We live a mechanical life today. It is a daily rush routine of arise, bathe, eat, rush to work or study, commute, return, cook and fall asleep. The moments in between are used in gossip, backstabbing and showing off. The entire life is spent in this manner. We are hardly aware of what we are doing, why we do things, what the consequence of our thoughts and actions are and what we achieve in life. Before we know, we are old and our life ends with nothing much to show for it except a few collected assets and some bank balance which we cannot carry with us and which will definitely not help us in our ongoing journey to God. We are born, we live and we die. We have no clue as to who and what we are, why we are here and where we go after our death. Our lives are an endless flow of misery and pain and few moments of pleasure and we are mostly in a state of ignorance and lack of awareness and alertness. Such a life is a waste of the great gift bestowed upon us by God.
We must sit daily in meditation in order to live in a state of awareness. In meditation, we must sit with determination that we will meditate for a specific period of time daily and will not get up before that time. During the time of meditation, we chant our mantra or watch our breath and simply allow our thoughts to flow through us. We watch with disinterest the parade of thoughts and feelings that rush through us like a tornado trying to tear us apart. We do not chase our thoughts, or reply to them or be judgmental We are simply aware of them. When we watch our mind and thoughts in this way, we learn a great deal about ourselves. Slowly, with regular meditation, we become aware of our inner most core – our soul- and this is the secret of existence.
Meditation has two parts – the beginning and the end. The beginning of meditation is called dhyana and then end of meditation is Samadhi. Dhyana is like the seed and it flowers into Samadhi. When we start our meditation or dhyana, we sit in a state of awareness and watch our mind wandering about. We watch the rush of memories, desires, thoughts, dreams of past and future. We watch layers and layers of thoughts and desires hidden within us open up and parade in front of us. We become aware of what is inside us.
When the awareness becomes very deep, it turns into a flash fire. It consumes our mind and functions. We stop thinking. There are no thoughts. There is no desire, no ambitions, no lust, no vengeance, no hopes and ambitions. There is no past or future. There is only the present now. The fabric of the mind simply burns up and nothing is left. This is Samadhi. Samadhi is a state where there is awareness only, but there is nothing to be aware of as there are no thoughts within us. We sit as witness but there is nothing to witness as there is no mind and no parade of thoughts. In such a state of being, when ‘we are’ and there is nothing else, the knowledge and wisdom of God dawns and leads to ecstasy.
During meditation, we are free from the stress of our own mind and thoughts, from the stress of past and future and the weight of our dreams, ambitions, urges and desires. Our entire body and mind take a mini vacation and are refreshed and rejuvenated. Even the speed of breathing and heart beat drop giving the heart and lungs a much needed rest. Our organs are given opportunity to repair and rejuvenate. This is why meditation improves physical and mental health and also those who meditate usually are more youthful.
Meditation is not theory. It is practical and should be personally experienced to know it works. Meditation is not the one hour we sit on asan and practice dhyana. It is a way of life, of living in awareness of our thoughts and actions. We have to live it to know it. It can be practiced irrespective of age, sex, caste, creed, culture, nationality or religion. The only qualification needed to learn meditation is a strong determination to learn and practice it daily. Let us be more determined in our practice of SitaRam mantra and meditation and enjoy the full benefits of meditation.
