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.23: Inward Expansion
Here, Gurudev reminds us that our knowledge of the world of objects
is relative to the individual who is 'knowing' it. Four of us could stand
together before a work of art and, even when sticking to the purely visual and
forget for the moment about the subjective context, will each describe it
slightly differently - for none of us can stand in exactly the same spot with
exactly the same light and height and all other conditions which equate to the
'knowing' of that scene. Perspective is relative to where we stand; it is also
a non-constant, for the moment we move from where we are that perspective is
altered.
Vedanta tells us that, living as we are in the delusory
misconception that we are the body, mind and intellect, we take the perspective
that these things are real and substantial. By using the 'viewing instrument'
of Vedanta, we can pull back from our intimate and entwined perspective to a
more objective view of these subjective parts of our being. In doing this, we
also grasp the idea that the ego-self is one of 'those' and not part of 'this'.
"In order to perceive this
insignificance of our self-asserting, egoistic arrogance, we have to step away
from the ego for a moment and with detachment learn to observe it through the
microscope of pure discrimination."
Now look the other way. Within that house, exactly how much space
does this body called 'me' occupy? At any given time, all this 'me' can do is
occupy one sitting spot in one room, and that too, in only one small part of
that room… yet the 'me' part of us will tell us that we are the only thing that
matters in the matter-existence; that the 'me' must be watered, fed, indulged… but what is this 'me' really, in the context of the
Supreme and All-pervading Reality within which the universe resides?
Sitting in this little corner of 'my house', these things can be
fully contemplated and the start of the greater research into the Truth of Me
can begin. This is where inward expansion truly begins to make some sense. Not
just chanting "OM" like a gramophone, but feeling it, allowing it to lead us ever inward as we now find that we can 'talk to our mind'; become the
observer of the matter envelopments in which we are housed. "Instead of
concentrating our entire attention in making the mind chant OM and listening to
the sound of OM… your next attempt is, whilst continuing the chant, to no
longer find the source from which it rises; by observing you find that you
alone are the source… a merging begins and there is no longer a sense
of 'me, you, he, she, I'… Get yourself reduced to a nothingness that is
everythingness!"
Ch.24: A Review
Key points of the technique of meditation.
1; SEAT; prepare a space in
which you are content to sit each day for practice - clean, quiet,
floor-cushion or small stool.
2; POSTURE; ensure correct
aasana. There ought to be no room for physical distraction due to discomfort,
but the body also must remain alert, hence the need to ensure erect spine,
loose shoulders, stable base.
3; THOUGHT-MASSAGE; to
settle the body further, use the mind to 'massage' those areas which are
holding tension. Run your inner focus over the body and actively instruct a
dropping of tension, making the minor corrections necessary for full physical
containment.
4: THOUGHT-PARADE; having
settled the body, now attend to the mind itself. Allow any thoughts at the
surface to flow through their process - taking care not to allow the formation
of any new thoughts! Emerging thoughts can be 'packaged' for later.
5: CONTEMPLATE THE LORD'S
FORM; fix the gaze upon the symbol you have selected for your meditation and
prayer space. Study it in detail and allow your heart-centre to feel love and
devotion to the process; surrender to that which the symbol represents, asking
for guidance and blessing in your practice.
6: OM-CHANT BY MOUTH; with
the eyes on the murti/symbol, begin to chant audibly, allowing the vibration to
expand from your lungs and larynx into the whole body and then the space around
you.
7: OM-CHANT BY MIND; gently
allow the eyelids to fall and the voice to stop, as the chanting continues
within you. Keep the tongue and mouth still and focus on the mental chanting.
Take care not to lose the rhythm and vibration which has been created.
8: THOUGHTLESS STATE; at a
point when it is felt that single-pointedness is within reach, immediately stop
the chanting and sit in the busy silence. If you find this difficult, resume
chanting - louder and louder but still only within the mind - then slowly
reduce the 'volume' and again reduce and again reduce till there is a mere hint
of chanting in the mind - then allow this finally to dissolve into that
silence. A thoughtless state with awareness ought now to be yours - however
briefly! With continued practice that thoughtless suspension ought to expand.
As soon as a thought invades that space, your meditation for this practice is
over; chant now a few verses of scripture or Shankara shlokas so that the
thoughts are at least ones of faith and devotion. Habituate the mind to such
thoughts until, at last, you find the switch for 'on and off'!