steadiness in practice - only through more practice

[Guest guest]

Visitor: Mental activity during meditation does not seem to converge at a point,

as it should, on the object of meditation and it does not stay there but gets

diverted into numerous thought channels. Why is it so? How can the mind be made

to overcome this tendency towards diffused thinking and attain its primal state

of freedom from thought?

Maharshi: It is the mind's attachment to objects constituting the not-self that

makes the mind wander about during meditation. Therefore, the mind should be

withdrawn from the not self, and an effort should be made to fix it in

Self-enquiry. All extraneous thought is effectively eliminated when you attune

the entire mind to the one question, "who is it that is making the enquiry?"

Visitor: In spite of having come to the definite conclusion as a result of one's

investigation that "I" has no essential relation with the not-self, i.e., with

the body, senses and the objects perceived by the senses, the mind persists in

going after these very same things which constitute the not-self. What is it due

to and how can it be remedied?

Maharshi: It is due to lack of abhyasa and vairagya. When Self-enquiry has

become steady through practice, and the spirit of renunciation firm through

conviction, your mind will be fee from the tendency of thinking about the

not-self.

Visitor: How can I gain steadiness in practice?

Maharshi: Only through more practice.

 

- The Call Divine, Janunary 1, 1957

 

 

 

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