spiritual4u

The Library Of Spiritual Science

Everyone is looking for happiness in some way. It is our natural state of being. However, we need to understand that the real source of fulfillment lies within us. We may try so many ways to attain external happiness for the mind and senses, but that means of success is always elusive.

The Self exists within all of us in purity, peace, bliss, and knowledge, and is free from mundane and temporary forms of happiness, sadness, or any mundane conditions. To attain that inner state we must turn inward, and one of the prominent ways of doing that is through meditation.

There are numerous ways to meditate, and each school of thought seems to have a different system. These can include the Buddhist process, such as the Noble Eight-fold Path for reaching nirvana. Or there is the raja-yoga process, the ashtanga-yoga process, the kundalini-yoga system, and so on. It also seems that new systems are being developed on a regular basis these days, not only for achieving peace of mind, but to develop such things as one’s creativity, prosperity, or mental clarity.

However, we are going to focus on the ultimate goal of meditation, which is to reach a higher consciousness for realizing our true spiritual identity and awareness of God. Meditation can help accomplish many things. But without understanding the true and full purpose of meditation, it is like digging a well for water without being aware of the fact that you are sitting next to a river. In such as state, you do not know the full potential you really have through the meditative process. Deep meditation that is free from the affects of the mind culminates in self- awareness and spiritual realization. That is the ultimate and age old purpose of meditation.

The meditation process begins with the means for calming the mind. That is the first principle of consideration. It is the state beyond the influence of the mind in which a person can first begin to perceive the spiritual dimension. Meditation is meant to bring our outward awareness, which always focuses on the activities of our senses, inward toward the Self. This is our true identity and source of consciousness, and a part of the unlimited Absolute Truth.

Too much focus on the external world keeps you from your inner Self, from your spirit. The doorway to discovering a new you, a new dimension of your Self, is within. You have to learn how to go within and then keep practicing to go deeper. Often times we look outside ourselves for completion -- a new object, a new career, a new relationship, a new outlet of creativity. But that will never make you a complete and whole person if you are not already complete and whole within. Furthermore, you will never be fully satisfied with your life if you are not full within yourself.

When we talk about being happy, sad, or peaceful, that feeling exists primarily in the mind. As it is said, it is the mind that is the cause of either our freedom or our bondage to material existence. The attitude and demands of the mind are what has brought society into great levels of progress, as well as into horrible eras of wars and terror. Meditation is a way to gain some control over the restless mind and direct its energy into constructive channels of purpose, or toward a spiritual object or higher understanding and awareness.

Many people look to meditation to achieve peace of mind. This benefit takes place when the constant internal dialogue that goes on within us begins to die down. That happens when our attention becomes increasingly focused within, toward a single object or level of awareness. The contentment and happiness we feel comes from the inner awareness of our real identity that increases the deeper we go within. Therein we can also become free from the problems that go on around us. We can free ourselves from the drama that we may too often accept as our real identity.

So meditation starts with calming and centering the mind, turning it within to bring it home. Thereafter it is the process of connecting to your inner Self and getting to know the real you, and to make inner realities a part of everyday life. It leads to infinite possibilities waiting to be discovered, waiting to emerge from within us. It can help clear away the emotional blues, limitations and hang ups. As you tune in you will be able to see a fuller spectrum of life and its possibilities. A new energy can come into your life for inspiration and transformation.

Meditation can undo the complexities that bind and twist our lives, and make us feel less than full and fulfilled. It can give us the insight to perceive more clearly our place in the universe and our connectedness to all things. It can bring spiritual harmony and contentment within us that helps us find a self-sufficient happiness wherever we go. Yoga and meditation is the way we can gain insights and answers through experience rather than mere mental speculation or philosophical research. Tapping into new possibilities and perspectives in this way also gives us the chance to open the door to more ideas about our situation or problems at hand.

As the center of the senses, the mind’s business is to always look for happiness by deciphering what is pleasant or unpleasant, happy or sad, comfortable or uncomfortable, wanted or unwanted, and to dream of what is desirable and think of how to avoid what is undesirable. When the mind acquires what it wants, it and the senses are often satisfied for a while. It is like being totally diverted by the taste of a good meal. Or when you are fully focused on the story in a movie, all other thoughts are gone, or simply not allowed entrance into your consideration. But when the meal or movie is finished, the mood of the mind changes and then it wants something else. For example, you first may feel that the stomach needs filling. It wants to eat. Then it thinks of what it wants to eat. May be a pizza. Then the intelligence kicks in to plan how to get it. Then once it gets the pizza, the stomach, tongue and mind are content. But then it wants something to drink, not just anything, but a drink that tastes good and supplies tingle to the tongue. Once you get that, then there is some satisfaction for the tongue and mind, which are dictating to you what you should get. Plus, they also translate the sensation on the tongue as to whether it is pleasant or exciting enough. If it is, then maybe you feel happy. Or is it merely the mind being temporarily calm that makes you feel a little content? But then after the pizza and drink are finished, the mind begins to suggest something else, like maybe some ice cream. Wouldn’t that be nice? And away you go again. Another thought develops into a desire, and then another desire needs to be fulfilled. It never ends.

So meditation is the process of reaching that source of joy, happiness and contentment that is within you that does not require the constant pleasing of the mind. This process can help us learn how to live in peace.

The first step is concentration which is a focused or even forced awareness of something. Then comes meditation, which is a natural flow of thought and absorption toward an object or state of being.

When one becomes successful at meditation, you can reach that state of consciousness that is completely beyond the effects of the mind. This is a state of superconsciousness, beyond mind and the influence of time, space, body and ego. Or beyond the sense of separation from ourselves and the object of meditation.

Meditation also helps heal the mind of imbalances and habitual thought patterns that need to be corrected. Regular practice of meditation helps streamline one’s energies towards the true understanding of life and our spiritual purpose. It helps us separate ourselves from the illusory drama that goes on all around us, and realize that we all are a higher identity. It is through this means that we unveil the layers of ignorance that cover our own divinity.

I have always said that the doorway to higher levels of exploration are there within us. They are only waiting for us to open them. Meditation is that gate which helps open us to the Infinite.

Ultimately, the purpose of yoga and meditation is to discover and realize our true spiritual nature. It is not merely to keep the body fit or enhance our material life. This, however, takes place automatically with the sincere practice of yoga, but it is only a sideline to the spiritual realizations that is the real goal. Cutting through the layers of ignorance and lack of understanding who we really are, and realizing our eternal and blissful spiritual identity, is the real purpose of any spiritual path, especially of yoga and meditation. It rids us of the inherent feelings of fear, inadequacy and insecurity that we often encounter while living in this unstable world.

TWO TYPES OF MEDITATION

When it comes to meditation, there are two basic types, the Saguna (meditating on something with qualities like a mantra, a deity, a yantra, a picture, symbol or object) and Nirguna (something without qualities like a concept of the Absolute). Nirguna meditation is more difficult. Even Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita explains that advancement for one who meditates on the impersonal aspect of the Absolute is very difficult and not advisable. That is because, in essence, our spiritual and material nature is individual. We are parts and parcels of the Supreme, the same in spiritual nature. In that respect we are all one in spiritual quality, but we do not have the same quantity or potency as the Supreme.

PROBLEMS IN THE MEDITATION PROCESS

Problems that most people have in being unable to make satisfactory progress in meditation usually comes from a lack of seriousness, sufficient purity, and especially a lack of sense control. The downward tendencies from uncontrolled senses and wrong habits in life make the mind too disturbed and restless. A person may sit down to meditate, physically unmoving, but the mind may be in a whirl, thinking of so many issues, and protesting and straining against doing meditation. This is what often makes it a frustrating and tiring experience.

For such people it may be better to go on to mantra meditation and focus the mind on something in particular, like the mantra, rather than trying to completely still the mind in order to achieve stable and fixed concentration for self-reflection and inward meditation. Mantra meditation is also an extremely beneficial form of meditation and is actually recommended in this age of Kali-yuga more so than the form of meditation we are presently discussing.

MANTRA MEDITATION

Most people that are new to meditation may sit, go through the steps for preparation, try the techniques, and still remain focused on feelings of the body, thoughts and ideas, or sounds that are heard. In fact, it is understood that most people in this age of Kali-yuga can hardly sit quietly for even ten minutes or calm their mind. That is why it is recommended that they use the process of mantra meditation to more easily focus their mind and attention on something, like the vibration of the mantra, and then, by placing their focus on the mantra, remove their attention from distractions and sensual inclinations or stimuli.

The word mantra means to deliver (tra) the mind (mana), and it is one of the easiest methods to use. The mantra itself, depending on which one used, often incorporates a vibrational formula to call various energies or powers to oneself, or to awaken one to higher states of awareness and perception and realizations. In this way, layers of illusion and confusion are peeled away giving one clarity and focus. So a few techniques of mantra meditation are included later.

STARTING THE PROCESS

When you feel you are ready to begin a spiritual discipline, you have to ask yourself if you are serious. Have you decided that you really want to be spiritually awakened during this lifetime? Are you ready to be committed? Is spiritual progress the primary importance in your life? Are you ready to change your lifestyle in the necessary ways to assist in whatever mental, psychological, intellectual and physical transformations are necessary? If so, then begin with steady determination.

When beginning to engage in meditation, one of the first experiences you may have will be an attractive state of mental calm. As one engages in regular sessions of meditation, it may provide a private but privileged form of refined pleasure that will bring the distaste toward the more mundane forms of happiness in material existence. With a higher sense of Self awareness, one may attain a higher set of values. Thus, it becomes easier for a person to follow a more balanced and wholesome way of life, and avoid those actions that may cause distractions and lack conduciveness to spiritual advancement.

The spiritual path is often one of inner singleness of purpose and may thus require one to appear as if alone and independent from the influences that affect so much of the rest of society. This does not mean that one will be lonely, but one must be determined to fulfill the real purpose of life. We have to understand that people who are completely absorbed in material affairs are in need of awakening with spiritual knowledge from holy beings. Most people will not be interested, but we need to help bring such light and wisdom to humanity. And we have to make the decision to be one those people.

Furthermore, we should not feel that we need to be recognized for whatever spiritual progress we make in our practice. We should know that our spiritual awareness will contribute to the collective human consciousness throughout the world. It is said that to move one grain of sand on a beach is to change the face of the world. Similarly, we may also do outward activities to help humanity, but the consistent upliftment of our own consciousness can certainly and subtly affect the world, especially those within our sphere of our activities.

Of course, it can be difficult at times to deal with normal frustrations or problems of existence, as well as with people who are spiritually stagnant and unawake, or who have dismal attitudes toward life. However, with applied spiritual knowledge and growth, living a constructive life with a positive attitude, in spite of whatever challenges come our way, will be a natural by-product of our inner development.

If we are successful on the spiritual path, we will become aware of what we really are and have been all along. As we attain higher states of consciousness, there will be revealed new ways of knowing ourselves, and loftier ways of perceiving and relating to the world around us. We may ultimately uncover our own divine Self. It is merely a question of becoming free of the wrong and distracting and misleading thoughts, feelings and actions. Those are things which keep us tied to the wrong image of who we are, and the temporary and fleeting level of reality. You simply need to apply yourself with faith to the sadhana, the spiritual practice at hand. And do not judge yourself by your progress or how much or how little you have attained in realizations or awareness. Do not expect to be seeing bright lights and hearing cosmic sounds as a means to judge your progress. Such things may mean you are on your way, but that is still not the goal. You have to reach much further than that. We often progress in simple ways more than we have realized. Most people will merely slide quietly into perfection with little notice of any miracles or spectacular results. It is like eating a meal and afterwards you simply know, without much thinking about it, that you are no longer hungry.

Meditation becomes easier and more joyous when there is sure and simple faith and love for God. After all, any success in spiritual life depends not only on our own determination and sincerity, but also on the grace of the Supreme. In all your spiritual progress, including meditation, devotion to God is one of the most profound aids to your success and direction. It helps keep your spiritual purpose in focus, and helps prevent you from becoming self-serving and egotistical in the view of yourself. The more humble your devotion is to God in your practice will certainly result in a more complete level of realization.

It’s been said that the mind is like a pond. When the concentration is on one object, it is as if one throws a single stone into the water and you observe beautiful rings expanding out from one point on a smooth surface. When there are a multitude of thoughts, it is like many stones hitting the surface of the lake, and ripples are going all over, running into each other, making any sort of clear reflection off the surface of the water impossible. Similarly, when the mind is full of thoughts it is impossible for any deep awareness to manifest, or any deeper reflection about oneself to take place. And this is the way the mind exists most of the time. In that condition, all we can do is attend to one thought before another breaks through, whether we like it or not. Thus, we are continuously forced to deal with the constant agitation of the mind, as if it is pulled by our senses, desires, goals, dreams, attachments, aversions, or attempts to serve the demands of others. In such a situation, where is there any peace?

So the basis of meditation is to reach a state of being free from this agitation, to calm the mind, like allowing the surface of the pond to become smooth after stopping the throwing of any stones into it. Then once the surface becomes smooth, we can begin to see the reflection on the surface of our Self, our true nature of sat-chit-ananda, eternity, full knowledge and bliss. However, the real goal of meditation is to not only see the reflection, but to go deep enough wherein we make direct contact with our real, spiritual identity. Steady contact with the Self is not only meditation but becomes samadhi, an uninterrupted absorption in our real constitutional position of being a spiritual being, jivatma. Then we actually begin to enter into that higher and eternal awareness of who and what we are and where we are going in this life.