Much depends upon the purpose for which one meditates. One can meditate for peace, one can meditate for health, one can meditate to calm down the surface agitation, or one can meditate to go within in search of one’s soul or to find the Divine within oneself. The latter is more correctly called interiorisation since in this we turn our outward-going consciousness within by focusing on one of the centers of consciousness (heart or the head, or above the head) on an idea, image, or name of the Divine. One can take the help of a mantra to facilitate this process. However, unless and until the knot of the ego is loosened by cultivating satwic qualities and the strong grip of the desire-self weakened by the practice of niskama karma and the constant remembrance of the Divine, it is rather difficult to go within. Even after one has practiced these things, one has to persist without impatience. Then one day the door starts opening and one can shift deep within and far away from the surface noise and agitation. When this has happened then one is ready to come in contact with the Divine Presence within and experience the Peace and the Bliss of the Divine thereafter. This is a different Peace and Bliss than the surface calm and joy that one can experience even without going too deep into oneself. What helps most is the sincerity of aspiration and surrender to the Grace. If there is faith and devotion and the spirit of self-giving to the Divine and His Work, then the process is hastened. The important thing to note is that much more than a process, it is a state that grows upon us and develops within us as we grow in the sincerity of our seeking and self-giving to the Divine. For more details, you may read on Meditation from Sri Aurobindo’s letters on Yoga, Volume II, where he describes the various methods in great detail (can be found here: https://www.auro-ebooks.com/letters-on-yoga-cwsa/).
Affectionately,
Alok Da
Letters on Yoga – II
Link: https://incarnateword.in/cwsa/29
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