Hari
OM
Monday is AUM-day; in search of meditation.
Meditation & Life, with Sw. Chinmayananda
(Gurudev).
We are now exploring the writings of Gurudev on our focus subject of
Meditation. The book is a thorough treatment of the subject and extends to over
170 pages of closely printed text. No attempt is intended, here, to present the
text in its entirety. However, important paragraphs and quotes will
be given, within a summary of each section. You
are encouraged to use the links on sidebar to obtain a copy for yourselves from
CM publications. Please remember that each of the posts under this title is part of a
thought flow and it is important to go back and read the previous post in order
to refresh and review the context.
Ch.25; Hints for Taming the Mind
(cont'd)
A list of possible methods for keeping the mind focused in
meditation was begun last week. Let us complete it.
5; Persuade the mind lovingly. Consider you with an attitude of a
mother checking on her teenager. She does it from love and concern, even when
the kid is kicking! Loving persuasion is one of the best tools in her
collection. Keep telling the mind that it will be worth all the effort; that
the glories of meditation are the highest vocation and all efforts will be
rewarded. The more the mind is convinced, the more readily it will focus on the
work.
6; Lure it with promises, kindle
the curiosity. Again we can liken this to the mother, but this time
there is the promise of something tangible and more immediate as a reward for
putting in the effort on the less tangible. Whilst a small child might be
looking for sweets, here we must keep it still on the higher - think of a
favourite scripture or biography of a saint whose example you wish to follow.
Promise the mind it can read these things once it has done its focus work - and
that the very example it wants to read about is a possibility of becoming real
if it puts in the practice.
7; Promise the mind some freedom later. Once more the reward
system. Okay, you want to play? Fine, but first at least be quiet and focused
for x long then you can go do… whatever. A common problem for the mind is the
worry of everyday affairs, be it work or family. Therefore the promise might be
that if the mind will stay focused for now, it is more likely to be able to
address these very things later and can be allowed to work on them then.
8; Reprimand and be sure to carry
out the threat. Even the most lenient of parents will once in a while
need to be very strict with their offspring. Short, sharp shock treatment if
you will. It ought not to be commonplace, but there are times it is
required. It is also the case that
threats alone are useless because the become empty after a while. The
child/mind must learn that in these moments there is a genuine risk of
punishment. In meditation practice, the punishment Gurudev here recommends is
that of a fast (out of usual cycle). Tell the mind that if it does not come
under your control, then the body will not eat for the next 24 hours - or cold
showers for the next two days… very quickly it will be realised how the mind is
part of the physical world!!! Caution though, this is not to be overused, for a
weakened body also means a weakened mind. Something else to guard against is
the tendency to soften completely after punishment. The mother immediately
hugging the punished child can build up the wrong impression that punishment =
love and the child will seek more! Be very observant of such tendencies. It
might display as, after fast, taking excess food and that too of 'wrong' foods…
The mind is made up of the subtle aspects of the food we consume;
thus denial of the food is denial of nourishment for the mind, which is why it
complies. It is also why it is so important to be careful with the types of
food eaten. Sattvika diet is essential for successful meditation. Also, having
made the decision to use this method upon the mind, you must be very strict
with yourself/it; there must be no hint of any kind of reward or compensation
following the punishment, if it had to be carried out. As said, but it bears
repeating, this is a method to be used only when the mind is being particularly
difficult and not as the default control method. There might be rebellion!
9; Observe critically. The most effective punishment is for you to
stay in the intellect, observing the silly mind play around; be critical of it.
As a mother finds that a child is not paying attention to her, one of the
tactics is to draw back and go silent. The child starts to look at mother and
can see that she is not best pleased, even sorrowful at the behaviour. It would
be a rare child then who continued embarrassing its parent. Similarly, with the
crazy mind, pull back into your intellect and cast that critical and sorrowful
'eye'. The mind will play on for some
time but then come to understand that it is being observed and the time for
play is over. This is one of the Rsis' great tools and is referred to as
/sakshi-bhaava… the witnessing.
Any one of these methods, either alone or in combination, is likely
to aid the novice - or even the experienced - practitioner. The most important
thing is sincerity; there must be firm conviction born of faith and
understanding, and good sense of seeking which is adventurous and, even,
revolutionary. Without these, spiritual practice will drift. These are not
qualities which can be plucked from the ether. They require cultivation.
"Strive hard. Act diligently.
Meditate regularly. Discriminate continuously. Be good. Be kind, tolerant and
all-loving. Eradicate weaknesses, steadily growing your inner strength. Keep
brahmachaarya, good company and good health. Even at the point of death,
renounce dishonest, deception, lust and passions… and meditate. Meditate,
meditate and meditate! This is the only true path to perfection."