Meditation - What is it?

“Achintaiva param dhyanam - To be thoughtless is the highest form of meditation.”(Sri Sankaracharya)

“Dhyanam nirvishayam manah - When the mind becomes free from thinking of sense-objects and their enjoyments, it is meditation.” (Patanjali Yoga Sutras)

WHAT IS MEDITATION?

Simply driving away all the thoughts of worldly objects and increasing the thought-currents of God or Brahman like a steady stream. Nididhyasana is meditation of Soul. It is deep and intense contemplation. The mind is perfectly established in the Absolute. No worldly thoughts will intrude now. The contemplation is like a steady flow of oil.

INDISPENSABILITY OF MEDITATION FOR SELF-REALIZATION

Mind feels tired after hard and protracted work. It cannot therefore, be Soul. Soul is the store-house of all powers. Mind is only an instrument of Soul. It should be properly disciplined. Just as you develop the physical body through gymnastics and various kinds of physical exercises, you will have to train the mind through mental training, mental culture or mental drill. In meditation and concentration, you will have to train the mind in a variety of ways. Then only the gross mind will become subtle (Sukshma).

Put a piece of iron rod in the blazing furnace. It becomes red like fire. Remove it. It loses its red color. If you want to keep it always red, you must always keep it in fire. Even so, if you want to keep the mind charged with the fire of true wisdom, you must keep it always in contact or touch with the true fire of knowledge through constant and intense meditation. You must keep up an unceasing flow of the true consciousness. Then you will have the natural state.

Leading a virtuous life is not by itself sufficient for Self-realization. Concentration of mind is absolutely necessary. A good, virtuous life only prepares the mind as a fit instrument for concentration and meditation. It is concentration and meditation that eventually lead to Self-realization.

God has hidden Himself in this world (immanent) and is seated in the cavity of the lotus of your heart. He is an absentee landlord. You will have to seek Him through concentration and meditation with a pure mind. This is a real play of hide and seek.

All the visible things are Maya (Delusion). Maya will vanish through True Knowledge or meditation on Soul. One should exert himself to get rid of Maya. Maya havoc through the mind. Destruction of the mind means the annihilation of Maya. Nididhyasana is the only way for conquering Maya. Lord Buddha, Sages, Spiritual Gurus, all had conquered Maya and mind through deep meditation only. Enter the silence. Meditate. Meditate. Solitude and intense meditation are two important requisites for Self-realization.

Make the mind blank. It is the only medium for these severe strokes of grief. It is difficult to suppress thought and, after it is once suppressed, a new succession of thoughts arises which overpowers the mind. Fix the mind on some tranquil object. You will succeed in checking the mind.Collect your thoughts in the Spirit (Soul), as a person cools himself by going into a pool of water in the hot season. Meditate continually on God or Soul, and become one with it.

REFERENCE

Mind – Its Mysteries and Control by Sri Swami Sivananda