ADVENTURES IN ADVAITA VEDANTA...

Adventures in Advaita Vedanta, the philosophy and science of spirit. We are one you and I; are you curious why?..


Nothing But 'To Do'

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.22: Secret of Success
How is education nurtured? Through books, associations, practice of things learned… those books, associations and practices being subject-specific. Similarly, culture is nourished through appropriate books and association with others who have experience in the field. Meditation can best be maintained by the intelligent study of scriptures (vichaara), companionship with like minds (satsanga), and by conscientious application of the principles, deliberately living the a life of meditation.

There are those who expect, even demand, shortcuts to perfection. Fast-track meditation and moksha. There are none! Some 'black marketeers' of religion and spiritualism might try to tell you otherwise. Such false advertising is readily found in various publications, lavishly printed, loudly spruiked.

No Guru can promise or provide shortcuts - other than to advise the cutting of the ego!

Almost all hurdles arise because the psychological state we are in; a state which we have the power to alter by using the techniques of Vedanta and, more specifically, meditation. However great medication may be, the disease will not be cured just by having the medicine on the bedside. It must be ingested. That too, regularly according to prescription. Similarly, techniques, methods, theories cannot of themselves bring us to the heights of meditation. Only application of them can do that, as we slowly and deliberately renounce the false in search of the True.

Novices must develop sincerity and intent in their daily practice of meditation. 'Life' must take place; be sure to attend to it… but never forget to make that daily practice. Never forget the greater mission of life for a human being is to rise the highest, cleanest personality they can be… and beyond. Become more and more attached to the Higher and find that the lower will naturally fall away. "The extent of your success in attaching the mind to the nobler values of life wil be directly proportional to the amount of detachment you gain from the low and the vicious." Progress is not possible without renunciation of the 'here' for the 'there'. Unless we are ready to take a step forward, we cannot leave the place where we stand. All obstructions in the spiritual path are obstructions put up by ourselves. Even if they appear to be from the external - this is important to note. Remembering the nature of karma and prarabdha, nothing comes to us that is not meant for us.

Image result for meditation shortcuts"Many unintelligent students of spirituality, in their attempt to understand the scriptural significance through mere book study, come to the hasty conclusion that the Vedantic technique of meditation cannot help an individual in life. A few even strive to prove the meditation practicing regularly is, in fact, heading for failure, by suggesting it is some kind of 'life avoidance'. Vedanta is not in any sense of the term a pessimistic negation of life. It is a healthy philosophy which promotes the growth and happiness of the human being both in the individual and the communal life."

The more focused the practitioner can be in everyday life, the greater will be the success in meditation also. Conversely, meditation properly practiced will bring increased focus in daily life. Ethical and moral standards rise, devotion increases, mind and intellect expand. The integrity of character which can be developed brings its own kind of liberation, even if the full spiritual goal of moksha is not attained in the current life - and ensures a rise of circumstance in subsequent lives.

"True meditation can fashion out of any ordinary person an incomparable genius...people of great wisdom… meditate and grow!"