It has been a while since I wrote on spirituality. One reason for this long break was to rejuvenate and introspect. I wanted to write a post on something that meant a lot to me and has helped me manoeuvre through life’s hurdles. Meditation is a precious gift from the Universe that provides calm amidst chaos, clarity in the light of vagueness and faith in yourself and the Ultimate!
History:
Meditation has existed for many millennia. It is not possible to pinpoint the exact date of it’s creation. The earliest written record is found in the Upanishads in 5th century BCE. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, the first Upanishadic scripture of Hinduism describes meditation as the state of becoming calm and concentrated to perceive the Atman (soul) within oneself.
Meditation is mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita in various chapters. In Chapter 6, Shri Krishna has stated the technique of practising Dhyana (meditation) and listed the benefits.
Maharishi Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga focuses on the 8 fold path to master posture, senses and meditation. It includes Yama (discipline), Niyama (observation), Asana (posture), Pranayama (breathing techniques), Pratyahara (withdrawal of senses), Dharna (focused concentration), Dhyana (meditation) and Samadhi (Bliss/ Enlightenment).
In the Shiva Mahapuranam, Dhyana Yajna or meditation has been mentioned as the highest means to liberation (Rudra Samhita, Srishti Kanda, Chapter 12). Vignyana Bhairava Tantra, a scripture from Kashmir Shaivism discloses 112 techniques of meditation. Dhyana is also mentioned in Vasishta Samhita, Bhagavata Puranam, Agni Puranam and Garuda Puranam.
In Layman’s term, meditation is mentioned as concentration. But when you look deep, it is the process of regulating the mind and connecting with your inner self. Vast amount of scientific studies suggests that the effect of meditation on the human body is immense. It is a process, when adopted can significantly improve your concentration, help you listen to your heart and resonate with it.
Initially, meditation might seem a bit daunting. Especially with decreasing attention span, many people find it difficult to close their eyes and meditate. The most common problem that I faced as a beginner was the endless stream of thoughts that suddenly came to focus when I decided to go inward. These are just hurdles on the path of meditation and realization.
There are only a few things required to follow this path:
A Meditation Technique:
The first thing one needs is a simple yet effective technique to practice.
Consistent practice of meditation:
Be it early in the morning or later in the day, one has to meditate everyday. Consistency is key here. You can also practice micro meditation (meditating for just a few minutes) if you are feeling immensely stressed. This form of meditation when done right before an exam, decreases stress immediately and helps your mind to focus.
Faith and Discipline:
When it comes to meditation, it is difficult to follow the practice in the long run if one doesn’t have faith and inner discipline. Faith can move mountains and in this case, it can help you connect with your heart.
A Spiritual Guide:
The last thing that is important for a serious spiritual practitioner is the presence of a Guru or a Guide. Many people argue and debate about the need of a Guru. Just like you need an able teacher to teach you in school, a Guru or a Guide teaches and motivates you in your spiritual journey.
There are various schools of meditation that you can follow. I practice Heartfulness meditation which is a form of heart-based meditation. It is the practice of the age-old form of meditation called Raja Yoga with Pranahuti(transmission). It was discovered 72 generations prior to Janak Maharaj and Dashrat Maharaj. This technique was re-established by Shri Ram Chandra (Lalaji Maharaj) of Fategarh, Uttar Pradesh and refined by Shri Ram Chandra (Babuji Maharaj) of Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh.
My personal journey with meditation began when I was 15. At that age, it was difficult for me to understand the essence of a spiritual practice and the importance of meditation. But with time, practice and reading, I was able to comprehend and truly appreciate the gift of meditation. It particularly helps me to relax and decrease my anxiety.
There was a time in my life when everything seemed bleak. I had unwillingly become a part of the “rat race” and couldn’t see the way out. To my eyes, the path ahead was just a never-ending long, dark corridor where everyone was cloning into one another. While I was desperately holding on to my identity, meditation decimated every ounce of negative thoughts in my mind, helped me focus and embrace myself! It brought back my lost sense of self-belief. The greatest thing meditation has taught me is that every individual’s journey in life is unique and so is their purpose. It is futile to live with endless comparisons.
I would like to conclude by stating that meditation isn’t a way to achieve miracles. It is a tough path that makes you work on yourself constantly and refines you from coal to diamond.
To truly understand what this life changing path is, I suggest you experience meditation!
If you are interested in reading further, these books are a ready reckoner for you to begin your spiritual practice:
- Designing Destiny by Kamlesh D. Patel
- Simple Heartfulness Practices by Kamlesh D. Patel
- The Heartfulness Way by Kamlesh D. Patel
- Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda
- Bhagavad Gita – Gita Press Gorakhpur.
You can also read my post on A Literary Gateway to Spirituality for more Spiritual literature recommendation.
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