THE AWAKENING TO INTUITION:

[Guest guest]

prof laxmi narain (prof_narain)

 

Source and courtesy: Sri Ramana Kendram, Hyderabad

This article was published in Sri Ramana Jyothi,

monthly magazine of the Kendram.

 

THE AWAKENING TO INTUITION: When the student has finished his

breathing exercise he is ready for the next stage. If he has done the

breathing exercise properly (see last month's issue in this regard),

he will catch the mind like a bird in a net, its constant flight

stopped, its restless activity quiet, so that it lies within the net

of breath-control without a flutter of its wings.

 

The next step is to withdraw the mind from concentrating upon the

breath and turning it to intuition. The student would begin by

reverting to the question with an attitude of search. But this time

the interrogation is addressed not to the body, desires or thoughts,

but to the mysterious darkness which environs his mind. Who am I ?

Who is this being that dwells within this body? Let him address these

silent questions to himself slowly, with eager and earnest attention,

and with utter concentration of soul.

 

Then let him wait for a few minutes, meditating quietly and without

effort on these questions.

 

Thereafter, let him make a silent, humble request, a half-prayer if

he wishes, directed to the Overself [Atman] in the very center of the

being, to reveal its existence to him. The words in which he

formulates this request may be his own, but they should be simple,

brief and direct. Let him ask as if he were addressing an intimate

friend and a true one. " Ask and it shall be given unto you, " was the

direction of Jesus.

 

Having made the request or silently uttered the prayer, let him pause

and wait expectantly, even confidently, for a response. There should

be a profound humility in his soul when he is asking for the divine

revelation to come to him. Humility is the first step on the secret

path – and it will also be the last. For before the divinity can

begin to teach him through its own self-revelation, he must first

become teachable, that is, humble.

 

A intelligence quotient and ability are admirable things and adorn a

man, but intellectual pride puts a strong barrier between him and

that the higher life which is ever calling to him, though silently.

The intellectual proud sit upon their puny pedestals and wait to be

worshipped, when all the while there is a deity in the deeps of their

heart who is worthy to receive worship.

 

It is the hardest task to realize one's own littleness, ignorance and

vanity. Yet it is the greatest of attainments for it leads directly

to that finding of the divine life which is promised to all who would

lose the personal life.

 

People are complicated, intellects are complicated, not life.

Therefore I say: Treasure in your heart and carry in your mind the

memorable saying of Jesus that " Except ye become as a little child ye

shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. "

 

During the pause which follows the student's silent request, he

should suspend his thoughts as far as by adopting the attitude

of " listening-in " for a response. After waiting for two or three

minutes, he may repeat his request and then pause again.After the

second waiting for three or four minutes, he may repeat it for the

third or final time. Then he should wait patiently,expectantly, for a

period of about five minutes, his body still, his breathing slow and

quiet, his mind becalmed. This ends his meditation.

 

The key to a correct understanding of this stage is in remembering

that it is the subconscious reaction to your conscious effort which

is now all-important. The conscious practice of mental quiet has been

useful in sharpening attention; it is like ringing a doorbell, now

you must wait for the subconscious to make its appearance. Do not

over strain, do not overdo; give the Overself [Atman] some credit for

intelligence of its own, for action of its own.

 

If you are not prepared to exercise patience while working silently

for this revelation, you defeat any possibility of success.

 

Patience is important. We must wait humbly for the revelation of the

Infinity which is within man. Until that sacred hour we are poor

orphans. Those who introduce any element of impatience into their

period of mental quiet are merely handicapping themselves.

 

The Overself's voice is first heard like a soft breath, and the

student must pay all heed to it. The gentlest stirrings within the

heart must receive his full and undivided attention, he must look

upon them with respect and veneration as ambassadors from the higher

realm. These quiet monitors are but heralds of a dynamic force which

is yet to come and which will transfuse and interpenetrate his body

with heavenly power.

 

Within every single one of us lies well upon well of spiritual peace

untapped, of spiritual intelligence untouched. From time to time

whispers come to us from this second self, whispers that urge us on

to practice self-control, to take the higher path and to transcend

selfishness. We must heed those whispers and exploit those rare

moments.

The object of the mental quiet here is to enter into a realm which

psychologists call as the unbconscious.

 

The response of awakening intuition may come the first time this

exercise is practiced, or it may not come until after several weeks

or even months of daily practice.

 

You may considerably assist your development at this stage by

beginning to watch yourself at odd times during the day. You may stop

yourself, almost unexpectedly, and observe what you are doing,

feeling, saying or thinking, letting your observation be made in a

detached, impartial and impersonal spirit.

" Who is doing this? "

" Who is feeling this emotion? "

" Who is speaking these words? "

" Who is thinking these thoughts? "

Put silent questions to yourself as often as you wish, but put them

abruptly, suddenly, and then wait expectantly, quietly, for some

intuitive inner response. So far as you can, drop all thoughts during

this pause. Such introspective inquiry need not occupy more than a

minute or two at odd times. The calm and peaceful breathing may

profitably be induced in conjunction with this exercise in self-

observation and self-enquiry.

 

In this manner you will begin to break up the complacent attitude

which accepts the body-based outlook. And to free yourself from the

illusion that the outer person is the complete being of man. The

practice of suddenly observing oneself, one's desires, moods and

actions, is specially valuable because it tends to separate the

thoughts and desires from the sense of selfhood. Indeed it might be

said that the three practices, (i) self observation, (ii) daily

quiet, and (iii) calm and peaceful breathing, are complementary. All

aim at overcoming the strong tendency towards complete identification

with the body.

 

Turn your mind repeatedly to that which is the silent spectator

within yourself, and fix it there. This inward turning is a mental

process, an intellectual activity based on an attitude of self-

enquiry.

 

You must begin to ride the horse of mind and drive it in an inward

direction.

 

There is an unknown and unnoticed gap between every two thoughts,

between every two breaths, wherein man pauses momentarily for the

flimsiest fraction of a second. During that pause, which fleshes by

with such immeasurable rapidity, he returns to his primal self and

rests anew in his real being. If this were not so, if this did not

happen thousands of times everyday, man could not continue to exist

and his body would fall dead to the ground. The Overself is the

hidden source of man's life. These constant returns to the Overself

enable man to " pick-up " the life power which he needs for living.

These tiny fragments of time are experienced by everyone but

recognized at their true value by very few.

 

Once you fix your attention upon the question " Who am I " and attempt

to pursue its solution with all the ardour you can command, a time

will come one day, during your half-hour practice of mental quiet,

when you shall be so deeply engrossed in this effort as to be largely

unmindful of what is around you.

 

To obtain access to one's own soul is not such a rare feat as it may

seem. The artist, when he abstracts his mind from external

surroundings in the rapt absorption of his art, does it. He touches

ecstasy in a minor measure, forgets himself in his work. It is in

this state that geniuses have achieved their finest creations, their

best work.

 

The writer who gets lost in reverie over his theme, his mind sunk so

deeply in a single train of ideas that he fails to recognize things,

persons or events that are about him. Similarly, the musician rapt in

the ardour of musical composition, is unconsciously practicing

meditation. But you who follow the path of self-enquiry, are to do it

consciously.

 

" Silence is God " , says a French writer. Yes, but silence of body, of

thoughts, of desires – not merely aural [relating to ear or sense of

hearing] silence. In this sublime moment God is beginning to take

possession of your soul; all you have to do is to practice the utmost

self-surrender.

 

Those who spend the years soliciting some intimation or revelation

from the august guest within, will with time receive a rich reward. A

single glimpse of that mysterious stranger takes the trouble out of

our life and puts it under our feet.One hallowed word from his divine

lips bestows a bliss which melts our smaller self in cosmic joy.

 

We have covered our divine nature with thoughts and desires;

therefore we must proceed to uncover it if we want to know it.

Thinking is a heavy veil flung over the beautiful face of the

divinity within us. Raise the veil a little by letting the mind come

to rest and you will perceive somewhat of a beauty you can never

forget.

 

We must empty ourselves if we would be filled. When the mind has

poured out all its thoughts, a vacuum is created. But this can last

only a few seconds.Then, a mysterious influx of divine life will

enter. It is in this state of conscious cessation of thoughts that

the truth of one's self, hidden from us by the activity, desires, and

thoughts, becomes revealed in its sublime and spiritual grandeur.

 

We must experience ourselves, as we really are – not as prisoners in

the body, as captives in the cage of thought or fettered by fleeting

passions.

 

The whole art of meditation and concentration consists of unlocking

our chains and arising as free spirits. To be continued…