, namely, the full, the self and 

the not-self, the first being the unconditioned Self, the second being 

that which is conditioned by the consciousness, and the third being a 

mere reflection, in the same way as space has three aspects in respect 

of water, namely, that which is inside and outside of the water, that 

which is conterminous with water, and that which is reflected therein. 

When the conditioned self is merged in the unconditioned, then the 

condition together with its consequences vanishes altogether.

Shankaracharya

Meditation tips

 To successfully meditate,

 find a quiet spot and sit or lie comfortably with a straight, relaxed posture. 

Breath

Focus on the natural sensation of your breath as it enters and leaves your body. 

When your mind wanders, gently bring your attention back to your breath without judgment or frustration. 

Start with short sessions (5-10 minutes) and gradually increase the duration over time, practicing consistently to build the habit

Raja yoga

 

Raja Yoga and Patanjali Yoga are closely intertwined, with Patanjali's Yoga Sutras forming the foundational text for the modern understanding of Raja Yoga. 

The term "Raja Yoga" was popularized in the 19th century by Swami Vivekananda, who equated it directly with the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, thereby establishing it as a modern retronym for the classical eight-limbed path described in those sutras

Raja Yoga, meaning "royal yoga" or "the king of yogas," is a profound spiritual path centered on the mastery of the mind and the attainment of self-realization through meditation and mental discipline.

 Its essence lies in the systematic control of the mind's fluctuations, which are seen as the primary obstacle to perceiving one's true Self, or Atman.

 The practice aims to still the mind, much like calming a turbulent lake, so that the inherent clarity and peace of the Self can shine forth.

 The first four limbs—Yama (ethical restraints), Niyama (personal observances), Asana (steady posture), and Pranayama (breath control)—are considered the external limbs and serve as the essential groundwork for mental stability.

 The final four limbs—Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation), Samyama (the combined practice of concentration, meditation, and absorption), and Samadhi (complete absorption or enlightenment)—are the internal limbs, practiced sequentially to achieve the ultimate state of union with the Self.

 The ultimate goal of Raja Yoga is Kaivalya, or emancipation, which is the state of pure consciousness and liberation from suffering.

While Raja Yoga is often associated with the meditative practices of Patanjali, its essence is broader. It is described as the "royal path" because it is considered the highest and most comprehensive form of yoga, integrating physical, mental, and spiritual dimensions to achieve balance and harmony.

 The practice is not merely about physical postures but about cultivating self-control, ethical living, and deep introspection to transcend the ego and the limitations of the body and mind.

 The term "Raja" signifies the supreme self within, the "king" of one's inner kingdom, and the practice is about realizing this inner sovereignty

Vigyan bhairava. Tantra

 

close your eyes and imagine a spiritual force is felt within and without. 
Within you a river of consciousness COLDNESS
is flowing and it is going all over the room, overflowing. 
Within and without, around you, everywhere, spirit is present, energy is present. 
 don’t only imagine it only in the mind, start feeling within the body — your body will start vibrating. 
When you feel that the body has started vibrating, it shows that the imagination has started functioning. 
Feel that the whole universe by and by is spiritualized — everything, the walls of the room, the trees around you, everything has become no-material, it has become spiritual. Matter is no more.

mind is always on the move, hoping to reach somewhere but never reaching. It cannot reach! The very structure of the mind is movement. It can only move; that is the inherent nature of the mind. If you stop at any point, the mind will fight with you. It will say, “Move on,” because if you stop the mind dies immediately. It can be alive only in movement.
The mind means a process. If you stop and do not move, mind suddenly becomes dead, it is no more there; only consciousness remains. Consciousness is your nature; mind is your activity

Patanjali thoughts un-coloring

 Be vigilant of the coloring of thoughts: The joy of deeper meditation comes through uncoloring (1.5) the mental obstacles (1.4) that veil the true Self (1.3). This process of cultivating uncolored (aklishta) versus colored (klishta) thought patterns permeates the Yoga Sutras and is a core principle of the practices. It involves minimizing the gross colorings (2.1-2.9) and then dealing with the subtler colorings (2.10-2.11), so that the alliance with karma can be broken (2.12-2.25). It is extremely useful to be ever mindful (1.20) of these colorings, particularly as they apply to attractions, aversions, and fears (2.3). By being gently, lovingly mindful of the colorings both in daily life and at meditation time, they can gradually be attenuated (2.4). This increasingly thins the veil over the true Self (1.3).

Some of the related sutras: 

(1.5, 2.1-2.9, 2.10-2.11, 2.12-2.13

Un-coloring Your Thoughts – (Sutra 1.5)

Part 1 in this series ended with the forth Yoga Sutra (1.4) – vritti sarupyam itaratra, which says: “At other times, when one is not in self-realization, the Seer appears to take on the form of the modifications of the mind field, thereby taking on the identity of those thought patterns.”

Those gross and subtle thought patterns (vrittis) referred to in (1.4) fall into five types, that block the realization of the true Self, of which some are colored (klishta) and others are uncolored (aklishta). She

 The five varieties of thought patterns to witness are:

1. Knowing correctly (pramana)

2. Incorrect knowing (viparyaya)

3. Fantasy or imagination (vikalpa)

4. The void-ness that is deep sleep (nidra)

5. Recollection or memory (smriti)

The Practioner learns to witness these five kinds of interfering thoughts with

6.  non-attachment, 

7. discriminating between these five, and to

8. cultivating the first type of thought, which is knowing correctly, and

 there are three ways of gaining correct knowledge (pramana):

• Perception

• Inference

• Testimony or verbal communication from others who have knowledge.

Incorrect knowledge (viparyaya) or fantasy or imagination (vikalpa) are both made up of thought patterns that may have verbal expression and knowledge, but for which there is no real object or basis in existence. 

Dreamless sleep (nidra) is the subtle thought pattern which has absence or non-existence as its object. 

Recollection or memory (smriti) is mental modification of a previous impression.

Now on to the sutra – (Yoga Sutra 1.5) – vrittayah pancatayah klishta aklishta. Vrittayah means “the vrittis are;” pancatayah means fivefold (and designates two kinds), panch means five; klishta comes from the root klish (to cause trouble colored, painful, afflicted, impure); aklishta, the root “a” means without or in the absence of, therefore is the opposite of klishta, being uncolored, not painful, not afflicted, pure or absent of the coloring called klishta.

So, this sutra basically says; “Those gross and subtle thought patterns (vrittis) fall into five types or varieties, some of which are colored (klishta) and others that are uncolored (aklishta).” Those that are colored (klishta) have to do with ignorance, ego-self, attachments, aversions, and fears.

The simple witnessing of whether thought patterns are colored or not colored is an extremely useful. This witnessing is essential to the process of purifying, balancing, stabilizing and calming the mind so that meditation can deepen. Then we may come to experience our true “Self” (Atman).

The joys of deeper meditation come through uncoloring these mental obstacles (hindrances) that veil the true Self. This uncoloring process is an extremely important concept and will be further dealt with in chapter 2 of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. It is such an important concept that it is virtually impossible to properly practice Yoga without understanding it.

Thoughts that are colored (klishta) move away from enlightenment and result in bondage, whereas uncolored thoughts (akleshta) move towards enlightenment, resulting in freedom.

Further commentary on this sutra (1.5):

To observe the coloring of our thought patterns is one of the most useful practices of Yoga and can be done throughout the day. This meditation, or mindfulness in action, can be of tremendous value. It’s essential for clearing the clouded mind, so that during your seated meditation time, that practice can go much deeper.

Witnessing the coloring of thoughts means that whenever a thought and its accompanying emotion arises, you simply identify it as, “colored,” or “not colored.” Similarly, when confronted with whether some decision or action is useful or not it brings great control over your mind’s habits. Again, it is witnessing, and distinguishing between, “This is useful,” or “This is not useful

Vedantic life

 

VEDANTIC WAY OF LIVING

Book: Swami Bhoomananda Tirth
Summary: Satyendra Nath Dwivedi

Our forefathers had an intense love for knowledge. They were bent upon discovering the most subtle and abstruse laws relating to human life and soul. To this end they thought and thought until their thinking mind itself gave way to rip open the mystery of existence, not merely of themselves but of the entire creation. The Vedas, more so the Vedanta, embody the exalted inner spiritual states reached by our ancient thinkers and the truths they perceived while remaining in those states.

The first portion of the Vedas, called ‘Samhitas’, consist mostly of praise, hymns in praise of the different deities. The second part of the Vedas, called the ‘Brahmanas’, contain various rituals which promise distinct rewards for their performers. The third part of the Vedas, called the ‘Aranyakas’, embody the meditative aspects of life. The ‘Upanishads’ or the Vedanta, represent the end of the Vedas in two respects: first, it was revealed at the end of the Vedic period, and secondly, the truths it contains represent the completion or finality of the thinking of their authors.

Vedanta or Upanishads do not teach man by means of injunctions or prohibitions, as does the ‘Karma Kanda’. On the other hand, it informs man about some basic truths which he does not know at present; he is made to exert himself for the realization of the Self. 

Mankind is always after attaining peace, joy and contentment. To gain true knowledge of everything possible is also their avowed ideal. The Vedic thinkers, who too were human as we ourselves are, knew about this fact. Hence they thought it necessary to divulge the truth about the innate divinity of man. In the realization of the Self they found a full solution to all their mundane problems, agitations and doubts. The knowledge of the Self gained for them is the best fulfillment of life. It was but natural that they bequeathed their attainment to those who were to follow them on earth. The sum total of all their teachings can be found in the following verse from Kathopanishad [2.2.13]:

“All things in the world are ephemeral. But there is something non-ephemeral in them all. You must search for it in them all. You must search for it in the sentient things, not in the insentient ones. It is truly the ‘Chetana’ (consciousness), manifest in the conscious entities. It is, though single, capable of fulfilling the desires of the multitude. Whoever is able to realize That, seated in himself, is truly wise. To him alone will flow abiding peace, not to others.”

What is Life?

All the Upanishadic treatises are in the form of questioning or enquiry. For, by that means alone can the realm of Reality be safely reached. Whatever the starting point of the question or enquiry, all Upanishads reach the same destination, arrive at the same Truth that is the Self within; the Brahman existing everywhere. Although intuitive and revelatory in nature, the Upanishadic accounts are based fully on reason and logic.

Philosophy is a science of knowledge. It is also the enquiry into the Ultimate Truth or Reality. In the Vedanta you will find the pursuit of knowledge and Reality, both alike. Being subjective in nature, Vedanta can suffer no change or replacement in the march of time and civilization. That is how you find the Vedantic philosophy as fresh today as it ever was.

By being subjective and changeless in nature, the Vedanta does not in the least become impractical or non-beneficial. The benefits which Vedantic realization gains for man are too obvious: peace, stability, wisdom, and contentment.

What is that subjective presence, which we call life? It is the ‘Consciousness’, which the Vedanta calls ‘Chetana’, ‘Prajna’, etc. This ‘Chetana’ is a thing which is neither matter nor energy. Being other than energy and matter, it is called the ‘Spirit’, or the spiritual substance. To cause knowledge and activity is its power. The moment ‘Chetana’ ceases its operation in the body, both activity and knowledge also cease abruptly.

Karma Yoga – The Science of Work

Yoga is a Sanskrit word. It means union. The word is also used to denote the path or means leading to the ideal of ‘union’.

The word Yoga signifies union with the indestructible ‘subject’ in ourselves, the union with the ‘Real’. It also connotes the path which will lead us toward this union.

In the Gita, Krishna speaks of three paths leading to the union with the Self, with the indestructible:

‘Dhyana’ is one. ‘Vichara’ called ‘Sankya’ is another. ‘Karma Yoga’ is the third.

Karma means action, or better, activity. Activity of any kind and order is karma. Karma Yoga signifies that path wherein karma itself is the medium employed for the ‘Sadhana’.

Everyone born in this world brings with him a certain nature. It represents the aggregate of some specific tendencies and features. Shri Krishna says, “You are bound by your own nature, O Arjuna. So, even if, you, out of ignorance, do not like to do certain act, you will be compelled to perform it anyway.” [Gita 18.60]

Thus, it becomes quite obvious that no one in this world can escape the hold of ‘Prakriti’ and hence the propulsion of doing karma.

Right from the time of birth until the body breathes its last, man is steeped in karma. The karma may be external, gross or subtle, visible or invisible, or a mixture of these.

‘Siddhi’ means fruition and ‘asiddhi’ means non-fruition. In siddhi and asiddhi, one should learn to be equal-minded and harmonious. Such equal-ness or harmony is really yoga, the spiritual ideal we have to realize.

You should develop a new outlook, the spiritual, or the Vedantic vision: “I am doing karma because to be so doing is my nature. In conforming to my nature, I find great delight. As the clouds shed rains, as the seasonal wind blows, as the rivers of the mountains flow down to the seas, so is my nature to do karma. I cannot but fulfill my nature, my duty. In thus fulfilling my nature, discharging my duty, lies my contentment and perfection.”

The ‘Karma Yogi’ must use his day-to-day karmas, all of them, as the medium for doing the ‘sadhana’. 

The ‘sanga’ to the results of ‘karma’, which is at present ingrained in your being, is the real bondage. This ‘sanga’ is based upon the feeling of identity which we face with the world and the worldly things and enjoyments.

The ‘karma sadhaka’ pays all his attention to watch his mind and keep it sane and free of ‘sanga’ all through his life and work. The day to day life and work persist on one side, and Vedantic sadhana prevails on the other, like the two sides of a coin.

There is nothing which prevents you from taking to karma yoga and attaining liberation in this life itself. All the necessary factors to involve you in the sadhana are there already. Your own determination is the only factor you have to contribute.

Bhakti Yoga – The Science of Devotion

Bhakti or devotion is a divine sentiment, which sprouts in any gentle human mind.

If you have to gain spiritual wisdom and fulfillment through devotion, you will have to regard it as a form of Vedantic Sadhana and then be devoted to its pursuit.

Bhagavat is the most authoritative scripture on devotion. Suta replies to Rishis:

“The knowers say that the truth is in the nature of non-dual knowledge – ‘advayajnana’. It is this which goes by the different names: Brahman, Parmantman, and Bhagavan.”[Bhagavat 1.2.11]

Bhakti, one form of yoga sadhana, must lead us to the non-dual knowledge, if it has to fulfill its purpose. It must be able to purify the mind of the sadhaka and then awaken his intellect so that he may achieve self-realization.

God is a term which we invented ourselves for denoting the source from which this world has originated. In other words, God is a divine being, infinitely more powerful than all the creatures in the world considered together.

“The majority of people, who are neither dispassionate nor passionate, if they accidentally go to a spiritual or devotional assembly, where some religious or Vedantic discourse takes place, they may adopt Bhakti Yoga and achieve realization”. [Bhagavat 11.20.8]

God when the term is fully understood, is the indestructible and immutable Self within you, the I in you. Hence the ultimate goal of devotion is the same as that of the ‘karma’ and ‘jnana’ paths. The Bhagavat speaks of the ideal of devotion in the following verse:

“Ekanta Bhakti’ means exclusive devotion, devotion which is absolute and sovereign. When you achieve this your ideal will be realized. You will be able to find God in everything, at every time, in every place and in every event.

The place to see God is one’s own within. Devotion also must take me to the indestructible ‘Chetana’ in the body, the source upon which the I subsists.

As long as you are not able to say, “I am God’s, as is everyone else in this world”, your devotion can only be crude, rudimentary, underdeveloped.

To tread the path of devotion is really to tread the path of knowledge, to march inward, to climb higher within yourself until you reach the ultimate abode of oneness, non-dualness, the invisible ‘Chetana’ upon which subsists the I in you.

Remember always that man is the outcome of his understanding. He grows along with his knowledge. Therefore, the best source of strength and correction for you is the right knowledge.

Every moment of your life you are being carried to fulfillment irresistibly. Everything that comes to you does so to improve, correct or alter your nature, thereby leading you towards greater perfection. You are getting from every quarter that which your nature deserves and needs for its march towards perfection. This is an unfailing truth about our life and its progression.

The following verses from Bhagavat speak of the progress of devotion and its purification effect:

“The devotees who find a natural love towards the Almighty will experience several pleasant sensations on hearing the stories describing the greatness of the Lord, His deeds and sports. Their hair will stand on end, face turn red, throat get choked, thereby giving them an inexplicable delight. In such moments, they will not hesitate to sing aloud, cry and weep profusely or even to dance openly in ecstasy. They have some other characteristic moods too. Sometimes, they will behave like one possessed by an evil spirit, thereby laughing, weeping, sitting pensive, rising up and greeting people, avoiding all sense of shame and fear. They will openly call out, ‘O Hari, O Lord of the universe, O Narayana’.”[Bhagavat 7.7.34-35]

“When they exult thus in supreme devotion, they start heaving and sighing frequently, forgetting the surroundings and remaining lost in the thought of the Lord. Their body and mind getting completely attuned to the Lord and His deeds, all their bonds of ignorance and desires get destroyed. By means of the highest device of devotion, they thus attain to the Lord in the end.”[Bhagavat 7.7.36]   

“The communion with the Lord, who is invisible and, therefore, dwelling within the body, gains for them freedom from the cycle of births and deaths. It removes from their mind all impurities and the ideas of difference and separation. The knowers of truth say that the embrace with the Lord which these devotees attain during the spiritual states of ecstasy is the same as ‘Brahma-Nirvana’. Therefore worship O young boys the Ruler who resides in your heart.”[Bhagavat 7.7.37]   

The devotee achieves purity by reciting the name of the Lord variously. The Vedantic seeker tries to achieve the same through introspection and contemplation of his own Self.

What you should do is to study the nature of your own mind and discover whether the devotional path or any other is agreeable to it. If it is the Bhakti path, adopt it and do the ‘sadhana’ on the lines of devotion wholeheartedly. 

JNANA YOGA – The Science of Knowledge

‘Jnana’ is not merely an absolute path by itself leading you towards the realization of the Self, it is also a phase which the followers of the other paths will have necessarily to pass through before attaining fulfillment and realization.

The Karma path requires you to perform work making it a ‘sadhana’, the path of devotion requires you to preserve the devotional attitude at all times considering it as a ‘sadhana’, and the path of wisdom requires you to preserve wisdom unaffected always, so that, in that very process, you will be naturally led to the vision of Truth.

Rishi Vashishtha holds high the place of wisdom in life:

“You have to gain access to the abode of peace and blessedness, O Rama, yourself, by dint of your cautious effort. No body from outside, in the form of a visible or invisible agency, will come to your rescue. The helpers, if at all, are only two. And they are your own beautiful intellect (Sundari buddhi) and then the trusted friend and counselor, called discrimination (Prajna).”

Krishna says in the Gita:

“A man of ‘shraddha (sincerity and devotion) attains ‘jnana’. But he should keep his interest always and be devoted to it. He must also practice self-restraint. Without restraint of the senses, the pursuit of jnana will be fruitless. After he gains jnana, without much delay he will be led to transcendental peace.”[Gita 4.39]

“There is no purifying agency as great as the pursuit of wisdom”.

Ashtavakra says to Janak:

“One who thinks, ‘I am bound’ remains so. One who thinks, ‘I am free’ becomes free indeed. ‘As one thinks, so indeed he becomes’. This proverb is true with regard to the seeking of liberation.”[Ashtavakra Geeta 1.11]

“When the intellect becomes sharp and penetrating, your knowledge will become deeper and more extensive, and with that the ultimate Reality will be perceived and realized directly.”[Gita 5.16]

  

“Ignorance is the root cause of all wrongs. It can be undone only by its opposite, namely knowledge. The pursuit of knowledge will make you holy and in the end you will transcend birth and death for ever.”[Gita 5.17]

Vashishtha says to Rama:  

Suppose you plunge into the waters of ‘Satsanga’ and become refreshed; then little do you need to perform any other purificatory acts like offering of ‘Dana’ (gifts), taking bath in holy waters, doing of ‘tapa’ (penance), performing ‘yajna’, etc.

Bhagavat says:

Do not think that the waters are the ‘tirthas’ (purifying places) and the idols made of clay, wood and the like are gods. If you worship them for a long time, you may be able to achieve purity. However, the ‘sadhus’ (holy souls) purify you by seeing them.

The ‘mahatmas’, God-realized souls, will always have only the spiritual; and Vedantic truths to tell you. The Vedantic truths are such that they awaken you to the truth of your innate nature, which is pure and unbound.

Surrender all that you have to Him, with an innocent mind, and then seek to know Him and become one with Him.

Meditation and Life

The knowledge gained by the five senses is called ‘Pratyaksha’ knowledge. ‘Paroksha’ knowledge denotes inference, or the results produced by the process of thinking.

In working out the ‘Aparoksha’ knowledge, the senses and the mind, the external and internal instruments of perception, including the ‘buddhi’ and whatever other knowledge-producing agency is there – all these must be at standstill: they should not be at work at all. What perception will be had in such a state is called ‘Aparoksha’. It means direct perception. ‘Aparoksha-anubhuti’ thus denotes direct, unprocessed and spontaneous realization of knowledge.

The effort at Vedantic Sadhana is no other than the practical attempt to go into the mystery of consciousness and know its nature and powers. When you gain the ‘Aparoksha-anubhuti’, you will in fact be coming face to face with the knower in you, with the sentient substance which dwells in your body, with the ‘Chetana’ or Consciousness.

About the Atman, Vedanta says it is ‘Sat-Chit-Ananda’. It becomes ‘Sat’ because of its unegatability and it’s ever existingness. ‘Sat’ is that which exists all through, unassailed by any conditions, time or place. It is that which exists independently. ‘Chit’ refers to that which beams as awareness or knowledge. While ‘Sat’ refers to existence, ‘Chit’ refers to its revelation, or the power to reveal itself.

‘Ananda’ denotes the kind of experience that comes to one when he realizes the ‘Atman’. The experience of the Self results in a condition or effect which is peaceful and auspicious.

The ‘vichar’ or ‘anusandhana’ must be of the Ultimate Truth. The Vedanta has coined its own chosen phrases for the purpose, which are called ‘Mahavakyas’:

• ‘Prajnanam Brahma’ – Rig-Veda

• ‘Aham Brahmasi’ – Yajurveda

• ‘Tattvamasi’ – Samaveda

• ‘Ayamatma Brahma’ – Atharva Veda

The revolving of such mantras in the mind continuously without interruption becomes Vedantic Meditation or ‘nididhyasana’. 

 Shankara says in ‘Aparoksanubuti’:

The thought ‘Brahman is myself’ is ‘sadvritti’. While the ‘sadvritti’ practice is done by its force and intensity, the world ideas get displaced and we reach a ‘niralamba- sthiti’. This is the extremely pleasant situation known by the word ‘Dhyana’ (meditation).

When you are able to retain the ‘Brahma-vritti’ successfully without interruption, very soon a state of ‘vritti-vismarana’ will follow. Even the ‘Brahmi-vritti’ will fall off and a peculiar transcendental state will surge up. This is called ‘Samadhi’.

There is no reason why any human being, who wants to seek and know the truth, his own Self, should not succeed. But you find quite a number of seekers not succeeding in their pursuit. The reason is the gross and subtle currents flowing beneath their mind and intellect. It is generally impossible for them to know about and locate these currents and under-currents. The contact with a divine teacher and his constant tuition alone will reveal to them their own weakness and mistakes, by the removal of which they find their way to perfection in this very life.

The Right Way of Living

Vedanta has the aim of achieving for man the direct realization of God, which in other words denotes the realization of one’s own Self.

Hanuman says:

There are three levels of understanding or vision that Hanuman speaks of: The first is, ‘I am your servant, O Lord’. The second is, ‘I am part of your existence’. The third is, ‘You and I are one’. See how clearly Hanuman has described the practical truth and realization. This description must serve to clarify the entire truth about the various attitudes and paths which the religious souls adopt in order to achieve their spiritual ends.

The three broad paths namely the ‘Karma’, ‘Jnana’ and ‘Bhakti’ all have only one ultimate end to serve for man. That end is the vision of God, the merger with the Self within.

The sears of the past have evolved the fourfold ‘Purushartha’ with the sole object of gaining for mankind true spiritual wisdom, illumination and fulfillment. The word ‘Purushartha’ means ‘the object of pursuit for man’. By ‘Purushartha’ therefore is meant the thing or things we are to achieve by virtue of our deliberate effort.

The ‘Purusharthas’ are:

1. Dharma

2. Artha

3. Kama

4. Moksha

The ultimate end is the fourth Purushartha itself, namely ‘Moksha’.

The ‘Dharmas’ which will help the Vedantic student (nay all people alike) evolve and in the end realize the Vedantic ideal, in the words of Manu:

“Ahimsa’ (non-injury), ‘Satyam’ (truthfulness), ‘Asteyam’ (non-stealing), ‘Shoucham’ (cleanliness), ‘Indriya-nigrahah’ (sense-restraint) – these are the common ‘Dharmas’ to be practiced by people belonging to all castes and societies.”

Bhishma gives following maxim to Yudhishthira;

It means ‘life subsists on life’. This is the rule we find throughout the expression of nature.

‘Ahimsa’ denotes the principle of restraining from harming or injuring others, where harming can be avoided. We should not do to anyone what we do not want to be done to ourselves.

‘Satyam’ implies that one should speak what is true. Always bear it in mind and see that your works and deeds conform to it.

‘Asteyam’ denotes non-stealing. To steal the property of another is always bad. You should also not do anything by taking away from people what is theirs, or refusing them what is theirs legitimate right.

‘Shoucham’ denotes cleanliness. By cleanliness is meant not merely the physical or external neatness, but also mental or internal purity too.

‘Indriya-nigrahah’ is really the measuring yard for dynamic life. Whether you are a ‘Dharma-nishtha’ or not will be judged by how far you are able to practice sense-restraint.

The basic factor in the pursuit of a ‘Dharmic’ life is the restraint we are able to wield over our five senses.

‘Artha’ refers to money or wealth. Our ‘Shastras’ do not, as many are inclined to think, eschew wealth or comforts. On the other hand, they have enjoined riches as the second item in the pursuit of ‘Dharmic’ life.

According to the view of our Ancients, there is no room for laziness on the part of man. Everybody is asked to exert himself well enough in order that he may have the necessary means for livelihood.

‘Kama’ means that with the riches that you have, you must procure the objects of your desire. Money is for spending, but for spending wisely and well.

‘Moksha’ literally means release, freeing or freedom. Life throughout its course is one of bondage. Unless we understand that this is so and then try to get released from it, the bondage will persist ever and ever. It is the release from the previous three ‘Purusharthas’ as well as from everything that comes within their fold, that the term ‘Moksha’ denotes.

By enjoining the fourth ‘Purushartha’ – Moksha, Vedanta intends to complete and fulfill our life hundred percent. The Vedantic vision also teaches man ‘to live as well as to leave’, to get hold of the world as also to get rid of it, to own it as well as to disown it.

A verse from ‘Bhagavat’ summarizes the correct view about human life and the ultimate object to be gained in it:

“At the end of several ‘janmas’ (births), somehow the human life has been obtained. We are fortunate in this. But this fortune will have no meaning unless we consider it our prime duty to exert earnestly getting ourselves liberated from impermanence and attain ‘Moksha’.”

The knowledge of Self is available to man alone, and that knowledge has the power of redeeming him from bondage and impermanence. The ‘Nihshreyas’ or ‘Moksha’ alone will be a worthy ideal for his pursuit. All other things are inferior and should sub-serve that.

From the changing to the changeless, from ignorance to knowledge, from bondage to liberation, from misery to happiness – this should be your watchword