MEDITATION - FEEL THE EXPERIENCE

Meditation is an experience which has to be realized. The main purpose of meditation technique is to channelize our awareness into the path of positive thinking transforming our mind.

Meditation is the state of relaxation and an altered state of consciousness. It has been seen that it is used as a device of personal growth these days – helps in inculcating positive attitude towards life. This process consists of three stages of concentration (dharana), meditation (Dyana), and enlightenment (Samadhi).

The mind is focused on a certain object, and when this attention gets engaged, concentration turns into meditation or dhyana. Here, through continuous process of meditation the meditator merges with the object of concentration, which might be the Divine entity.

Some meditators concentrate on the innerself (mana) filtered by the(pancha indriyas) or five senses, which forms the base for (jnana) knowing the eternal truth through wisdom.
This is self-awareness of the knowledge of ‘pure being’.

One finds various therapeutic benefits of meditation to attain peace of mind.

Meditation is not religious process, but because of its spiritual element it forms an integral part of all religions. Some of the popular meditation methods are, Transcendental Meditation, Yoga nidra, Vipassana and mindfulness meditation.

The foremost action begins with the preparation of the mind. Through meditative techniques we tap our subconscious, ready to encounter our inner-self. The different techniques of meditation emphasizes on mental exercises, which aim at capturing the vary nature of the human minds. Patanjali`s Yoga sutra talks about the three techniques of: dharana (concentration), Dyana (meditation) and samadhi (absorption or enlightenment).

Here, we talk of Dyana which means worship, or profound and abstract religious meditation. It involves concentration upon a point of focus with the intention of knowing the truth about it.

During dhyana, combining clear insights into distinctions between objects and the subtle layers surrounding intuition further unifies the consciousness.

The power to differentiate between the mind of the perceiver, the means of the perceiver and the objects of perception is clearly derived. One must apprehend both subject and object clearly in order to perceive their similarities.

During dharana, the mind becomes unidirectional, while during dyana, it becomes ostensibly identified and engaged with the object of focus or attention. That is why, dharana must precede dyana, since the mind needs focusing on a particular object before a connection can be made. If dharana is the contact, then dyana is the connection.

One must identify and become "one with" the object of contemplation, in order to know for certain the truth about it.

The final stage is the stage of Samadhi which forms the final part of the Ashtanga Yoga.

Samadhi means "to bring together, to merge". In samadhi our personal identities completely disappear. At the moment of samadhi none of that exists anymore. We become one with the Divine Entity.

DEDICATION TO GOD

The art of "Yoga" teaches one to control his mind and thus dedicate himself to God and thus lead a peaceful life. Yoga at the same time does not ask one to detach himself from his worldly duties, enjoyment, etc. A stage when man becomes becomes humble, kind considerate and compassionate in his attitude.

Yoga makes us whole by realizing the divine in our present life and helps us to lead a life free from anxiety and fear. Man has many shortcoming and flaws in him. The greatest of all vices in man that brings his downfall or creates hurdles in his life is his EGO. it is the pride which spoil's man's relations with others and makes his behavior rough or unrighteous and it is the mental and emotional attachment that puts him in various bondage. Yoga is that frees man from this enslavement of this bondage.

Yoga teaches one to have unswerving faith in God and to surrender himself unto Him so that the divine forces can work on him to remove the hard crust of vices. The inner feel of self-surrender brings to him the meekness so that he now thinks fit to act as per God's will. His pride of erudition, worldly wisdom, riches, youth and vigour now vanishes.

Dedication to God brings changes in a person that he no longer remains confined to a group of people, he can love the world in its broader aspect. Neither has he any aversion or ill-will towards others and feels he should be of service to the world which is his family.

Hence YOGA creates a yogi who does his duties without attachment and without ego. He himself likes to be in the service of mankind.

MEDITATION -WAY TO INFINITY

Meditation helps you to realize the goal of human birth. Every cell in the body has the capacity to hold infinity. We must tap the full potential that nature has bestowed on us, the potential to hold infinity in every cell of the body. We must practice meditation regularly. It only takes few minutes every day. Once imbibed into the daily routine, meditation is no more a burden or a chore.

Meditation is like a seed. The better a seed is cultivated, the more it flourishes. Similarly, the more we practice meditation, the better it cultures the entire nervous system and the body. Our physiology undergoes a change and every cell in the body is filled with "prana". As the level of "prana" in the body rises, we bubble with joy.

The culturing of meditation into our system is normal. Some people call it the higher state of consciousness. It is the normal state of consciousness since we are endowed with the ability to live in that state. Meditation helps in two ways - it prevents stress from getting into the system and simultaneously helps release already accumulated stress.

Regular meditation also leads to happiness and fulfillment, to sensitization of the sensory organs (thereby intensifying the experiences of seeing, tasting, feeling, etc.); and to greater intuitiveness.

With the assimilation of meditation into daily life, the fifth state of consciousness, called cosmic consciousness, dawns. Cosmic consciousness is perceiving the whole cosmos as part of oneself. When we perceive the world as a part of us, love flows strongly between the world and us. (Love again is not an emotion but a state of being. It is not a melodrama expressed by endearments but our very existence.) This love empowers us to bear the opposing forces and the disturbances in our lives. Anger and disappointments become fleeting emotions that occur momentarily and then vanish.

Usually we tend to let go of pleasant emotions and cling to the unpleasant ones. When the consciousness becomes free and cultured with meditation, the tendency of holding onto negative emotions is the first thing to disappear. We start living in "the moment" and let go of "the past". This is important because no matter how good the people we interact with are, there are bound to be misunderstandings in any relationship. Once a little misunderstanding crops up, our emotions get distorted and a host of negativities follow. If we are able to let go and focus on the ability of consciousness to revel in the glory of every moment, we are shielded from all the above. The truth that every moment is supportive and complimentary to our growth dawns on us. Thus, attaining higher states of consciousness does not require any complicated strategy; one just needs to learn to let go.

A person in a higher state of consciousness possess the ability to know everything. "All knowing" simply means being conscious of the essence of all you know. In this state, both knowledge and ignorance co-exist and complement each other. For instance, while playing a game, it is not knowing the result beforehand that makes the game sincere and fun. If one knew the result even while playing, the players (and the game) would lose their intensity.

Similarly, if you know that a friend is going to let you down in ten years' time, it will affect your relationship with that person today. If everything in life progresses smoothly and as per plan, life won't be fun. After all, the fun of a story is in its suspense. Anyway, what is the big deal about this one life? Just 60-80 years? It is nothing. You have had many such comings into this world, inhabited many bodies, done many things. One life is negligible.

When you realize this, little things will cease to bother you. Every ups and downs in life makes this play of life more interesting. When you open yourself to the consciousness in any particular moment, you perceive the innumerable activities taking place in the universe. In that very moment , people are waking, sleeping, preparing for bed, driving, working, chicken are hatching, frogs croaking, virus and bacteria are infecting people - zillions of things are happening in that one moment in this infinite creation and yet the consciousness knows everything.

Deep inside, each person knows about everything in this world. This knowledge is present in every person. You are a part of this whole phenomenon. As your consciousness opens and the whole system gets physically, mentally and spiritually elevated, your life becomes worth living.

A higher state of consciousness will not drop on your head from heaven one fine morning. The sapling of consciousness is within you. It needs to be nurtured with simple techniques of meditation.

The confluence of knowledge, understanding and practice makes life complete. When you grow into higher states of consciousness, you find that you are no longer thrown off balance by different situations and disturbances. You become beautiful yet strong - a soft, delicate and beautiful blossom capable of accommodating different values in life without any conditions.

THE CHAIN OF 6 STATES OF MIND

Meditation is a means of linking the Self to God. Its is a form of energy used in contacting to the divine. When established in meditation a man get absorbed in deep bliss and peace, yet yoga brings about a transformation in his every day activities, behavior, manners, attitude, etc., in his life.

The six states of mind are Smriti - Consciousness, State of mind - Sthiti, Attitude mode of mind - Vritti, Vision of the eye - Dristi, Action - Kriti, Impression - Sanskar.

The fact that one's actions(kriti), outlook(Dristi)and one's mood or the state of mind (sthiti) also depends upon what thought one's consciousness(Smriti)is occupied with.

If a man had come across an incident affecting someone and if he himself meets the same incident in his life then his consciousness becomes occupied with the past memories. Now this happens because of smriti, briefly called the 'consciousness'.

This 'consciousness' changes into sentiments, feelings, mode or state of mind of that man by which he becomes fearful or nervous. In turn this gives to the thoughts of caution, fear, aversion,etc.

The third kind of thought is called Vritti, the 'mode of mind', where it has become tainted, colored in a particular way. This brings about a change in the outlook(dristi) of the man to view things. All this takes place in split second so that the time-gap between one and the other is unnoticed. All these ends up in making a man to take a decision either to face the situation with courage, or to run with fear.

This action does not stop here but it leaves an impact, impression or sanskara on the mind of the man. This sanskara unless transformed again becomes a springboard for action, if such situations occur in future, or else it remains dormant.
We should notice here that even when unmanifest the sanskars determine the personality of the person.

The sequence of different aspects of mind or spiral-like movement of thought from smriti into kriti(action) leads to the conclusion that, to transform action or behavior, the consciousness or smriti has to be changed.

The process of meditation or yoga brings different changes in one's behavior, outlook and thoughts and habits by effecting one's consciousness thus enabling him to become a happy an holy man.

YOGA - THE SUBLIMATION OF MIND

The word 'Yoga' has been derived from the Sanskrit word considered etymologically, means: 'To connect', 'to establish a link'. Originally used to denote the mental or spiritual link with God.The impact of yoga is great that it brings purity and peace not only to the practitioner but changes the atmosphere when it is adhered in mass scale effecting the collective conscious by the positive vibrations.Yoga is based on deep love for God.

Yoga as demonstrated by Patanjali is one where there is Abstention from evil, Various observations(Niyamas), Physical Postures, Breath Control, Withdrawal, Concentration, Contemplation and Absorption or the state of Samadhi which ultimately leads the soul to Absolution.

Yoga creates a harmonious link between God, with other souls and nature.We come to know about the knowledge of the Past, the Present, and the future of the World, and of the Creator and Creation and also how one should inculcate the divine qualities in the self.

If man aspires for peace and eternal bliss, independent of sense-objects, to know the mysteries of life and beyond, then yoga is the call to world order to attain complete purity, peace and prosperity.

The highest type of consciousness which a yogi attains is the superconsciousness and one's mind is attuned to the Supreme soul who is Incorporeal. This is what is known in one word as Yoga. A Yogi is conscious of himself as a soul and of God as the Supreme soul, he just withdraws his body in order to establish link with god.

It takes some time during the yoga-practice, to converge the thoughts on God, but soon with dedication, deep love one can attain the same through proper meditation and perfect stabilisation the stage of self-realisation is achieved. This stage is exclusive; which has to be experienced it stands higher than the sum total of experiences of happiness in the full cycle of lives. Here, one should know that, meditation is the only means by which the soul can at once contact the Supreme Soul.

Yoga is the way for extra-sensory perception of God-realisation which through linking of our mind to god brings bliss and peace.

There is tremendous change in the character of the person, he does his duties without attachment and ego,loves to be in the service of mankind and acts according to the acts of God.

An yogi is free from delusion and illusion. He is truly enlightened. His source of knowledge is God and so he knows the universe an ultimate Truth and also knows the regions beyond space. His actions are righteous and he is filled with the eternal joy. He finds the true beauty in God, who is Light personified, who knows no disease, no sorrow, no aging, no injury, no fatigue, in fact one who blesses divine beauty, the spirit, the form and the actions. This beauty is exclusive, pure, natural, noble and innocent. Love with God enhances the beauty of the spirit. Hence, teaches one to realize the God or Supreme Self within ad can remain connected to that consciousness always.

Hence, snatch a few moments, every now and then, and meditate you will feel happy, alert, energized and active. The more one practices the happier and holier one will be.

It brings about the Golden Age in the world, for it uplifts the character ad spreads vibrations of peace.