CONCENTRATION
Concentration, as commonly understood, refers to a state in which the conscious activity of the mind is brought to a stand-still. But that is not the correct expression of the sense implied in it. This type of concentration implies physical effort which one must resort to consciously or even unconsciously. Usually, one proceeds with it with a conscious idea of some particular state which he interprets as concentration. Generally people take it in the sense of an unnatural heavy sleep brought about by the temporary suspension of the senses. As such, it is just like a state of senselessness caused by the drowning effect of some intoxicating drug. It may perhaps be for that very reason that some of the so called mahatmas are found to be addicted to bhang, charas or ganja.
Generally, teachers advise the abhyasi to practice concentration as a preliminary step, and the abhyasi puts himself to efforts for effecting the same. But in spite of all his labour for years together he is seldom able to achieve it. Why is it so? The failure can in no way be attributed to any of the defects of the abhyasi but to that of the teacher himself, who resorts to his bookish knowledge to guide the aspirant on the practical path of Realisation. The fact is that the entire process, as it is prescribed, is wholly unnatural and artificial, and the means adopted for the purpose are all physical and gross. The result is that instead of proceeding towards subtleness, they go on imbibing more and more of solidity and grossness, and finally turn into impregnable rock.
Taking up concentration in terms of suspension of mental activities, one has necessarily to apply his effort to create in himself a state of insensibility. The force required for the purpose is undoubtedly the physical force which acts in combination with matter. Thus the whole process undertaken for the purpose becomes a material pursuit in the real sense. Concentration in that sense relates to the condition of the physical mind at the conscious level, the activity of which is temporarily subdued by the application of physical force. Practical examples offer sufficient proof to show that those having advanced with the condition thus developed, become internally so gross and rigid that they become wholly insusceptible to finer and subtler influences. Concentration effected by forceful suppression of thoughts leaves its weighty effect upon the mind. The force applied for the purpose, also being a physical force, causes its own weight. Thus in a word the state of concentration interpreted as coma is basically wrong, since it keeps one in close touch with matter. In that sense concentration may aptly be compared to a marshy condition, from which it is very difficult for one to extricate himself. He cannot save himself from sinking down deep into it unless he falls flat over it, giving up all his efforts. Those who proceed on with that condition, carry along all through with matter. It may however help them to some extent in their material purposes and promote in them hypnotic powers, but it is not the least helpful in a purely spiritual pursuit.
People like to go into concentration because it is pleasing to the senses. Obviously it cannot, therefore, be helpful in a spiritual pursuit. Concentration directly refers to suppression of thoughts. The idea entered into our mind only after mesmerism or hypnotism had come to our view, because there the physical force of thought was utilised all through. No spiritual purpose can be served thereby. It can, however, reveal the nature and character of a thing, but that can by no means help its achievement. It cannot therefore be instrumental in the attainment of God. On the other hand it tends to keep one away from Reality. The basis of meditation is purely spiritual, while that of concentration is only the ego. When you mean to concentrate, `You' are there, quite definitely, but when you meditate, you wait for something higher, hence you are away from the idea of self.
The only proper course for an aspirant would therefore be to get himself absorbed in the light of the Divine coming to him from the Original source, without minding the implications of the word concentration. In that case the question of concentration will not arise at all, and one will all along be with that which can neither be interpreted as concentration nor otherwise. Concentration with all its implications affecting enclosement, being not of any avail, it is only the power of `non- concentration' as I may call it that enables one's approach to higher and higher regions of enlightenment. Proceeding along in that way, one would keep on imbibing the power of the Source to light himself up with Divine effulgence.
Now what condition does the word ‘non-concentration' refer to? Obviously it refers to a state associated with an overflow of thoughts. But then there are two aspects of it: the one when the flow is not conjoined with our conscious knowledge, and the other when we have a conscious awareness of it and take its effect upon the mind. This, the latter one, may no doubt amount to a state of distraction, especially when one is linked with the thought of some misery or affliction. In the former case, though the flow continues uninterruptedly, yet the encumbering effect thereof is not felt upon the mind. Normally this state of mind is seldom found to be disturbing. Taking these two aspects into view I might say that the latter is quite similar to the state known as concentration, but with only this difference that here the object of concentration is one's distraction and worry instead of the godly thought. It may therefore be taken as crude concentration which is maintained by the force of our unconscious efforts. The effect in both the cases (viz., by conscious effort and by unconscious effort) is the same i.e., heaviness, dullness, sluggishness. The very word concentration implies a sense of artificiality, and effort is for that reason indispensable. When the flow of thought is spontaneous it is effortless and closely similar to the state commonly known as concentration. The proper word for that may therefore be ‘absorption', which is a natural course and follows by itself as the result of meditation on the right lines.
Concentration taken in the sense of absorption (non- concentration, with flow of thoughts, without effect on the mind) is the real state. It may be of different types at different levels. One may be the concentration of the lower level, another that of the higher level, and still another that of the highest level. Now taking out the common factor ‘concentration' from these, what remains thereafter is only the lower, the higher and the highest. That is how one has to go on with his march towards the Ultimate. On the other hand if our thought remains involved with the idea of concentration, the inner force will not be working actively to offer us impetus for our higher ascent. The proper course would therefore be to take up the thought in the form of sankalpa (subtle idea) without any imposed resolve or effort, and proceed on with it in a gentle and natural way without enforcing any artificiality or imposition. Such is the process followed in Sahaj Marg which, as a matter of fact, introduces through the master's Pranahuti from the very beginning that very state which lies at the farthest end. Though in the beginning one might have, at times, only glimpses of it, yet after continued practice the same condition covers him all over. This is why in spite of the continuity of thoughts often present at the time of meditation, one proceeding by Sahaj Marg experiences a peculiar state of concentration better interpreted as “absorption”.
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CONTROL OF MIND
I am glad that your desire to sit for meditation at the fixed time is growing stronger. This is no doubt an encouraging sign. But, dear brother, I do not expect you to neglect me, and if you make up your mind not to leave me, you will find me always beside you, and of that you will have experience in due time. Treat your thoughts and ideas as uninvited guests. If they trouble you further just imagine them to be mine and not yours. This process is very effective and can never fail to bring about the desired result. Please inform me of the result. Thoughts can be stopped just in a moment, but that will not be in our interest since for the attainment of liberation it is but essential to throw out the buried thoughts after having completed their bhoga.
You say, “I hope my distress cry will move your pitying heart”. In reply I may only say that my master has made me the target of the world's sorrows and I like to prepare at least one for the same. You can meditate for any length of time but there must not be any mental exhaustion.
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India is the home of spirituality. As such, speculation has been active in all ages. This is the time when the dormant forces of man are taking a deeper trend on the spiritual plane. The world is also having its own share in building the entire structure of man on the basis of spirituality. The most encouraging feature of the day is that they are all seeking the way for peace. In spite of so much wealth in some parts of the world, peace is wanting. The external means are adopted in vain for earning peace. Unless we turn ourselves inwards, seeking peace, we cannot have even a grain of it. Different methods are being adopted for securing peace; one adopts it according to one's own temperament.
The teachers of the day mostly leave the burden of controlling the mind on the taught which really makes it a difficult problem for the abhyasi, with the result that he is unable to overcome the difficulties. In such cases the teachers feel that nothing remains to be done by them. In other words, the duty which devolves on the teacher is shifted on to the taught.
The Yoga Marga brings about the result very soon if one has the real devotion side by side, because by the instrument of devotion one soon becomes attached to the Beloved. The thought of the Beloved is there, and this helps a man to go into deeper Consciousness. If somehow we get the teacher who can foment us by his internal force acquired by being a Brahmanishtha then the difficulty is mostly over, and we soon begin to peep into the Real Being. There may be so many methods of yoga under different names and I present the remodeled method of yoga under the name of Sahaj Marg.
The abhyasi is recommended to do the meditation on the heart supposing the Divine light within. The master attends to the cleaning of the system by removing Mal (grossness), Vikshep (fickleness) and Avaran (Coverings) and is a great help to the abhyasi throughout his spiritual career.
We have come down from the main source, and when we want to return there we will have to ascend, crossing the different Chakras or plexuses. I am not dealing here with the technique of Sahaj Marg, but with a few things necessary for those who have formed their tendency to rise above themselves. The training under Sahaj Marg starts from Karan Sharir (causal body) where the impressions are in seedling form. We do not stop the thoughts which come to the abhyasi but we try to clean every centre of the nerves and the mind lake (Chit Lake) itself. We clean the very bottom of the mind lake from where the waves start. If we somehow succeed in stopping its waves, the matter which gives them rise will remain as it is. It is possible that by the force of the will the thought waves may be stopped, but the matter which had given rise to those thought waves remains. And if it is not removed, the liberation is not possible. We should proceed in a natural way so that the poison at the root may be removed. Our associates also complain of the incursions of the thoughts, but they are happy at the same time since they find thoughts less disturbing.
We can attain liberation, as our scriptures say, only when we are free from the coil of past Sanskaras or impressions. The present Sanskaras are so much controlled by themselves that no further Sanskaras are allowed to be formed. It is of course a spiritual state. And we come to it easily in Sahaj Marg when we go deep into the Consciousness.
The thoughts, which the mind creates, help a great deal to bring the past impressions to Bhoga. Some people may be afraid that, if they adopt the yogic means and the trail of Sanskaras continues, they may be in greater difficulties and may suffer from ailments, diseases and accidents. They may be right in their fears. But if such a thing is to happen the presence of the master will, in that case, become useless. The abhyasi himself works in removing their intensity, and the force of the Master too helps the abhyasi in his efforts to fry them to a great extent. The method may look foreign to the readers, but it is the ancient method which lay buried so far. The effect of the Bhoga is not so serious as the abhyasi considers, in spite of the fact that so many impressions have pushed themselves for the Bhoga. The cleaning of the system itself means the removing of all these things. The cleaning of the system brings the desired result very soon, and we become lighter and “Sookshma” day by day to secure union with the Lightest.
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THOUGHTS
I do not understand why people often complain about thoughts arising as they start to meditate or contemplate on Divine pervasiveness or so. My specific advice to all abhyasis is that one should not worry about the thoughts that arise during meditation or at other times. They rise for the sake of evaporation. It is not possible to become completely thoughtless.
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MEDITATION
I rejoice to find that the thought of serving the Mission is gathering prominence in your heart. The very thought will eventually serve to augment your spiritual progress. If you only think of a river, your heart will begin to feel its refreshing coolness.
I insist upon you to practice meditation as prescribed. Do it for sometime at least and that too only for experiment's sake. If you can do nothing else, then just imagine in your mind that I, Ram Chandra, am myself drowned in your thought. Do this in your leisure hours and while walking or doing some physical work. This is neither puja (worship) nor any ritualistic binding. You want to know the method for keeping the heart free from the effects of body-impressions and for drawing the senses inwards, pulling them off from their objective. In reply, I may say that meditation alone covers all these things. There are also certain points in the body which if merely touched with the thought-force will in a moment create the condition desired. I should like you to create within yourself the conditions required for the application of those methods on you, else it would be a risky process at this premature stage. These methods can, with due precaution, be applied only on highly advanced sadhakas, and in special cases only. By such methods the man's originality can be regained in an instant. I have related all this only by way of pleasantry.
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MEDITATION ON HEART
Spirituality has taken a different trend in this age of materialism. Experimental value always precedes the actual thing. At present the real test of a saint is not his real internal condition but his outward appearance. The old ways of spiritual training have been set aside, because the experiments of the inner states are rarely available. Therefore, it now becomes essential to explain first to the readers the proper ways of life to be adopted. Hence arises the necessity for writing something from which the readers may deduce the real grounds on which the whole structure of training stands. My books are written on the basis of my own experience in the line. I have dealt only with fundamental things, avoiding unnecessary comments, but what is given therein corresponds with the right proportion of the work I have undertaken.
Generally I advise meditation on the heart at the point where you feel its beatings, I do not want to expand its vision to the whole of the region of the heart. Therefore, an abhyasi is to know the heart, as said above, to meditate upon. The points ‘A' and ‘B' are also the other points for meditation but I have not prescribed them for all as they are unnecessary at the initial stage. We must satisfy our thirst by drinking the water and not by brooding over the cause of it. I have divided the heart into two parts, not dwelling upon its details which are to be understood practically by means of abhyas. Of course, to the preceptors of the Mission they have been fully cleared because they have to work with them. Various powers of Nature lie hidden in the heart but that is a secret which may not be revealed, since it may lead to the abuse of power gained thereby.
During our march we pass through the circles given in the ‘Reality at Dawn'. You will find the entire Universe along with these circles even in every atom, but it requires a good deal of time and anubhava to come to its proper understanding. So, we must look to the real substance and not to that which it displays. The diagram showing the lower and upper regions of heart is only an imaginary ground to come to an understanding. How the heart in its lower state takes the reverse trend onwards is a problem not to be understood so easily. If I try to clear this mystery, I may hardly find words to express it, except that the phase is changed and the life is transformed. Then the heart, instead of being a field for defective mental activities, becomes the ground of Nature. Everything is changed into Real. The position of the heart, though physically at its own place, is also changed. It may be a greater ambiguity to say that ‘L' becomes ‘U', but for explanation of it the word ‘Silence' alone will perhaps serve the purpose best. I shall request you to go through the book over again. If you do so, you will find therein answers to all your queries. Putting before you my most favoured view, I may say that instead of pondering over how the world came into being, we should admire the Being who brought it into existence. This wonder will reveal to you how the creation set in. But when? Only when you know the Real Being in His real state. If you go on counting the leaves of a tree it is likely that you may soon begin to forget what you have already counted. The method will never enable you to have the taste of the fruit which it bears. If you want to analyze the leaf, it is better to analyze the very fruit which it bears. How can you analyze it? The modern means are to test it in the laboratory, but the ancient way is to eat it and digest it to feel its effect. So, you must develop the capacity to drink the ocean like Agastya Muni. If you go on drinking the water from petty rivulets it may never be possible to get time and age to swallow the whole of the ocean, nor even to reach its very shore.
My advice, therefore, to everybody is, ‘Seek the Being that seeks you, and not that which tends to neglect you'.
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The connecting link between the animate and the inanimate is its root. A poison and its antidote are mostly found adjacent to each other. When we are in the state of inanimation, it is but natural to think of animation because it is at the base of the inanimate and both states are inter-related. Now the first thought that flashed across the mind was to proceed towards animation which constituted our very first step towards growth. It is a matter of fact that our vision fails to apprehend a thing situated at a very high or a very low level. But since man occupies the middle position the medium state of samavastha came to his lot. What can that middle point in us be? It is only the heart and it is at this point that the connecting link between the animate and the inanimate is most clearly felt. This is the reason why meditation on heart is very useful. Now either we ourselves thought of it or the environment pushed us that way. Anyhow, we leaned towards animate Consciousness. But so long as the sense of Consciousness lingers, the idea of worldliness exists and this the pseudo-seers have called as jnana or knowledge.
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Why do we meditate on the heart when the brain alone thinks of everything? The heart is the field of work for the mind, and all the points which are in the body and the brain, almost all of them, are found in the heart and, by meditating on it, it facilitates in purifying all those points.
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MEDITATION - FOUNDATION OF SPIRITUALITY
Meditation is the foundation of spirituality. If you meditate having your real goal before you, you are sure to arrive at the destination. Generally people complain of the numerous ideas creeping into their mind at the time of meditation. They think they have failed in their practice unless they bring their mind to a standstill. But it is not so. We are not practicing concentration but only meditation. We must go on with meditation unmindful of the foreign ideas that happen to come to our mind at the time. The flow of ideas is due to the activities of our conscious mind which is never at rest. We are still busy in meditation with our subconscious mind, while our conscious mind is roaming about and forming numerous ideas. Thus we are not the loser in any way. In due course, after sufficient practice, the conscious mind too gets moulded and begins to act in harmony with the subconscious mind. The result thus achieved is deep rooted and lasting, and finally calmness, the characteristic of soul becomes predominant.
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VAIRAGYA
What wrong can there be if I advise you not to take anyone into your Consciousness in the sense of a brother, son or daughter, but to go on with your duty with due regard to the position and personality of each? If a thirsty man takes water without an idea of its being water, shall it not quench his thirst? One must actually live up to what he thinks or talks about. You often come across mahatmas and sadhus who, though they preach about high ideas, are themselves inwardly puffed up with feelings of greatness and superiority, and try all means to pose themselves as world-teachers of Divine knowledge. What opinion will you form of them when you peep into their hearts to discover their real worth? For certain you will find in them nothing that can command your respect for them. The Hindi word maan (self importance) when reversed becomes naam (name), and with it their physical form at once comes to view. Thus they remain attached only to the physical form thereby creating for themselves more and more of attachments and entanglements.
Vairagya can be attained only when one is wholly diverted towards the Divine. When it is so, one naturally becomes disinterested in his own self including everything connected with it. Thus he loses not only the body Consciousness as well. What remains then is nothing but the ‘being in dead form' or a ‘living dead'.
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I do not agree with those who hold the view that the only way for non-attachment or vairagya is to get away from home. One should be able to discriminate between good and bad. Having no discrimination is the characteristic of an inferior man.
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RENUNCIATION
Renunciation is a condition of inner state of mind where one's eyes are every moment fixed on the reality alone which is unchanging, eternal and free from attraction or repulsion.
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CHANCHALTA
Happy was the time when you saw me and happier would it be when I have a chance of seeing you. The sentence has a deep meaning and may be taken up in that sense. When I saw you for the first time I found in you many things mingled up together, presenting a view of diversity in unity. The existence is no doubt the result of amalgamation of matter with the soul. But then there is one thing more there. There is a house which has all things in it upset and scattered all over, while another has everything in it well arranged in proper order. Naturally the former will be said to be in a disturbed state and the latter said to be undisturbed and regulated. Similar is the case with this human frame, or the house we live in. There are numerous things kept in it. They exist in the form of results of the actions of the various functionaries at work in the system. If they are let loose to work independently according to their own trend or inclination, their actions will mostly be unregulated and disturbing. They therefore require a strong masterly hand to keep them in check, and this generally remains wanting in most cases. It is only in this respect that we present the picture of a house in disorder. The same was the case with you when you came to me first, and this is but usual in most cases.
We have now to enter into a new life, a life which is beyond this outer life of ours. We might just as well say that the real man exists behind this, the apparent man. Now since you want to enter upon the real life, you have to seek for the real man, the man behind the man, or the man beyond man. Such a personality, if he does exist, can be traced out only by the heart's eye and can be felt in every molecule and atom of the body. Though possessing a physical body, he shall in no way be attached to it and he shall be nearest to zero. His covering shall be the whole universe wherein he shall have his own play. You will find him present in the sand of the desert, as well as in the waves of the ocean. You will find his presence in the light of the sun, the moon and the stars. He shall be in existence everywhere, in hell as well as in paradise. But how to trace him out is the real problem. In fact that is the very thing which by my master's grace lies pouring on me, and which I impart to the abhyasis through transmission. I take it as a part of my duty, not expecting any return for it, though it automatically becomes due from the abhyasi in the form of rina or debt (not taking the word in its popular sense, of course). What I mean thereby is only the reaction on the part of the abhyasi. The inner disorder and disturbances can never be set right unless you react yourself. They must at least be suspended so as to introduce an atmosphere of peace and calmness. But unless they are suspended, the ways of living cannot be regulated and improved. So long as the proper regulation remains wanting there can be no equilibrium, hence no balance at all. Without it we can never stand by nature. It is only when we get closely in touch with nature that we begin to breathe in the purified air coming therefrom. By and by we begin to acquire identicality with it. In a word everything becomes possible and attainable when we get ourselves attached with the real man beyond man.
In the beginning the necessities of life were limited. As time went on, the surroundings affected the lives of the people with the result that necessities began to increase. From the materialistic point of view the world is progressing day by day, and for that reason luxuries are gradually taking the place of necessities. In a way life has become quite luxurious. Our appetite for charms and attractions is growing greater and denser, and it is constantly being reinforced by the thought force. Thus the individual mind is being altogether spoiled. That is why it has become over excessively restless (chanchal). The excessive restlessness or chanchalta of the individual mind goes on increasing and intensifying by the action of our thoughts and doings, and this subsequently results in the formation of our fate. Our fate is thus governed by this chanchalta of the mind. The individual mind having now become used to such a type of character, leads us on to follow its own dictates. We are thus completely spoiled. We have therefore to correct the individual mind now. The process would be to adopt simple ways of living dissociated from the unnecessary hankering of the mind. It does not mean lowering the standard of life but only purging out from it what is superfluous and unnecessary.
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OVERCOMING DESIRES
You ask me how desires can be overcome. The only answer I have is, `Try to give yourself up to God like a dead man in the hands of the dresser'. But if you want me to prescribe some method for it I shall offer you a very simple method and it is to think your desires to be mine, not yours. you can ask me any question you like. I am glad to find in your heart light and nothing but light. Devotion as great as possible is necessary, and constant remembrance creates it in one's heart.
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