Meditation, as we see it in our daily
life
Ram Pai, Tampa
When the word meditation is mentioned: First
thing everyone thinks about is manasa meditation, related to the mind. Only
talk about doing meditation. Doing meditation has “i” the ego. Better term is BEING in meditation. In all Sadhanas the goal is LIBERATION. Even though there are many
physical and mental benefits have been claimed, we as spiritual seekers should
do all yoga, upayoga, meditations for the love of GOD, without expecting any
benefits.
What is the purpose of the meditation?
Healthy heart/Body, has to have healthy mind.
You cannot have depressed, anxious and frustrated mind and have healthy heart.
Best way to have healthy mind is to do meditation. If you are living in an
apartment and have a small balcony, you would like to fill that with flowering
plants. Similarly you do not want to fill your mind, the most important real estate in your body
with harmful thoughts and end up having
anxiety, frustration and depression.
How long you are going to live is based on
your life style. Your life style should have a regular schedule with proper
diet. Longevity should be combined with quality of life that is what everybody
wants. Death is certain, every one of us want to live as long as possible with
quality of life. Biggest fear in life is death. Biggest surprise in life is
when you see a dead body passing by, thinking that it will not happen to me.
Your regular schedule should include about 30 to 45 minutes of regular exercise
and yoga, with 30 minutes of meditation at least five out of seven days. With
this type schedule, it is automatic you will have healthy heart and also as
side benefit rest of all your body organs function healthy also. You will have
a longer life and that too without any disease, possibly.
I have to give credit to my wife Rajashree for
convincing me to join her in this journey. Our day starts early, after shower
(invoking all rivers as we take shower including Hillsborough river of Tampa),
followed by Pooja and Gayaytri Japam facing the Sun with Argyam. Since then we
have been practicing Shambhavi Kriya of Isha along with Sakti chalana kriya and
shoonya regularly in the morning daily along with preparatory yoga. At the end of this we practice “SAGUNA BRAHMA VISHAYAH MANASA VYAPARA” as
described by Swami Dayananda Saraswati.
More than anything else you feel happy and good about this. It takes about two
hours of our morning time in this Sadhana.
Pathanjali yoga sastra predates Buddhism, may
be more than 3000 years ago. The Yoga Sutras of Pathanjali precisely outlines the art and science of traditional
Yoga meditation.
First
sutra mostly deals with Hatha Yoga.
Second sutra deals and defines meditation:
“Yoga citta vriti nirodah”, essence of meditation is cessation of movement of
the mind, as related to thoughts, memory, denial, emotions, pleasure and pain.
Third sutra says “Thada Drastu swaroopa
avasthanam” which means “the witness within remains in it’s true nature when
the mind is quiet”. Witness is you
yourself as True self. In normal life
witness and mind have become one. In meditation you are trying to separate the
witness, your true nature, from the mind by calming it.
Fourth sutra says “in normal life the witness
gets identified with contents of the mind”
Sri
Ramakrishna Paramahansa said: Mind is like a cloth and it takes the color it is
dipped in. It acquires that color based on how clean the cloth is. As per him
meditation is “Dipping the mind in the
thought of God”. That is spirituality.
Poojya
Swami Ashokanandaji of Ramakrishna
mission wrote an article called “Before you start meditation”. Ekantha, sukha
asana neither too high nor too low, comfortable and as per Swamiji one can lean against, can also
be in a chair with legs stretched. The trunk and neck have to be in line and look straight. Eyes closed or partially
closed, eyelids barely touching each other. Hands can be in the middle, fingers
crossed or uncrossed. Hands can be on the thigh with Jnana mudra. (We do use
during our meditation what is called urdah siddahasana) Posture can be any
variety and one you should be able to sit comfortably for a muhurtham, which is
48 minutes. If you can sit in this posture comfortably without changing
position for 48 minutes by practice, then you would have achieved asana siddhi.
1.
Regularity.
Never fall prey to the mood, this is a common complaint, that I am not in a
mood.
2.
Time is important. Good to have fixed time. Certain times of
day are suitable. Brahma Muhurtham around 4.00 AM, Noon, conjunctions of day
and night are suitable, and midnight. Over the years mind becomes habituated
and trained.
3.
Place is important. In your home have a place for meditation.
Meditation mat, which only you use, and when you sit on it body and mind
automatically gets into meditation.
4.
Big problem in meditation is thoughts. We say we have many negative or bad thoughts. Do not try to struggle or be
anxious about them, then you will spend more energy on them. Do not feed energy
into these negative thoughts. When thought comes, engage yourself with a
positive thought, either chanting Lord’s name or mantra. Many people give up
meditation because of bad thoughts are coming.
5.
Bad company. Person, place, internet, television, bad books
etc…. Others telling bad or good about you, you wanting to know. Do not listen
to praise or criticism, because you know your worth.
When
somebody says what they are saying about you:
Best say it is all true, because it should not matter to you.
6.
Practice of serenity is necessary. Simplify your life. Less you possess better it
is. Minute you say “It is mine” bit of mind is taken away. Switch off mobile
phone while meditating. Practice of asceticism.
7. Attitude
Complete detachment from the world, none of
the things exist. Only you and object of your meditation. Be in the feeling of
eternity.
8.
Yearning for God, Moksha and Nirvana. Your heart must cry for God. Nowadays
meditation has been used for many things: like stress management, anxiety,
concentration etc..
9.
Offer everything to God. “I am doing this for the sake of God and
mentally offer to God”. Ritualism is important. Do this throughout the day,
morning till evening.
10. Try to meet
people who are spiritually advanced (meet enlightened soul at least once in
your life) when one comes to your town and tells
you God exist, then something awakens. God can be seen or experienced through
meditation. Bhavana of holy company, will have good effect on your mind.
Normal
sequence of meditation in the day are:
Pooja
(Kayeeka meditation)—this gives both
drasta as well as adrasta phalam
Parayana
(Vachika meditation) ---gives drasta
phalam, laya
(few words about Laya: Laya is the lapse of
the mind into sleep without resting on the absolute. It is one of the four
obstacles to Samadhi. Three others being: Viksepa(distraction),
Kasaya(Torpidity), Rasasvada(enjoying the Savikalpa Samadhi),
Then Manasa
meditation. ----gives drasta phalam. You need
that immediate result besides seeing yourself as an objective person.
Ram and Rajashree Pai, Tampa
E mail: ramnathkpai@gmail.com
This article is based on our experience at
Isha, USA as well as based on talks by Poojya Dayananda Saraswati on
meditation. Others who have contributed are: Swami Sarvapriyananda, Swami
Ashokananda of Ramakrishna mission, Inspiration from Swami Chidananda, Swami
Mukundananda, Sadhguru of Isha USA, Swami Anubhavananda.
We
took four day intense course of yoga and meditation at Isha. Initial
course is called Inner Engineering.
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