Most of the people in New Age circles are used to “Visualization” and they label it as guided meditation! Many meditation groups listen to recorded music or messages and they call it meditation too! But is it really meditation?
Chanting of any Mantra, Stotras, Naam-smaran or Japa may help some people to quieten their mind and bring it to one point of concentration, but it is not meditation.
Concentration on any one point like trataka is not Meditation.
Contemplation on any one thought or an idea is not meditation.
Idol worship (Murti pooja) - Offering of prayers in various forms is not meditation.
Twisting and turning the body in various postures or Asanas may be good for the suppleness of the body but it is not meditation.
Bio-energy exercises, Pranayama, holding of breath - kumbhaka- or manipulation of breath in any form may be useful for increasing vitality levels of cellular body but it is not meditation.
Guided relaxation processes and creative visualizations may be helpful in relaxing the mind in the beginning but it is not meditation.
Listening to good instrumental / classical music, as a tool, can be a good help in preparation for meditation to begin with but 'musical-entertainment' is not meditation.
Singing 'Bhajans' - devotional songs - is not meditation, but as a natural and spontaneous outcome of meditative experience, bliss is sometimes expressed with devotional songs.
It has been noticed that people spend lot of time in 'preparation for meditation' and are left with no time for actual 'Meditation'. Masters suggested many aspects mentioned above to the beginners as a good help in the preparatory stages of Sadhana. But what has happened is that more and more people cling to the preparatory stages and get stuck there and do not proceed further on the path. The purpose of segregating real meditation from the preparatory stages is to help seekers to come to the real journey and progress on the path faster.
What is Meditation?
Meditation is the freedom from thought, a state of no-mind. It is a state of pure consciousness with no contents. It is the activation of natural 'seeing' activity, of the 'Self' or Consciousness. It is the finest way to increase one's personal energy by getting connected to the Source.
Meditation is a key to unlock the mystery of existence. It is a method par excellence, to go into altered states of consciousness, wherein it is possible to perceive alternate frequency universes, which are all simultaneously co-existing.
Meditation is a knack, which can be mastered with the help of regular practice. Meditation begins basically with "Anapanasati", which means to keep one's total attention and awareness only on one's normal breathing process. In Pali language, in which Buddha talked, 'Ana' means 'In-breath', 'Apana' means 'Out-breath', 'Sati' means 'To be one with'. Meditation is neither 'prayer', nor 'chanting' nor 'contemplation'. No 'mantra' is to be chanted, no form of 'deity' or outside 'Guru' is to be entertained, nor any 'pranayama' practice like holding one's breath i.e. 'kumbhaka' should be attempted during meditation.
Meditation, Meditation, Meditation... Meditate so deeply that you disappear completely!
Shivoham
Om Prem
Dear Guruji,
ReplyDeleteVery nice article. But unfortunately people take lot of time to come to the understanding you are talking about. To drop the mind and be in a state of no mind. Some though have come quickly to the point, some took lot of time, some criticised you on this and later started talking what you have been saying since long time. So long as people learn it is absolutely fine. Regards Vinayak.
This is wonderful. There are so many definitions and understanding of the work meditation as you have pointed out that it is really wanted that we focus on what meditation is not. A very timely and guiding article. Thank you so much for your insight into our dilemma.
ReplyDeleteAsawari
Very nicely put dear Guruji... the real meditation starts when we let go of the false crutches used to achieve the ultimate. Deep respects, Kranti
ReplyDeleteI have been a nun for years and years. Could you believe that what you say about meditation here is just the same with what happen with us when we talk of prayer. We talk too much of prayer but never REALLY PRAY!!! We read too much of prayer but never REALLY PRAY!! This happens only because people are totally afraid of what is going to happen to them when they find themselves to the vacant of meditation or as siners when they face God! I feel that it is only fear we are not going to make it or we are so unsure because we base everything on stupid methods without trusting what we feel deep within, without trusting our intuition, our higher self! I start really praying seven years after having left my convent, and now I pray without any book in my hands, without even having read anything before on how to pray, because I was tought only to TRUST!!!
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteYou may be unaware, however the meditation logo you are using on the page below is copyrighted.
http://taonews123.blogspot.com/2010/05/what-meditation-is-not.html
Could you please credit 'Headpone Meditation by Illusive Mind' and link back to http://www.illusive-mind.com/art/headphone-meditation/.
Thank you
Kind Regards,
Illusive Mind