TECHNIQUES OF MEDITATION

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TECHNIQUES OF MEDITATION

By Mouni Sadhu.

 

One of the initiations through which we pass while in the presence

of the Maharshi , is true meditation, which years of study of occult

literature had assured me was the key to the awakening of supra-

physical consciousness. During my allegiance to Theosophy I

practised different forms of meditation in accordance with their

literature. From what I have since found out, the knowledge given

was for beginners.

 

Their aim was to direct the mind into certain deliberately chosen

channels of thought. There were meditations on different themes such

as Beauty, Love, Purity, Wisdom, Devotion, God, The Creator of the

universe and so on. The object was to keep these ideas in the mind

as long as possible, and to imagine the working out of these virtues

in the consciousness. Such 'meditations' can create certain currents

of thought in the mind, conditioning it to a positive force which

activates the thinking. Such exercises have a certain usefulness,

for it is said:'a man is as he thinks'.

 

In other words, the manner of a man's thinking creates his

worthiness.

If he associates himself with good and positive thoughts his nature

will be improved; if with negative and evil currents- he will

retrograde and fall. All this is true in the relative field, but is

founded on the assumption that man's consciousness is derived from

his thinking apparatus or mind.

 

Man can elevate his mind, as do the Yogis, and perform 'miracles' as

have many of the saints of all religions. The mind is a power, and

when controlled and directed, its force and subtlety are apparently

unlimited. But only apparently, for the power of the mind is based

on the false notion that there is one who thinks, and an object of

thought. This is the old lie of duality, and its end cannot be

brought about by the ennoblement of the instrument(mind).

 

The subject and object still exist. This conception hinders the

realisation of the unreality of the outer world. And to count this

as real is an insurmountable obstacle on the path of realisation of

the true Self in man.

 

So long as man's consciousness is unable to merge in the whole,

there will always be the necessity for rebirths and incarnations in

matter. The bewitched circle is closed.

 

Strangely, from the first days of my stay at the Ashram, my old

mental meditations were forgotten and I could not practice them in

the presence of the Master.So it still is, and for me there will be

no return to those old currents of thought. Every day there is a

more and more urgent inner inclination to be still, to remain

without thought, to merge in the silence.

The inaudible inner voice tells me that there lies the truth.

 

Maharshi himself insisted on the necessity for meditation, but what

did he mean by this term 'meditation'? He calls true

meditation 'silence', being still', 'stillness'. So it was the same

power which drew me then and now.

 

While one is immersed in water one cannot see anything above the

water's surface. The world above is veiled from sight. To gain the

wider horizon one has to rise out of the water, and only then will

one realise how limited was one's former vision. So long as man is

merged in the world of thought - the realm of mind- his

consciousness will be bounded by its limitations.

 

Thought must always have an object, however sublime it may be, thus

there must always be two, not one.Therefore, thought and its process

is a blind alley.

 

The Master's power released me from all desire to follow this by-

path. It was simply forgotten, as mentioned before. I am not a

believer in miracles. So I cannot put the help and activity of the

Master into this category. But the fact remains, and that is all

that matters In this manner, I came at last to the secret of true

meditation. This state when I am aware of being apart from the

thinking process can be called true meditation. This Awareness is

the source of all Life, of that which is my life. It is the source

of everything. From It alone I draw all that makes possible what I

say on these pages.

 

How can one enter this state of supra-mental meditation? Analysing

the process in myself, I find that FIRST must come the stopping of

all thoughts. The Vichara ripens in the mind so that interest in the

thinking process vanishes, and the stilling of the mind, so

difficult in the past, becomes easy.

 

SECONDLY, when the mind is still, there arises a strong urge to be

united with the whole, but what this whole is, cannot yet be

conceived and I feel that I could never attain it alone. The closest

comparison is melting and dissolving in That which alone Is. It is

different to leaving the body or ego for there is no movement. One

remains where one is, but is not what one was before. Everything

that could be seen or felt before is now apart from me. No more can

be told.

 

THIRDLY, the state of unity with the whole brings an unshakable

certainty that only this state is real and permanent. That it is

that last refuge which one has always sought, and from which one can

never more be lost.There is nothing beyond it, for - it is all.

 

The conception that we know as 'death' is obliterated, but this does

not mean that we are in that state thought of as 'life after death'.

The only fact one knows is , that this life will always go on.

 

In this state of being there are no such false distinctions of time

as past, present, and future.

 

It is possible to force language to convey to the mind something of

that which one brings back from such a meditation, but it is likely

to be of no avail, and more likely to be misunderstood. What I can

express is tragically little.

 

There is a mysterious experience which proves the power of the

Vichara. The Master insisted that we should not use it as a Mantra,

that is, as words only, but soak each question with the desire to

know 'WHO AM I?'. By using the Vichara in this way, after stilling

the mind, the answer comes of itself, but without words or thought-

you know who you are.

 

What follows- is inexpressible

 

This is the great service which Maharshi performed for humanity- the

welding of this infallible instrument of achievement, the inspired

VICHARA.

 

FROM THE BOOK " IN THE DAYS OF GREAT PEACE " BY MOUNI SADHU

Ramanashramam Publications