Meditation
Is To Go Beyond Thinking Into Higher Consciousness
(Compilation
for a Discourse by N. R. Srinivasan, Nashville, TN, USA, Nov 2014)
The amount of information
available in world literature on meditation is anybody’s guess! It is voluminous, vivid and varied bound in
mystery. The word meditation is of Latin origin with the Latin root mederi meaning to heal. Therefore Meditation is the Science of Healing
from all physical and mental ailments. Hinduism talks about twenty different
levels of Consciousness or mental stages. Meditation is therefore the art of
making the mind still. In layman’s language meditation is the state of mind
where there are no thoughts. Lord Krishna resorted to eighteen chapters and
seven hundred verses of advice to Arjuna explaining different methods of meditation
and paths of God-realization in
Bhagavadgeetaa.
I
recall your attention to an article in Reader’s digest several years back
describing human heart as the most perfect pump created by God. A renowned chemical design engineer was asked
to create a perfect pump describing
heart’s routine functions without telling what it is,
telling that it should work for
at least for hundred and odd years
without any shutdown or rest or
any major periodic preventive maintenance. The engineer threw up his hands
saying such a pump is not possible to design. Human heart is such an efficient pump
created by God he was told. We can use its effective and intelligent
functioning in unison with human brain another amazing creation of God in our favor if we are conscious about it.
If
we adopt strategies to calm our hearts, our whole body will calm down as well
in a matter of seconds, not only will we reduce stress, we'll enhance healthy
body functioning.
Activities like consciously relaxing, meditating or praying nourish and calm
the heart and hence, the rest of us. These activities produce what's called,
the relaxation response--a physiological state that is exactly the opposite of
stress, a state that reduces blood pressure and increases blood flow to the
heart. It is worth recalling here a medical briefing column that appeared in
Time magazine quoting several medical journals. Not only does this calming
create feelings of peace and serenity in our minds, it creates them in our
bodies as well. Meditation helps for a
moment on those kinds of thoughts and feelings that make us feel calm, peaceful and relaxed or recall an
experience in which we feel those
feelings and "go there in our head" while
breathing relaxed and regular.
This little break for meditation can actually keep us healthy as well as
happy. During meditation we do not allow stress to build; the more we
consciously focus positive feelings and relaxation on our heart the more we
will strengthen and expand a reservoir of peace and calm within us. Heart and
brain function in unison and calmness prevails.
The article in
Reader’s digest also suggested that only way we can give rest to our heart is
by relaxation or making it function at low speed that consumes less oxygen (estimated to be 50%
approximately) as a daily routine. The
technique of transcendental meditation seems to be during meditation heart
consumes less oxygen for normal functioning.
This gives the rest to the heart to function at low pace than while
engaged in activity, increasing its life span or efficiency.
The art of
meditation is misunderstood by many. Meditation does not need the help of
religious devotion. But religious
devotion can benefit from meditation. Many yoga teachers make the control of
mind as a prerequisite for meditation. On the other hand a controlled mind is
the result of meditation. Praanaayaama
and Mantra chanting are indirect ways of watching and controlling the
mind. Mind is like a monkey running
around the forest. We cannot fight with the mind and win. It is very powerful.
We can only tame it down or domesticate it. Maharshi Mahesh Yogi revolutionized the whole
concept of meditation. He made it very simple and lovable by all. He took meditation out of all religious
dogmas and said it is scientific. Even
TM is not the last word in meditation. It suits some and does not suit many
too. That is why Geetaa suggests different methods of meditation and paths of
God-realization.
Arjuna and Krishna
discuss mind in 6-34 and 6-35 of Bhagavadgeetaa. Arjuna says in 6-34:
Chanchalm hi manah Krishna pramaathi balavad dridham |
Tasmaat aham nigraham
manye vaayooriva sudushkaram ||
Mind is very restless,
Oh Krishna!—turbulent, powerful and very stubborn. I believe it is very difficult
to control it as the wind. To this Krishna’s reply was:
Asamsayam mahaabaaho manoe durnigraham chalam
Abhyaasena tu kaunteya
vairaagyena cha grihyate ||
Undoubtedly, Oh
mighty armed one (Arjuna)! The mind is restless and hard to control; yet by
practice and dispassion it can be controlled.
Swami Chinmayananda says: “Meditation
is the silence, energizing and fulfilling. Silence is the eloquent expression
of the inexpressible. The key word here is energizing. That quiet place inside
us is a source of tremendous strength. There are deeper levels of silence—outer
silence, the inner silence and the inmost silence. This silence is not just the
absence of sound. It is not even the
absence of thought. It is the blossoming of our indomitable inner will. It is
the dynamic quality which characterizes true meditation:
Beyond speech and mind
Into the river of ever-effulgent Light
My heart dives
Today thousands of doors
Closed for Millennia
Are opened wide
Meditation is not an escape exercise…The seeker who meditates
is a divine warrior who faces suffering, ignorance and darkness and tries to
establish the kingdom of wisdom—light. And
with perseverance, we reach the depths of our being, our true self.
How do we meditate silently? Just by not talking, just by not
using words, we are not doing silent meditation. Silent meditation is totally
different. When we start meditating in silence, we feel the bottom of the sea
within us and without. The life of activity, movement and restlessness is on
the surface, but deep below, underneath our human life, there is poise and
silence. We imagine this sea of silence within us, or we feel that we are
nothing but a sea of poise itself”.
Sri Chinmayananda once described the difference between
prayer and meditation as follows: "When I pray, I talk and God listens.
When I meditate, God talks and I listen".
“Meditation is that listening, attentively and in silence, to
the voice of the Absolute within us. There is a special way to listen to the
Voice of God, and that is to meditate in silence. Then there is no tomorrow,
there is no such thing even as today. It is all now. The Eternal Now is the
only Reality”.
Jagadguru Chandrasekharananda Saraswati says: “When a person
does his job earnestly and whole-heartedly, we say that he does it “holding his
breath”. Sandhyaavandana is to be performed “holding one’s breath”. If we do these
all the evil forces will be destroyed. Nowadays all we do is to hold our nose
with our fingers. Scriptures do not say, “naasikaam aayamaya” but “praanaan aayamaya”. It means, instead of merely
holding the nose, control the vital breaths, the Praanas or the Life’s vital
forces—Praana, Apaana, Vyaaana, Udaana
and Samaana. When we control our breath the mind will be still. The mind stops
when it is enwrapped or absorbed in something”.
Through reasoning we must understand that we have to go beyond our mind to apprehend the greatest truth and realize that all form and substance is ultimately illusion. We have to perceive the highest truths through meditation. In such a state, the pure self directly realizes its oneness with the total Brahman.”
The Art of Living an organization founded by Ravi Shankar employs
inner peace through meditation as a powerful tool in resolving conflicts, and in
spreading the message of peace and non-violence in this troubled and agitated
world. They have their branches all over the world including Iraq.
Praanaayaama is the most scientific method of controlling
vital currents in the body. It has to be practiced only under the guidance of a
capable Guru and is associated with Ashtaanga Yoga of Patanjali for spiritual
uplift. It is not a mere physical exercise. Now-a-days it has become to call
mere preliminary approach to yogasastra by physical exercise preparation as
Yoga, a business or material approach.
Patanjali has spent very little on this modern practice of Yoga, may be
8 or 9 Sutras or aphorisms out of his voluminous contents.
We normally experience four states of being—Wakeful, Dream,
Deep Sleep and Tureeya (inexpressible) state.
Tureeya State is the state in which we are momentarily in unison with
Self. That is you are in meditation or we reach the depths our being or Self.
The Tantras are a branch of Hinduism whose literature is
still kept a secret and its meaning are still a mystery. Their scholars generally do not discuss the
subject but pass on the technique to their devoted disciples. Tantra generally means “to expand”. Tantrism believes in the enjoyment of
material life though its focus is on spiritualism. Mystic Mantras are the gifts of the Tantras
to
Hinduism which are effectively used in meditation, the Symbols AUM and Hreem leading the rest.
Tantras mention of three important nerves Susshumna, Ida, and
Pingala which start from the base of the Spinal column. Sushumna is the most
important of all nerves which is subtle and invisible. Upanishads talk a lot about these. Sushumna runs
through the central channel of the spinal cord and extends to the topmost point on the head. Ida and
Pingala run parallel and meet Sushumna at Ajna chakra the psychic center which
is considered to be the focus point for meditation and concentration.
Tantra followers believe Kundalini power, the mighty force in
all humans remains dormant throughout in one’s life time lying like a serpent
in coiled form or inactive form at the base of the spinal column called
Moolaadhaara Chakra. It is believed this power, about which most people are unaware
of its existence, slowly rises up through Sushumna nerve while engaged in
meditation or Praanaayaama and does not shoot up in a straight line. This
journey of the Kundalini power passes through seven psychic centers called
Chakras starting from Moolaadhaara chakra at the base of the spine. The next center called
Svaadhishthaana is at the base of the genitals with six petals and controls the
faculty of taste. The third center is opposite to the navel and has ten petals
and is called Manipura. It controls the faculty of
sight. The fourth center called Anaahuta with twelve petals is at the level of the heart. It
controls the faculty of touch. The fifth center called Visuddha is at the medulla oblongata in the
throat with sixteen petals. It controls the faculty of hearing. The sixth
center with two petals is between the eyebrows called Ajnya Chakra control the faculty of mind. The seventh and last psychic center called Sahasraara with one thousand petals is located
at the topmost point of the Head where the Yogi attains Cosmic Consciousness or
Samaadhi.
Ashtanga yoga talks about eight limbs. The fourth to eighth
limb culminating in Samaadhi relate to gradual elevation of soul through meditation. The
object of meditation is not to just sit in silence and think but to go beyond
all thoughts into Higher consciousness.
Samaadhi in Yoga Saastras is a state where Praanas (life’s
vital forces) and consciousness merge into one another where conditioned Self
disappears and the mind settles in the pure void or nothingness. The illusion
of individual Self disappears and the Yogi enters into the unified field of
pure Consciousness. He acquires the special ability to stay in union with the
super-consciousness (or what Vedanta says Brahman) as long as he likes and then descend to other levels. Everyone can pass through this exciting journey to the infinite Bliss through the
seven stations in body mentioned above called Chakras or psychic centers along
the route of Sushumna naadi in the spinal cord progressively by meditation. We
often talk about meditation in our yoga
designed with the goal of physical exercise and so we are familiar with
the word meditation. But meditation in Yogasaastra still remains a mystery
journey to the Supreme Consciousness which rarely few liberated people realize.
Meditation literally means to attend to thoughts with
intention which gradually leads to the silence of the soul. The aspirant moves
through several stages of Consciousness till reaching the stage of super
consciousness where one is in perpetual communion with the transcendental Self
even while engaged in the activities of daily life as we learn from the lives
of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Ramana Maharshi, Aurobindo etc. of modern times
apart from Sankara, Ramanuja, Madhwa and others of the ancient past. It may not
be too wrong to call such men as Stithaprajnyas as described in Bhagavadgeetaa
about which I will talk in my next discourse.
The disciplined practice of Yoga and meditation strengthens
our immune system, promotes healing ability. Modern medical science agrees to
the fact that most of the physical ailments originate primarily from worries
and resentments of the past. The cure for these psychosomatic sufferings is
within the reach of every individual.
Our sages have recommended meditation not only for spiritual evolution
but also as the cure for physical ailments to lead healthy and happy life. Healing is not in the hands of therapists
alone; we often forget our own healing and enduring ability which comes from the intelligence of our own body.
We all know the brain
generates a small amount of measurable electricity. Modern medical research studies indicate the
brain waves of a person when measured by EEG are most commonly in Beta
frequency, random and incoherent, all parts of the brain showing different wave
lengths. Beta waves are the fastest with
thirteen or more vibrations per second, a wave pattern associated with awakened
or active condition. When a person moves
into deeper layers of consciousness in meditation this incoherent pattern changes
the brain waves; they become coherent, orderly and normally in the alpha
frequency (one to four cycles per second), quite characteristic of deep relaxation, peace and harmony. The
discovery of alpha waves really rocked the scientific community and resulted in
the development of biofeedback system. The researchers accidentally discovered
that it is possible for people to consciously put themselves into the alpha brain
wave state. Yoga meditation experts say that they found this principle in
people who regularly practice yoga meditation. Scientists have found that some
meditates go from alpha to theta and sometimes even to delta waves during
meditation. Biofeedback machine only gives a gross measurement of brain
activity. It has no capability to go deeper into the why and how of the brain
waves and pinpoint and relate the effects to meditation. Scientists around the
world are experimenting on Yoga masters, and we can only hope that we may one
day discover very valuable points about Yoga meditation. The problem is finding
true Yoga meditates who are willing to undergo research studies. All Yoga practitioners are not Yoga meditates
while the reverse may be true. The philosopher Hippocrates once said (in 400 B.C.): “People ought to know that
from the brain and brain only arise our pleasures, joys, laughter and jests as well as
sorrows, pain, grief and tears”
The experience of deep rest, relaxation and inner silence
perceived during meditation is far deeper than what one receives during
sleep. In general meditators are able to
lock the resonant field of the brain with the resonant field of the heart to
create total body coherence, total alignment of mind, body and spirit. YMCA philosophy
goes in the reverse order spirit, mind and body development. People who meditate are very relaxed, peaceful,
creative and precise, and live a long and healthy life.
It is important to select a quiet and cool place and try to
meditate sitting erect at the same spot. It works wonders because the
particular spot of meditation become energized with positive vibrations;
Vivekananda Rock is an example. It is also important to sit facing East or
North while meditating. East is for enlightenment and north for stability.
Besides, it brings the special benefit of alignment with the magnetism of the
earth. The most beneficial time for meditation is early sunrise and sunset. This is also the time prescribed for
Sandhyaavandana daily rituals as detailed in my discourse “Prologue to
Sandhyavandana Rituals of Hindus”. The glories of dawn and dust when the day
and night meet have been beautifully described in Vedas. This is the time air
is charged with spiritual energy, the mind is refreshed and free from activities
of daily routine, ready and receptive to the guidance of the soul. It is
important to start with single posture of crossed legs called Sukhaasana, move
to Siddhaasana with some more practice and later move to Padmaasana, lotus
posture which Yoga teachers will explain by demonstration. We have to take our
mind to the rhythm of the breath as it moves in and out within the thoughts
as they go by. Gradually breathing becomes relaxed, a specific silence is perceived
between the thoughts and the meditator enters into unity with breath and later
with the Supreme Self.
In Bhagavadgeetaa
Lord Krishna is figured as a Yogi. Bhaagavata mentions that Lord Krishna sat up
every morning for meditation merging himself with transcendental Self. We also
read in Mahabharata that Krishna was in the habit of meditating on Brahman in
the early hours before sunrise. Krishna in all probability was a philosopher
who harmonized Sankhya yoga with Brahmavaada of Upanishads. There is a
suggestion that the Song of the Celestial was originally a Yoga Upanishad which
was later Vaishnavized. Bhagavadgeetaa
has been designated as Yoga Saastra. Each
chapter of it is designated as a specific Yoga: 1) Vishaada Yoga; 2) Sankhya
Yoga; 3) Karma Yoga; 4) Jnaanakarma-sannyaasa Yoga; 5) Sannyaasa Yoga; 6)
Dhyaana Yoga; 7) Jnyaana-Vijnyaana Yoga;
8) Aksharaprahya Yoga; 9) Raajavidyaa-Raajaguhya Yoga; 10) Vibhooti Yoga; 11)
Viswaroopadarsana Yoga; 12) Bhakti Yoga; 13) Kshetra-Kshetragnya Yoga; 14) Gunatraya-vibhaaga Yoga; 15) Purushottama
Yoga; 16) Daivaasura-sampad-vibhaaga Yoga; 17) Sraddhaa traya-Vibhaaga Yoga; and
18) Moksha-Sannyaasa Yoga.
In Bhagavata Purana Brahma tells in round figures that
Krishna remained on this earth planet for 125 years: Yaduvamse
avateernasya bhavatah purushottama | saracchatam vyteetaaya panchvimsaadhikam
prabho || Whether we
believe in Puranas or not to call them historic documents, Lord Krishna is
portrayed as a regular meditator and perfect Spiritual practitioner in Puranas,
who took active part in life as a human being avoiding stress whenever possible
while enjoying life. He did not take an active part in the Mahbharata War as he
advanced to an adult and married person, though
he was a master mind behind it. He always carried his flute unlike Rama who
carried his deadly weapon all the time and ever ready to fight, and often
relaxed and enjoyed a romantic life. He
wielded the most powerful Sudarsana Chakra when called for without involving in
stressful physical combat though he resorted to it while young when he visited
his uncle. He is always shown with his flute and not Sudarsana Chakra in icons.
As age advanced he avoided too much
stress. I always felt Krishna’s life was
true portrayal of human life unlike Rama who always had a stressful life ever
stressful with his bows and arrows (Kodanda Rama), religiously devoted (Chanting
Aadity Hridaya in distress and anxiety) and was exaggerated to have lived for
10000 years which is unthinkable for a human. To me Lord Krishna appeals as a
perfect and practical yoga practitioner who upheld Laws of Dharma in
totality--Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha. May be that is why he is called Poorna Avatar
as he lived full span of human life designed by the Creator. Even Yoga master
BGK Iyengar lived a few years past 90. Krishna’s
life is a lesson to us to involve ourselves in regular meditation and at the
same time play our role as normal human beings in day to day life avoiding
stress and strain to lead a healthy life enjoying it. I also wonder at Creator’s
ingenuity to design human span life almost matching to that of Lord Krishna and
not Rama or other avatars which are often made for the occasion. I have not
heard of any one lasting for more than 125 years. If there be one it could be
the way years are calculated. Vedas speak of four types of years (Samvatsara,
Parivatsara, Idivatsara and Idaavastara) as I mentioned some time back in my
discourses on MNU. It is our own fault we shorten our lives and die early by
leading a stressful life and without practicing regularly meditation and call
it a Karmaphala. May be Karmaphala is the force behind such right and wrong
motivations influenced by desire and greed.
Meditation is not just a religious practice. It is for sure a
necessity of life. It helps individual
to live in perfect harmony with self and with others. In the description of
Dhyaanayoga in Geetaa Bhagawan explains step by step the procedure for going
into the state of deep meditation. Krishna suggests that the first and foremost
duty of every individual is to learn to meditate and to become re-established
with the indwelling divinity. The Supreme Self is not just a fantasy or a vague
aspiration. God is indeed a reality that
can be experienced from within and enjoyed.
PHILOSOPHY OF MEDITATION
Meditation and Upanishads:
The Upanishads treat the theme of meditation
on two levels. To contemplate on symbols or mantras supplied by the scriptures
with concentration is meditation on one level. Chāndogya Upanishad 7.6.1
praises dhyāna in this sense. The second, higher level is when
we have done right ‘listening (shravana)’ and ‘reflection (manana)’;
we then go for staying firm in the liberating insight (nididhyāsana).
Brihadāranyaka Upanishad 2.4.5 advises this. Kaivalya Upanishad 1.2 says we can
know the supreme truth through faith (Shraddhā), devotion (bhakti)
and meditation (dhyāna).
Hindu meditation involves the stoppage of all mental
activities resulting from the activity of the senses in sensual objects and the
bringing forth of the true Self or Atman. Atman is deluded by thousands of thoughts and by meditation one
will gradually know the Self within. Jesus also said “the Kingdom is within you”
meaning Atman only. This is a gradual
process in which individual ego becomes Universal ego where we realize
universal oneness which Vivekananda preached. Instead of caring and loving our
own children we will start loving children all over the world. It makes you get
rid of possessiveness or Aham. Some Christian schools also preach their parishioners to
meditate on Jesus. When the mind picks anything with name and form, it becomes
restless instead of becoming calm. That is why Hindu worship on any deity is
directed towards formless Brahman. But unfortunately many think that worship
itself is enough without meditation. Unless one transcends name and form, meditation
is impossible. By controlling the motion
of the lungs and respiratory organs, one can indirectly control the Life’s
Vital Forces called Pancha Praanaas that is vibrating inside all of us. Hindus
use Sagarbha Praanaayaama which is the Praanaayaama done along with the Japa of
a mantra like AUM. There are several methods of Praanaayaama. Kriyaa Yoga is
the best method of Praanaayaama taught by Hindu Gurus.
Deep breathing exercises are not Praanaayaama. These need no
Guru to practice. But spiritual
Praanaayama
needs expert guidance of a Guru. The body has to be conditioned to accept the
power that is generated within it by the control of Praanas. This also calls for proper dietary control. Taoism
of Chinese religion uses breathing exercise called T-ai-si or embroyanic respiration
for long life with no spiritual value. Christianity in Genesis 2:7 (God breathed the breath of life into his mouth and the man
became a living being) and Sufis (Dhikr)
also talk about breathing for spiritual enlightenment.
REFERENCES
1) Ed Viswanathan, Am I a Hindu? Rupa & Co., New Delhi,
India
2) Prabha Duneja, Bhagavadgeetaa, Govindaram Harsdhanand,
Delhi, India
3) Prabhu Duneja, Hinduism, Geeta
Society, Pleasnton, CA, USA
4)
Jagadguru Chandrasekharanada Saraswati, Dharma, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan,
Mumbai, India
5) Alan Spence, Meaning of
Meditation and its Practice, BBC, July 2010 and other Internet Sources
6) Swami Vireswarananda, Srimad
Bhagavadgita, Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, India
7) Ramachandra Rao, S.K., Geetaa
Kosha, Kalpataru Research Academy, Shankarmutt, Bengaluru
APPENDIX
MINDFULNESS
FOR MEN: Yoga has some new fans—and science says that’s a very good thing
(By
Mandy Oaklander reproduced from TIME,
November 24, 2014)
If the sound of OM meditating in your
Yoga class seems to have dropped an octave, it’s not your imagination. From
Hollywood brass and NFL linebackers to regular Joes looking to get fit, men are
returning to the ancient practice to build muscle, improve balance and
flexibility and get the benefit; yoga is probably best known for stress relief.
“We have definitely seen an increase in men in our class over the past year”
says, Jen Zweibel, a manager at the Equinox-owned chain Pure Yoga, where a
third of the students in some classes are male. A 2012 poll estimates that men
make up 18% of the 20 million Americans who practice yoga, and a handful of
recent studies on male yogis suggest that all those downward dogs are worth it.
REDUCED
STRESS: Yoga’s
reputation for being relaxing is well established, and a host of recent
research on active-duty soldiers backs it up. Researchers found that regular
yoga reduced stress, anxiety and depression while improving memory.
LESS
ANXIETY: When
Vietnam vets practiced yoga, their symptom of PTSD lessened, according to a
study in the Journal of Traumatic Stress Disorders and Treatment. A paper on
police cadets found that just six yoga classes reduced tension and anger.
IMPROVED
BALANCE: Preventing
falls and injury requires good balance. And five months of regular yoga gave
men substantially better posture and balance, a 2014 study in the International
Journal of Yoga found.
A
HEALTHIER HEART: Daily yoga was linked to lower blood pressure and
cholesterol in older men, according to a study in the journal Age. Hypertension
and high cholesterol are both major risk factors for heart disease, the U.S.’s
No. 1 killer.
INSOMNIA
RELIEF: A
study in the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research found that after eight
weeks of yoga, 40 males with insomnia, which can increase stress, were
significantly less stressed and more self-control. Other Research suggests that
regular yoga might improve sleep quality and duration.
MORE
SATISFACTION:
Men who practiced yoga had a better body image than those who worked out in a
gym, a recent study found. Yoga also improved their sex lives, with men
reporting more desire, control and stamina in a Journal of Sexual Medicine
study.
APPENDIX II
E-Mail sent by N.R.Srinivasan to HRA participants on November 27, 2015
What made our sages sharp and great thinkers to the day they gave up their ghost? Probably the secret behind is Meditation. Of course meditation on the Supreme Being calls for self purification by strict discipline and control of habits which help the process. Let us hear what modern scientists have to say in this regard:
Scientists Say
Long-term Meditation May Slow Brain Aging
Posted by Author
| Nov 26, 2015 | IndiaDiovine.Org
Meditation
may slow age-related brain atrophy, new research suggests. An imaging
study conducted by investigators at the University of California, Los Angeles,
showed that long-term meditators experienced less gray matter loss compared
with matched control persons who did not meditate.
Particularly
surprising was the magnitude of this effect in nine clusters throughout the
brains of meditators, suggesting that the practice affects more areas of the
brain than previously thought.
“We
expected that there would be small regions in the brain where we would see an
effect ― mostly in regions where there was a difference reported before,” lead
investigator Florian Kurth, MD, PhD, postdoctoral fellow at the University of
California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Brain Mapping Center, told Medscape Medical
News. “What we found, however, were effects throughout the whole brain, which
is something really different; it’s really huge.”
The
researchers report that this is the largest related study of the effects of
meditation on the brain, and it is also unique because it looked at long-term meditators.
The
article was published online January 21 in Frontiers in Psychology.
Widespread Effect
The
study included 50 meditators (28 men and 22 women) ranging in age from 24 to 77
years (mean age, early 50s) who had practiced meditation for from 4 to 46 years
(mean, almost 20 years). It also included 50 matched control participants (28
men and 22 women) who did not meditate.
All
participants underwent MRI of the brain at the same site using the same scanner
and following the same scanning protocol.
The
investigators examined the association between age and whole-brain gray matter
and between age and local gray matter.
For
whole-brain gray matter, they found a significant negative correlation in both
control persons and meditators (for both, P < .001), suggesting age-related
gray matter decline in both groups.
However,
on slopes depicting global gray matter volume and age in years, the regression
lines were considerably steeper in control persons than in meditators. The
group-specific correlation coefficients were higher in control persons, and the
group-by-age interaction was highly significant (P = .003).
This
suggests less age-related gray matter decline in meditators than in control
persons.
When
looking at localized sections of the brain, researchers found significant
negative correlations in control persons and in meditators, again suggesting
age-related gray matter decline in both groups. However, once more, the
analysis showed that age-affected brain regions were much more extended in control
persons than in meditators.
“In
other words, echoing the global gray matter effect, the age-related decline of
local gray matter was less prominent in meditators,” the authors note.
The
study also revealed nine clusters spread throughout the entire brain where the
difference in meditators was particularly significant.
“We
were surprised at how widespread the effects were,” said Dr. Kurth.
Potential Mechanisms
There
are several mechanisms by which meditation may protect the brain. It may
relieve stress, which is “almost toxic” to neurons in some brain areas, said Dr.
Kurth. The effects of stress reduction might be particularly strong in regions
that are particularly vulnerable to stress ― for example, the hippocampus.
The
investigators plan to zero in, using different analytic methods, on these brain
regions “to see if we can replicate this effect.”
Another
way that meditation may protect the brain is that intense mental activity may
stimulate dendritic branching and/or synaptogenesis, which might manifest as
increased gray matter.
Over
time, such gray matter gain may “mask” the gray matter loss that is normally
observed in aging, sort of counteracting the normal age-related decrease. Dr.
Kurth likens this to “body building” of the brain similar to physical workouts
that increase muscle mass.
It
might just be that meditators start off with a healthier lifestyle ― eating
healthy foods, avoiding smoking and exercising regularly ― and have the type of
personality that helps protect the brain.
“In
order to keep meditating for close to twenty years, individuals need to possess
a minimum level of discipline and commitment, a well-organized life that allows
them the spare time, an awareness of the possibility to control their own life,
perhaps even a calm nature to begin with,” the authors note.
Although
the current study cannot rule out the possibility that other factors contribute
to brain protection in meditators, the new research should prompt more
follow-up studies, said Dr. Kurth. Ideally, this would involve two groups ―
identical except that one meditates and the other does not ― who are followed
during a long period.
It
is not clear from this study whether the type of meditation or the frequency of
meditation sessions played a role in protecting the brain, said Dr. Kurth.
Note of Caution
Commenting
on the findings for Medscape Medical News, David Vago, PhD, associate
psychologist, Functional Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham
and Women’s Hospital, and instructor, Harvard Medical School, in Boston,
Massachusetts, said that because the study was not reviewed by major neuro-imagers,
he cannot say at first glance that the methods used were perfect.
“But
in general, I think it’s safe to say that this study has merit indeed.”
Although
the results support previous research, Dr. Vago cautioned against “hyping” the
findings. “They are remarkable in that they help move the science forward, but
interpreting them incorrectly can lead to broad generalizations that are really
not true.”
He
stressed that there are always issues in interpreting such data. “Anyone who is
a non-imager ― and definitely any non-scientist ― should realize that we don’t
have a firm understanding of what such gray matter changes really mean. It
implies that gray matter loss is correlated with cognitive decline in aging,
but this is not certain.”
He
added that because the data are cross-sectional in nature and because the meditators
in the study varied so widely in terms of type of practice, frequency of
practice, and years of experience, “it’s hard to make a definitive statement of
anything related to this group or to generalize it to anyone outside this group
or any particular style of meditation.”
Dr.
Vago agreed that the effects may be due to the meditators’ lifestyle or
personality type. “There very well could be differences in gray-matter volume
that have nothing to do with the fact that they sit on a cushion.”
Future
studies will have to follow novice practitioners of specific forms of
meditation longitudinally to get a more accurate picture how practice time may
map onto changes in the brain, he said.
Harvard
neuroscientist: Meditation not only reduces stress, here’s how it changes your
brain
Sara
Lazar was one of the first scientists to take the anecdotal claims about the
benefits of meditation and mindfulness and test them in brain scans. What she
found surprised her — that meditating can literally change your brain.
She
explains:
Q:
Why did you start looking at meditation and mindfulness and the brain?
Lazar:
A friend and I were training for the Boston marathon. I had some running
injuries, so I saw a physical therapist who told me to stop running and just
stretch. So I started practicing yoga as a form of physical therapy. I started
realizing that it was very powerful, that it had some real benefits, so I just
got interested in how it worked.
The
yoga teacher made all sorts of claims, that yoga would increase your compassion
and open your heart. And I’d think, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah, I’m here to stretch.’
But I started noticing that I was calmer. I was better able to handle more
difficult situations. I was more compassionate and open hearted, and able to
see things from others’ points of view.
I
thought, maybe it was just the placebo response. But then I did a literature
search of the science, and saw evidence that meditation had been associated
with decreased stress, decreased depression, anxiety, pain and insomnia, and an
increased quality of life.
At
that point, I was doing my PhD in molecular biology. So I just switched and
started doing this research as a post-doc.
Q:
How did you do the research?
Lazar: The
first study looked at long term meditators vs a control group. We found
long-term meditators have an increased amount of gray matter in the insula and
sensory regions, the auditory and sensory cortex. Which makes sense. When
you’re mindful, you’re paying attention to your breathing, to sounds, to the
present moment experience, and shutting cognition down. It stands to reason
your senses would be enhanced.
We
also found they had more gray matter in the frontal cortex, which is
associated with working memory and executive decision making.
It’s
well-documented that our cortex shrinks as we get older – it’s harder to figure
things out and remember things. But in this one region of the prefrontal
cortex, 50-year-old meditators had the same amount of gray matter as
25-year-olds.
So
the first question was, well, maybe the people with more gray matter in the
study had more gray matter before they started meditating. So we did asecond
study.
We
took people who’d never meditated before, and put one group through an
eight-week mindfulness- based stress reduction program.
Q:
What did you find?
Lazar:
We found differences in brain volume after eight weeks in five different
regions in the brains of the two groups. In the group that learned meditation,
we found thickening in four regions:
1.
The primary difference, we found in the posterior cingulate, which is involved
in mind wandering, and self-relevance.
2.
The left hippocampus, which assists in learning, cognition, memory and
emotional regulation.
3. The
temporo parietal junction, or TPJ, which is associated with perspective taking,
empathy and compassion.
4. An
area of the brain stem called the Pons, where a lot of regulatory
neurotransmitters are produced.
The
amygdala, the fight or flight part of the brain which is important for anxiety,
fear and stress in general. That area got smaller in the group that went
through the mindfulness-based stress reduction program.
The
change in the amygdala was also correlated to a reduction in stress levels.
Q:
So how long does someone have to meditate before they begin to see changes in
their brain?
Lazar:
Our data shows changes in the brain after just eight weeks.
In
a mindfulness-based stress reduction program, our subjects took a weekly class.
They were given a recording and told to practice 40 minutes a day at home. And
that’s it.
Q:
So, 40 minutes a day?
Lazar:
Well, it was highly variable in the study. Some people practiced 40 minutes
pretty much every day. Some people practiced less. Some only a couple times a
week.
In
my study, the average was 27 minutes a day. Or about a half hour a day.
There
isn’t good data yet about how much someone needs to practice in order to
benefit.
Meditation
teachers will tell you, though there’s absolutely no scientific basis to this,
but anecdotal comments from students suggest that 10 minutes a day could have
some subjective benefit. We need to test it out.
We’re
just starting a study that will hopefully allow us to assess what the
functional significance of these changes are. Studies by other scientists have
shown that meditation can help enhance attention and emotion regulation skills.
But most were not neuroimaging studies. So now we’re hoping to bring that
behavioral and neuroimaging science together.
Q:
Given what we know from the science, what would you encourage readers to do?
Lazar:
Mindfulness is just like exercise. It’s a form of mental exercise, really. And
just as exercise increases health, helps us handle stress better and promotes
longevity, meditation purports to confer some of those same benefits.
But,
just like exercise, it can’t cure everything. So the idea is, it’s useful as an
adjunct therapy. It’s not a standalone. It’s been tried with many, many other
disorders, and the results vary tremendously – it impacts some symptoms, but
not all. The results are sometimes modest. And it doesn’t work for everybody.
It’s
still early days for trying to figure out what it can or can’t do.
Q:
So, knowing the limitations, what would you suggest?
Lazar:
It does seem to be beneficial for most people. The most important thing, if
you’re going to try it, is to find a good teacher. Because it’s simple, but
it’s also complex. You have to understand what’s going on in your mind. A good
teacher is priceless
Q:
Do you meditate? And do you have a teacher?
Lazar:
Yes and yes.
Q:
What difference has it made in your life?
Lazar:
I’ve been doing this for 20 years now, so it’s had a very profound influence on
my life. It’s very grounding. It’s reduced stress. It helps me think more
clearly. It’s great for interpersonal interactions. I have more empathy and
compassion for people.
Q:
What’s your own practice?
Lazar:
Highly variable. Some days 40 minutes. Some days five minutes. Some days, not at all.
It’s a lot like exercise. Exercising three times a week is great. But if all
you can do is just a little bit every day, that’s a good thing, too. I’m sure
if I practiced more, I’d benefit more. I have no idea if I’m getting brain
changes or not. It’s just that this is what works for me right now.
Comments on "Harvard neuroscientist: Meditation not
only reduces stress, here’s how it changes your brain"
A
greater version of meditation is chanting, which can also bring change in brain
and mind. AUM chanting or any syllabic chanting, which create vibration and
bring therapitical change in neuron
position of brain. So meditation combined with chanting is a very good brain
exercise.
You
can find extensive literature on Vipassana Meditation which is the Buddhist
origin of mindfulness meditation. There are many great teachers, but a good
place to start would be with the work and foundation of S.N. Goenka. His
foundation has centers all over the world. Note that his approach can be
difficult and is certainly not for everyone, but it produced great results in
my life and the lives of many others I know.
Such
scientific works strengthen the ancient, traditional and much professed sacred
science of our country. Our saints and Rishis practiced and preached Yoga and
meditation and attained high levels of spirituality, control over mind and
body. Yoga and meditation helps the students to concentrate on studies and
curricular activities. But, the sorry state of affairs is that the politicians
paint a communal colour and prevent from introducing this in educational
institutions as a curriculum. Irony is, many western and oriental countries
(China) have understood the importance of this ancient science and propagating.
A time will come when westerners will start teaching this science to Indians.C
Correlating
meditation by neuro imaging with behavioral aspects is a great idea….the impact
of yogic practices ..then will have a well -tested scientific bearing..calming
all these religious fanatics .in fact such studies should have been carried out
by India by now..I am happy some part of globe is coming up with this stdudy..n
..I am sure ..the results will be astounding n beneficial to all the humanity
in the long run n definitely drive away all ill-conceived notions on yoga till date
Meditation Better Pain Reliever than Morphine: Journal
of Neuroscience
Posted by Zee News | Dec 07, 2015
| IndiaDivine.Org
You
may want to get on the “Breathe in, breathe out” bandwagon as a team of boffins
has suggested that meditation, a science-backed, no-prescription-needed way to
reduce pain, is way better than taking morphine.
The
study conducted at the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Centre in North Carolina
suggests that just a few minutes of meditation each day could prove better pain
relief than powerful drug medication.
The
study showed that those individuals who had been taught to use relaxation and
breathing techniques to cope with the pain had calmer brain scans. These people
reported a 27 per cent reduction in pain intensity and 44 per cent less
emotional pain.
Lead
researcher Fadel Zeidan believes these findings prove that mindfulness
meditation can produce different patterns of brain activity.
He
said that based on the findings, they believe that as little as four 20-minute
daily sessions of mindfulness meditation could enhance pain treatment in a
clinical setting, adding “However, given that the present study examined healthy,
pain-free volunteers, we cannot generalise our findings to chronic pain
patients at this time.”
The
study is reported in the Journal of Neuroscience.
Vipassana: The Golden Silence
Posted by Hitenvyas
| Jan 20, 2016
Vipassana
meditation is an ancient technique, which the Buddha practiced on his journey
to enlightenment. The objects of Vipassana meditation are thoughts,
emotions and sensations throughout the body. When practiced with persistence,
it can impact your life in a number of positive ways.
The
key benefits of Vipassana meditation are as follows:
Development of Wisdom
A
unique effect of Vipassana is it enables you to understand and experience the
Law of Impermanence in action. This law states that everything is changing.
Nothing lasts. This is true in our outer world. For instance, you buy a piece
of clothing. Your wear it and wash it over again. All the time it is
disintegrating.
The
Law of Impermanence also applies to our inner world and our thoughts, feelings
and sensations, which emerge, stay for a while and then pass away. By
meditating on the arising and passing away of mind-body phenomena, one develops
true wisdom of what is going on inside them.
Witness How Suffering is Caused
Related
to the point above developing wisdom, by practicing Vipassana meditation, you
also experience how you are responsible for your own suffering. When you become
attached to your thoughts, emotions and feelings, you suffer. For instance if
you have an unpleasant thought, you will resist it and become uncomfortable.
On
the other hand, if you have a pleasant thought, you will enjoy it. However, it
won’t last for long. As soon as it passes, there is potential for you to suffer
again as you may become frustrated.
Non-Attachment
Through
practice of Vipassana, you learnt to develop non-attachment to your thoughts,
emotions and sensations. You know that whatever arises in you will pass away,
anyway. By understand and experiencing this, you will become less and less
attached to your mind-body phenomena.
You
will learn how to stop creating a false Self, which happens through attachment.
By meditating on non-attachment, over time you will experience reduced stress
and become less agitated.
More Present Moment Living
By
observing your thoughts, emotions and sensations objectively, you are living in
the present moment, as you are not getting caught up in the contents of your
mind-body phenomena. You’re just a detached observer. This is true living in
the moment.
How to do Vipassana Meditation
When
first starting out with Vipassana, aim to meditate for 20-30 minutes a day in
one sitting. A basic outline for
Vipassana meditation in the S.N. Goenka style is as follows.
1.
Sit in a quiet place, cross-legged on a meditation cushion or a pillow. If it’s
too uncomfortable to sit like this, you can also sit upright on a chair. Close
your eyes.
2.
Starting at the top of your head in the center of it, observe sensations
arising and passing away, objectively, without getting attached to them. These
sensations could be prickling, tickling, heat or cold spots. If it’s a pleasant
sensation, just observe it without labelling it as being pleasant. If it’s an
unpleasant one, do the same.
Don’t
react to it. Just observe it. Continue observing such sensations working your
way down all over your body, your arms, chest, abdomen and your legs, until you
reach the tips of your toes. Once you reach your toes, go back the other way
from your toes to your head, observing sensations, arising and passing away.
3.
As you’re observing sensations, if a thought or emotion arises in you, just
observe it objectively, without becoming attached to it. For instance, if a
pleasant emotion arises, don’t become attached it. On the other hand, if it is
an unpleasant emotion arises, just observe it objectively. Maintain complete
balance of your mind.
Training
of Body, mind and Spirit through Yoga, Meditation and Bhakti
(N. R. Srinivasan, Hindu Reflections,
E-Mail to SDI Participants, February 15,
2016)
I
had an opportunity to attend a seminar on Meditation and Bhakti on Sunday 14,
2016 at Sri Ganesha Temple, Nashville, TN, USA. The topics on which lectures
were given by specialists in the field were: Scriptural basis for meditation
practices in Hinduism:
Practice of yoga in
preparation for meditation; Yoga as a Healing Art; Art of happy living through
meditation practice: Bhakti and Surrender in Meditation Practice;
Inner Engineering: Technologies for Wellbeing . I was quite
educated by these lectures and I left the hall gaining wisdom
though I have spoken on these subjects in detail in the past
and as posted on the Blog Hindu Reflections.
Swami
Chinmayanada once said when we pray we speak and He (Atman) listens and when we
meditate He (Brahman) speaks and we listen. What he conveys by this is Yoga,
meditation and contemplation prepares us for Bhakti Vedanta which in turn takes
us to direct dialogue with Him and leads us to Liberation. One learned speaker
talked about Dhyana. As you all know every deity we worship has a Dhyana sloka
and Gayatri Mantra specific to the deity. Dhyana Sloka is meant for Bhajans and
Prayers while Mantra are for Meditation (mananaat traayate iti
mantrah), meditating on which one who comes into direct communion
with the Atman contained within. Every Gayatri Mantra has a Rishi and
meter. Yoga helps in progressive building of Body, Mind and Spirit
to elevate one self. A healthy body and mind is part of the game and a
pre-requisite on which the expert spoke. As we are born we pass through a short period
of care-free life, happiness and no worries and then when we pass on to
bachelorhood we go after desires, ambitions, ego,
anxiety etc. This stage needs yoga and meditation says the speaker from ISHA
Foundation. This is the age of eight at which Hinduism
prescribes Upanayana or Vedic studies. Here don’t go by what our
religious Pundits say that this should be restricted to Brahmin boys only
though in the past it was also applicable to Kshatriyas, Vaisyas and girls too.
Vedas have no reservation on this except to say seek a good and knowledgeable
Guru.
If
you seriously go through my discourses on Prologue to Sandhyavandana and the
three times Sandhyavandana discourses, they only prescribe guidelines and
mantras for Yoga, Meditation and contemplation by turning inwards. These are
the simplest rituals and easier to follow by all which the authors above have
explained in a complicated way. This also keeps your body, mind and spirit
properly directed to the Supreme. We often think we are doing Pranayaama but
what we are doing is only Nasikayama (breathe control) without
spiritual thought in modern Yoga Schools. Another speaker quoted 10 slokas from
chapter 6 of Bhagavd Gita, Dhyana Yoga--the Way of Contemplation. In fact
Lord Krishna, to whom Vedavyasa has shifted his authorship out of his modesty,
used to spend his early hours in meditation on Brahman as mentioned in Gita
Kosha of Sankar Math. Gita was initially called Yogopanishad
and in fact is a compendium of all Upanishads. One of the speakers mentioned
of 20 Upanishads which can be called Yogopanisahads. Of these five are called
Bindu Upanishads—Tejo, Naada, Dhyaana, Brahma and Amrita. Of the twenty such
Upanishads I have talked about Kaivalya Upanishad in the past and will be
talking about Amrita Bindu Upanishad next week. Those of you who have missed
these lectures will not be lost if you go through my various discourses given
at different times. As far as the healing powers are concerned I
have collected lot of information which is contained in my Yoga Digest sent to
you.
ISHA Member also talked about the merits of meditation on the
river banks in cool and calm atmosphere. Here again please go through my
discourse "Why am I called Hindu and my Religion Hinduism". My conclusion
was the word Hindu comes from sindhu in Sanskrit which means river and
not modern Indus which is mistakenly ascribed to us while describing us
as Hindus. Our origin goes back to Sarasvati Valley as evinced by Harappa and
Mohenjadoro and hence our philosophy is Riverine Philosophy. or Saras
which again means flow. Our sages were known for flow of thoughts and therefore
children of Sarasvati. My name nadipuram also refers to Kaveri
River (river-town) near Mysore. It is no surprise Sadguru who is also from
Karnataka suggests river banks for meditation. He should have known about
Vedic Scholars Settlement (Agrahara) near Mysore on the river bank
as patronized by the then rulers to which heritage I belong to be called
Nadipuram Srinivasan.
I
was looking forward to a moderation summary of all the speeches for our
education but that did not come due to lack of time. This was an unique
event and first of its kind probably inspired by the Seminar on
Jagannatha of Puri by Jagannatha Society of USA in the same temple and the
importance given to Yoga Practice and Research by United Nations last year
declaring Dakhinayana Punyakala Day as The International Day of
Yoga(IDY). I am confident wisdom will prevail on Ganesha temple to celebrate
IDY as a Special Religious Events Day and Meditation Day every year since this
is the day on which all spiritually inclined people begin their study of Vedas
One
of the misconceptions one needs to try to prevent from happening when modern
meditation movements (Such as Art of Living or ISHA foundation) teach quick fix
breathing techniques to an effective meditation. It is a misconception that
meditation is easy and results are quick. Practice of Yoga is a lifelong
discipline and as one of the speakers spoke the practice of
Yama and Niyama are the prerequisites and so meditation calls for sustained
practice. Lifelong humility and surrender are critical
(Saatveeka Bhaava and Saranaagati) - so that your self-improvement efforts
don't become an end in itself but a means to and end of
self-purification."
Dazzling
Mystical Lights and the Astral Plane
Sometimes, during meditation, you will get
very powerful and dazzling lights, bigger than the sun. They are white in
color. In the beginning, they come and disappear quickly. Later on, they are
steady and they become fixed for ten to fifteen minutes according to the
strength and degree of concentration. For those who concentrate at the Trikuti,
the light appears in the forehead; while for others who concentrate at the
Sahasra Chakra, the light manifests itself at the top of the head. The light is
so powerful and dazzling sometimes that you have to withdraw yourself from
looking at it and break the meditation.
Some people are afraid and do not know what to
do and how to proceed further. They come to me for instructions. I tell them
that this is a new sensation, which they have not hitherto experienced. By
constant practice, the mind engaged in concentration will be used to it and the
fear will vanish. I ask them to go on with the practice. Some people
concentrate at the heart, some at Trikuti, and some at Sahasra Chakra. It is a
question of personal taste. It is easy to control the mind by concentrating at
the Trikuti. If you are used to fix at the Trikuti, stick to it always. Do not
make frequent changes. Steadiness is very necessary.
The beings and objects with whom you are in
touch with during the early period of meditation belong to the astral world.
They are similar to human beings minus a physical overcoat. They have desires,
cravings, love, hatred, etc., just as human beings have. They have a fine body.
They can move about freely. They have powers of materialization,
dematerialization, multiplying and clairvoyant vision of an inferior order. The
lustrous forms are higher Devatas and encourage you. Various Shaktis manifest
themselves in lustrous forms. Do mental puja as soon as they give you darshana.
Angels are beings of mental or higher planes. They also appear before your
mind’s eye. Sometimes, you will feel an invisible help, possibly from your
Ishta Devata when you are actually pushed from the physical body into the new
plane. That invisible power assists in your separating from the body and going
above body consciousness. You will have to mark carefully all these operations.
Do not waste your time in looking at these
visions. This is only a curiosity. These are all encouragements to convince you
of the existence of super-physical, metaphysical realities and the solid
existence of Brahman. Drive away these pictures. Fix your mind on the Lakshya,
the goal. Advance. Proceed seriously and energetically with your meditation.
As soon as you retire for sleep, these lights
manifest themselves without any exertion on your part. Just when you are going
to transcend the physical consciousness, just when you are getting drowsy,
these lights appear without your effort. In the morning, before you get up, in
the transitional stage of half sleep, half waking, you will get again these
lights by themselves without any attempt.
Sometimes during meditation, you will see an
infinite, blue sky, ethereal space. You will see yourself in the blue space as
a black dot. Sometimes your form will appear in the center of the light.
Sometimes you will notice highly vibratory, rotating particles in the light.
You will see physical forms, human beings--children, male and female, Rishis
with beards, Siddhas and lustrous Tejomaya forms also. Visions are either
subjective or objective, your own mental reactions or of realities on finer
planes of matter. Universe consists of planes of matter of various grades of
density. Rhythmical vibrations of Tanmatras in various degrees, give rise to
the formation of various planes. Each plane has its beings and things. The
visions may be of these things or beings, or they may be purely imaginary. They
may be crystallization of your own intense thinking. You must discriminate in
Yogic practice. Reason and common sense must be used all throughout.
Comments:
This article is really excellent and
guides in meditation activity. People get visions and they are not clear about
their further proceedings, this tells us how to move on further towards this
activity without wavering mind or fear.
Sri Satya Sai has advised meditation on a light. First get a
circular form of light in the center of the forehead. The light is inside you. Allow
this light to grow bigger to engulf your very person. In this state you are
inside the light. Practice to make your elf disappear. Now only the light
remains. The great thing about this meditation is that our thoughts do not
materialize. Given our concerns and fears, meditation can add energy to manifest
our thoughts. In this form astral agencies do not interfere. Baba has advised
against astral travel which faculty one gets on sustained meditation.
MEDITATION ON
A FLAME
Trataka is an external concentration practice
in which one gazes steadily at some small object without blinking, while the
eyelids are held slightly more open than usual. The practice is continued until
the eyes strain and water. They should then be closed and the eyes rolled
gently a few times, followed by rinsing them carefully and gently with cold
water. Another method of relaxation involves contracting the muscles around the
eyes and then relaxing them. The purpose of this practice is to coordinate the
impulses of the sensory and motor nerves, which assist in producing a state of
calmness and tranquility necessary for concentration. Trataka preserves and
maintains good eyesight, and provides immunity from diseases of the eyes.
During this exercise, one makes an effort to
consciously cut off each thought at the very moment of its appearance in the
mind. One should keep a steady watch for each new thought as it is forming and
stop it there. This will be quite difficult for the mind in the beginning. If
the mind cannot be controlled, it should be allowed to flow. Relax completely
and observe its fantasies, its digressions, and its roaming here and there. As
one’s practice improves, the stream of ideas, rather than being cut short, will
seem to arise even more rapidly.
This is an indication that the practitioner is
making significant progress and that his mind is becoming clearer, and his
observation sharper. This is the actual state of the mind’s normal operation,
but previously it had not been observed. A state of tranquility is reached when
the thoughts seem to arise so fast that they are without number. To attempt to
hinder thinking seems to have created more thoughts and thinking. From this
point on, one should only act as an observer, letting the mind follow its own
course! In this manner it will slow down on its own, and each mental process or
operation can be inspected carefully and minutely. The ultimate result will be
that the entire movement of the mind is brought under control.
Various sounds may be heard due to the motion
of prana in the nadis. One should not be anxious about these noises, and they
may be used for the fixation and concentration of the mind. As the mind becomes
absorbed in meditation, these sounds will pass away.
Meditation on a Flame
To perform this practice, assume any meditative
posture with the head, neck, and trunk comfortably erect. Allow the mind to
become calm and collected and let the breath become serene, even, and regular.
Gently open the eyes and gaze fixedly at the flame of an oil lamp (deepam) or
candle which is placed at a distance of two to three feet in front of the eyes.
Continue to focus on the candle until the eyes water. When this occurs, do not
rub the eyes, as this water is impure. Instead, close the eyes, make a cup-like
shape with the palms of your hands, and place them over the eyes. Then you will
see an afterimage of the candle flame. Retain this image, keeping it in your
mental vision as long as possible. If it moves up, down, or sideways, try to
hold it stationary. It is helpful to move it about willfully. As a result of
this practice, the eyes are strengthened, making them bright and attractive.
The exercise also acts upon the solar plexus and is said to add to one’s charm.
It is held in high regard as a practice in concentration.
As one continues this practice he will
eventually be able to establish this image of the candlelight in the mind’s eye
without the assistance of the candle. The aspirant will find that he becomes
delighted with this image and that he wants to follow after it when it begins to
diminish or disappear. When this visualization comes under one’s conscious
control, he may focus on the center of the light and anything he wants to know
will be revealed to him as long as his intentions are unselfish.
Various exercises of concentration on light
are suggested in the yoga sastras. Concentrating on light between the eyebrows
is called subtle concentration. One may also concentrate on an ocean of light
in his heart, or on the image of a flame in the region of the navel. Other
forms of light may appear from within as a result of the predominance of one
tattva or another. The lights of the tattvas are dull, while mental lights are
bright. The light of ojas is seen when there is no consciousness through the
senses. If concentration is done consistently on these lights whenever they
appear, one will develop a powerful intentional force or resolve, and a time
will come when one will be able to recall these lights at will.
MEDITATION GETS US BACK WITH OUR TRUE NATURE
People frequently confuse concentration with meditation. In
concentration, there is a subject and an object. You, the subject, are
concentrating on a candle, or an image of God, or the tip of your nose. These
are the objects of your concentration. In meditation, the object disappears.
The subject disappears. All becomes one. Rather than focusing on a mantra, you
and the mantra become one.
In meditation, all borders, boundaries, and separation between
ourselves and the universe begin to disappear. We begin to realize the inherent
oneness of all beings and all of creation. There is a famous mantra that says “So hum.” It means: “I am
that. I am one with the universal energy. I am part and parcel of all that
exists. I am one with God.” Through meditation, we catch a glimpse of that
realization.
Meditation gets us
back in touch with our true, divine nature and the deepest core of our being.
There is so much that has been written and taught on meditation and
different meditation techniques. But, the important thing is that it is not so
important which technique you use. Each of us is different. We all have
different temperaments, different sensibilities. Therefore, different
techniques will work for different people. There is no right or wrong way to
meditate. What is important is that you are becoming more and more One with the
Divine, that you are becoming more and more peaceful, more and more blissful,
less and less affected by the waves in the ocean of life.
One thing is important to remember about meditation techniques: they
are only techniques! A boat is very important to get you across the river to
the other bank. But once you reach the other bank, you don’t need the boat any
more. The technique is to get us to the state of meditation, but it is not the
meditation itself!
Meditation is very much like wiring a house. In the beginning, while
the house is being made you have to spend a lot of time and a lot of energy
putting down all the electrical wires. But, once it has been properly wired,
then if you want to turn on the light you only have to plug it in! You do not
have to re-wire the house! The same is true for meditation. Meditation is
learning to plug yourself into the Divine Powerhouse, The Divine Energy Source!
In the beginning, we need the technique; we are not connected. But once we are
connected to the Divine, then we just have to close our eyes and we are there. Or, even with
our eyes open, we are there.
--H.H. Swami Chidananda from Paramartha Niketan
·
[This discourse material is a compilation from the reference above as well as other sources for a prepared
lecture for delivering at Vedanta Class of Sri Ganesha Temple which is
gratefully acknowledged. I do not claim anything as original though I have
included my explanations and comments elaborately suitably editing. Anybody is
free to download partly or fully this discourse, modify and redistribute this
as well as other discourses from the
blog Hindu Reflections <nrsrini.blogspot.com> for spreading the wisdom of
Vedas and scriptures further. These lectures are
posted on the blog for the benefit of those who are not able to attend
my lectures personally due to personal reasons or due to not living in
Nashville or able to go through the various sources as I have done.]
In Yoga-Vedanta the ego or ahamkara,
our outer self-identity, is a product of ignorance and creates illusion and
sorrow. Certainly, we should all seek the highest Self-realization but that
requires the surrender of ego and mind, not their greater empowerment. Please
feel free to manifest the Atman within you but go to the core of the Atman, not
its mere reflections on mind and body.
Vedantic Meditation
[Vedantic meditation is the essence of Vedic knowledge
as a way of Self-realization. It is the oldest form of meditation in which the
term dhyana as meditation first occurs. It is usually taught and practiced at
an individual level. However, meditation sessions do occur as part of the
satsangs or gatherings that are common
From darkness lead us to light, from non-being lead
us to being, from death lead us to immortality. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad I.3.28
I laud the flame of awareness that is placed before
all things, the deity of the sacred ritual, who manifests by the seasons, the
invoker of the Gods, best to grant the treasure.
The flame is the invoker, the seer-will, the
manifold knowledge of truth, Divine may he come with all the Divine powers. Rig Veda I.1.1
Not what one knows with the mind, but that by which
the seers declare the mind is known. This is the reality that you should know,
not what people regard as an object in this world. Kena Upanishad I.5]
Introduction to Vedanta
The first teachers who brought Yoga to
the West came with the profound teachings of Vedanta as their greatest treasure
to share with the world. They presented Vedanta as the philosophy of
Self-realization and Yoga as the methodology by which to achieve it. Such great
masters began with Swami Vivekananda at the end of the nineteenth century and
continued with Swami Rama Tirtha, Paramahansa Yogananda, and the many disciples
of Swami Shivananda of Rishikesh. They called their teaching Yoga-Vedanta,
which they viewed as a complete science of spiritual growth.
However, in the course of time asana
or yoga postures gained more popularity in the physically-minded West,and the
Vedantic aspect of the teachings fell to the sidelines, particularly over the
last twenty years. The result is that today few American Yoga teachers know
what Vedanta is or can explain it to others. If they have an interest in
meditation they generally look to Zen or Vipassana, not knowing that meditation
is the very foundation of classical Yoga and its related traditions.
Even students of related disciplines like
Ayurveda or Vedic astrology may know little about Vedanta, the path of
self-knowledge that is the spiritual support and goal of these systems.
Meanwhile, those who study the great Vedantic gurus of modern India, like
Ramana Maharshi or Nisargadatta Maharaj, generally look at the particular
teacher as the source of the teachings, and they may fail to understand the
tradition that they are part of. In this way the heart teachings of India’s
great sages have become progressively lost even to those who claim to follow
their teachings in the West.
The great sages of modern India were
Vedantins. Most notable is Ramana Maharshi, who emphasized the non-dualistic
form of Vedanta and lived a life of direct Self-realization. Ramakrishna,
Aurobindo, Anandamayi Ma, Nityananda, and Neem Karoli Baba, to mention but a
few, were Vedantins, using the Vedantic terminology of Self-realization and
God-realization. Vedantic traditions remain strong throughout India today,
including many great teachers–for example, the different Shankaracharyas, who
have never come to the West and are almost unknown here.
Major teachers from India like Ma
Amritanandamayi (Ammachi) and Satya Sai Baba similarly use the language of
Vedanta and its emphasis on the Self. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s Transcendental
Meditation follows a Vedantic view of consciousness and cosmic evolution. Swami
Rama, the founder of the Himalayan Institute, was another important Vedantic
teacher in America. The main Hatha Yoga teachers in recent times, like
Krishnamacharya of Madras follow Vedantic teachings for the higher aspects of
Yoga. Devotional approaches like the Hari Krishna movement reflect Vedantic
devotional teachings.
The Philosophy of Vedanta
Vedanta is a simple philosophy. It says
that our true Self, what it calls the Atman, is God. “I am God” (aham
brahmasmi) is the supreme truth. The same consciousness that resides at the
core of our being pervades the entire universe. To know ourselves is to know
God and to become one with all. Vedanta is a philosophy of Self-realization,
and its practice is a way of Self-realization through yoga and meditation.
Vedanta has a theistic side,
recognizing a cosmic creator (Ishvara) who rules over the universe
through the law of karma. God is the supreme teacher, the highest guru from
whom all true teachings arise by the power of the divine word. Vedantic theism
takes many forms such as the worship of Shiva, Vishnu, and the Goddess. In
fact, it can accommodate almost any form of theism that accepts karma and
rebirth.
But in non-dualistic (Advaita) Vedanta,
the Creator is not the ultimate reality. The ultimate reality is the Absolute,
called Brahman, which transcends time, space and causation, standing
above any personal creator. Our individual Self or soul (Atman) is one
with the Absolute or Brahman, which is the supreme Self (Paramatman).
The soul is not merely a part of the Creator but is one with the ground of
Being-Consciousness-Bliss from which even the Creator arises.
Vedanta is the oldest and most enduring
spiritual teaching in India. It is fully emergent in the Upanishads and
synthesized in the Bhagavad Gita. But it has ancient antecedents
in Vedic literature, which recent archaeological finds now date to 3500 BCE,
when the ancient Indus-Sarasvati culture flourished throughout North India. The
main terms and practices of Vedanta exist already in the cryptic mantras
of the ancient Vedas that go back to the dawn of recorded history.
Reflecting the inner truth of the
ancient Vedas, Vedanta is perhaps the oldest and most enduring spiritual
teaching in the world. Spirituality, after all, is a pursuit of self-knowledge,
not merely religious ritual or philosophy. Vedanta is the most characteristic
philosophy of India and pervades most of the teachings of the land. Even modern
movements like Sikh Dharma reflect the Vedantic idea that the individual soul
is one with God.
Vedanta literally means “the end of the
Vedas” but more appropriately it refers to the essence of the Vedas.
From the standpoint of great yogis like Sri Aurobindo, the Vedas present
the truth of Vedanta in a poetic-mantric language, while Vedanta presents Vedic
mantric knowledge in the form of a rational philosophy. The wisdom hidden in
the mantras of the ancient Rishis shines forth in the clear insight approaches
of Vedanta.
Vedanta and Buddhism
Vedanta in the form of the early
Upanishads preceded Buddhism by some centuries in India, perhaps by over a
thousand years. Vedanta and Buddhism have much in common as ways of spiritual
knowledge born of the Indic tradition. Many scholars see Buddhism as a
modification of Vedanta, while others see it as a revolt against Vedanta.
Vedanta eventually absorbed Buddhism in India, which by the seventh century had
ceased to be a major religion in the country. Vedantic teachers accepted the
figure of the Buddha as an incarnation (avatara) of Lord Vishnu, like
Rama and Krishna, but rejected portions of Buddhist philosophy, particularly
its denial of the existence of a creator.
Vedanta and Buddhism share ideas of
karma, rebirth, and release from the cycle of rebirth (samsara). They
have similar practices of mantra and meditation. They follow the same ethical
disciplines of non-violence (ahimsa) and vegetarianism, and both
religious systems have well-developed monastic orders. Relative to their views
of truth, the Mahayana form of Buddhism and Advaita (non-dualistic) Vedanta
have a similar emphasis on the Absolute and regard the phenomenal world as maya
or illusion.
Like Zen Buddhism, non-dualistic
Vedanta emphasizes the Self or Self-nature as the supreme Reality. It honors
that Self in the world of nature; thus its great Swamis retire into the forests
for a life of meditation. Vedantic teachers laud the great beauty of nature,
revealed through mountains such as the Himalaya, as reflections of our true
being beyond the illusions of the world.
Buddhist meditation aims to return to
the natural state of the mind, which is regarded as the enlightened state. This
occurs through negating the self or ego and awakening the Buddha-mind (Bodhichitta).
Vedanta, on the other hand, is based on a clear distinction between the mind (manas),
which is regarded as a product of ignorance or maya, and the Self (Atman),
which transcends the mind. The Vedantic way is to dissolve the mind into the
Self which is our true nature beyond the mind and its conditioning.
This Vedantic emphasis on the Self is
perhaps its main characteristic, as well as its main difference from Buddhism. While
Vedanta approaches pure awareness as the Self or Atman, Buddhism prefers the
term anatman or non-self. This Vedantic emphasis on the Self finds an
echo in Western mystical traditions like Gnosticism, which influenced early
Christianity, and Islamic Sufism; all refer to God as the Self or the supreme
I-am. This Western tradition of the Self dates at least back to the Biblical
revelation of God as I-am-that-I-am to Moses, but it was generally obscured by
a greater emphasis on monotheism as the highest truth. We also find such
utterances of the Divine I am in pagan traditions, like those of the Celts,
Greeks and Egyptians, which have many factors in common with Hinduism.
Vedanta’s theism, honoring the Divine
Father and Mother, is another point of difference from Buddhism, which does not
recognize the existence of any Creator apart from karma. Vedantic theism has
some connections with the theistic traditions of the West, though it is more
diverse and gives a greater place to the Goddess.
Vedantic Meditation
Dhyana,
the Sanskrit term for meditation used by Hindus and Buddhists alike, first
arises in Vedic literature. The Upanishads say, “By the Yoga of
meditation (Dhyana Yoga) the sages saw the Divine Self-power, hidden in its own
qualities” (Shvetasvatara UpanishadI.2). Another Upanishad
states, “Meditate on Om as the Self” (Katha Upanishad II.5), showing the
technique of mantra meditation.
Perhaps the most eloquent explication
of meditation occurs in the Chandogya, one of the oldest Upanishads.
“Meditation (Dhyana) indeed is greater than the mind. The earth as it were
meditates. The atmosphere as it were meditates. Heaven as it were meditates.
The waters as it were meditate. The mountains as it were meditate. Both men and
gods as it were meditate. He who worships God (Brahman) as meditation, as far
as meditation extends, so far does he gain the power to act as he wills” (Chandogya
Upanishad VII.7).
According to Vedanta, liberation can be
achieved only through spiritual knowledge, which requires meditation. Other
factors, such as good works or rituals, are merely aids in the process. But
such liberating knowledge is not any ordinary or conceptual knowledge. It is
direct insight into one’s own nature of pure consciousness.
Vedanta’s main approach is threefold:
hearing the teaching with a receptive mind (shravana), deep thinking
about it (manana), and meditating on it consistently (nididhyasana)
until full realization dawns, which is a state of samadhi or
transcendent awareness. Such hearing is not simply noting the words of the
teachings; it involves a deep inner listening with an open mind and heart. Such
thinking requires full concentration and a firm intent to understand oneself.
Such meditation is a repeated practice of self-examination and self-remembrance
throughout the day as one’s primary mental state.
Vedanta is a yoga of knowledge or a
path of meditation. But it recognizes that other yogic paths are helpful, if
not indispensable adjuncts, particularly the path of devotion (Bhakti Yoga),
which takes us directly to the Divine presence in the heart. Vedanta employs
all the limbs of classical yoga from asana to samadhi, using all methods of the
yogas of knowledge, devotion, service and technique, depending upon the needs
of the student.
Generally Vedanta does not prescribe
any particular form of meditation en masse or give the same technique to
everyone. Emphasizing the Self, it recommends different methods relative to the
level and temperament of each person and according to his or her unique nature
and life circumstances. For this reason Vedantic meditation is hard to
characterize and defies any stereotype. There is no standard formula for it.
However, there are a number of common approaches, particularly the practice of
Self-inquiry that this book highlights. Yet Self-inquiry is also applied on an
individual basis, in which its methods can vary greatly from one person to
another.
Vedantic meditation is not only diverse
but generally private, emphasizing individual practice more than group
practice. Its model is the wandering sadhu in solitary retreat, rather
than the monk in a big monastery. However, meditation sessions do occur as part
of the satsangs or gatherings that are common in the tradition. These
may extend over a period of days or weeks. Yet those participating in such
sessions may practice different forms of meditation, based upon the specific
instructions of their teachers.
With its theistic side Vedanta
recognizes surrender to the Divine as a primary method of spiritual practice
along with Self-inquiry. By surrender to the Divine within our hearts we can go
beyond all our difficulties and limitations. Yet surrender, though easy to
conceive, is also a difficult process because it requires giving up the ego and
all of our fears and desires that go with it. To facilitate this way of
surrender is added chanting of Divine names and other devotional forms of
worship. These can also be practiced along with knowledge-oriented techniques
like Self-inquiry.
In the Vedanta we approach the Creator
as a means of discovering our true Self, in which both the soul and God are
one. Union with God is part of the process of Self-realization. The Deity
worshipped is ultimately the same as oneself and we must come to see it in all
beings. Until we see the Divine beloved within our own heart, our devotion has
not yet reached its highest goal.
Vedanta postulates certain ultimate
principles of the Absolute, God, the Soul, and Nature. It recognizes the
supreme reality as Being, Consciousness, and Bliss (called Satchidananda),
which is eternal and infinite. In this regard Vedanta follows an idealistic
philosophy much like the Greek philosophies of Plato, Plotinus or Parmenides.
Part of Vedantic meditation is contemplating these higher principles–for
example meditating, on the formless Absolute and its laws (dharmas) behind the
world of nature.
Meditation on the oneness of all is
another important Vedantic approach. Vedanta sees pure unity or oneness as the
supreme principle in existence. It recognizes a single law or dharma governing
the entire universe. Whatever we do to others we do to ourselves because there
is really only one Self in all. This is also the basis of Vedantic ethics that
emphasize non-violence and compassion, treating others not like our self but as
our Self.
Return to Oneness
Vedantic meditation aims at returning
us to this original state of unity, in which all beings abide in the Self
within the heart. While Vedanta like Buddhism does recognize the Void, stating
the Self is like space, it holds that the Self pervades even the Void and
witnesses it. For this reason Vedanta seldom regards the Void as the ultimate
principle and emphasizes the unity of Pure Being more than voidness.
Vedanta does not neglect the
psychological side, either. Like most Indian spiritual systems, its purpose is
to show us how to permanently overcome all suffering. Vedantic meditation
involves meditating upon suffering and removing its cause. Vedanta regards
ignorance of our true Self as the cause of all our life problems. Because we
don’t know our true Self, which is pure awareness beyond the body and mind, we
must suffer, seeking to find happiness in the shifting external world. By
returning to our true Self we can transcend psychological suffering and detach
ourselves from any possible physical suffering as well. The pain of body and
mind do not belong to the Self that is beyond time and space.
Vedanta has a profound understanding of
the different layers and functions of the mind, from what we call the
unconscious to the highest super-consciousness, for which it has a precise
terminology. It recognizes the role of samskaras, the tendencies created
in previous births, as causing our present condition and its difficulties as
well as rewards. Vedanta sees fear and desire as the main roots of the mind
that get us caught in the cycle of rebirth. It regards the ego or the false I,
the I,identified with the body, as the basis of these problems. Another part of
Vedantic meditation is clearing our minds of the afflictions and karmic
residues that block the practice of meditation. This involves affirming our
true Self, which is the master of the Universe beyond all fear and desire,
birth and death.
Vedanta recommends regular meditation
for everyone, particularly during the hour or two before dawn, which it calls Brahma
Muhurta or the hour of God. Sunrise and sunset are other important times
for meditation because at these transitional periods in nature, energy can be
more easily transformed. The times of the new, full and half-moons are also
excellent, as are the solstice and equinoctial points. Meditation is part of
the very rhythm of life and nature and its ongoing transformations.
Very important for meditation is the
period immediately before sleep in order to clear the day’s karma from the
mind. Vedanta regards the deep sleep state as the doorway to the Self, our
natural daily return to God. Its practices develop our awareness through waking
and dream to deep sleep and beyond. Deep sleep is the knot of ignorance; when
it is removed through meditation, we can discover our true nature and eternal
peace. Maintaining awareness through dream and deep sleep is an important and
ancient Vedantic approach.
Vedanta is perhaps the world’s oldest
continuous meditation tradition. Like our eternal soul, it witnesses all the
changes of time and history. It takes on new forms and inspires new teachers in
every generation. Such an ancient and diverse meditation tradition is of great
importance for all those who wish to understand what meditation really is and
how best to practice it.
Speech
and Mantra Can Physically and Mentally Change Our Lives
Speech and language consume
significant portions of our brain. It is reasonable to assume — and many
Neuroscientists make this point — that sound and language influence the
majority of aspects of our lives. In fact, Neuroscientist Mark Changizi, in his
intriguing book How Language and Music Mimicked Nature and Transformed
Ape into Man, hypothesizes that when we hear certain sounds we tangibly
experience those events — for example, a scream brings instant feelings of
tension and fear. [5] Critiquing the book, The Scientist magazine
wrote that Changizi demonstrates a “…simple but striking premise to show how
language and music…harness our brains.”
When we read a novel, we ourselves become a
part of that story. Language and speech has that kind of power. Hearing the
sound of a coyote on a lonely, dark night can make us feel irrational fear. The
sound of a car crash triggers adrenalin in our bodies. The purr of a cat
soothes and relaxes us. The laugh of a baby makes us smile. Hate speech
inspires hate. Kind words generate compassion. It is reasonable to propose —
and some cognitive scientists have — that mantra also has physical and
emotional effects on our body that can even influence our health.
“Mantra meditation is not only
something one practices, but a radical re-envisioning of ourselves, our lives
and our ability to create the future we desire,” writes Thomas Ashley-Farrand
in his book Mantra Meditation.
He adds, provocatively, “Mantra meditation is not magic, but the results
can be magical.”
For example, the effect of mantra on
growth of crops, for example, is widely reported and backed by research
from the China Agricultural University.
Farmers in Fujian province increased crop yield and grain size by
placing loud speakers in the fields playing repetitive Buddhist mantras. Nearby
crops, out of reach of the sound mantras, “struggled with pests and suffered
much reduced yield.” The researchers concluded, ” Although it’s
well-established that some types of music do improve plant growth, normally
assumed to be a sound-wave stimulation, mantras are particularly
efficacious.”
Stress reduction and healing
benefits of meditation are well accepted benefits of mantra. Putting aside
faith and spiritual reasons, how is it possible, that a mantra can transform
energy? Ashley Farrand proposes: “Repeating any sound produces an actual
physical vibration. Nowhere is this idea truer than in Sanskrit mantra. When
chanted out loud or silently, mantras create a single, powerful vibration… Over
time, the mantra process begins to override and absorb all the smaller
vibrations, which eventually become subsumed within the mantra.
Effect of
Mantras on Human Beings — US National Library of Medicine
The effect of mantra on plants,
living beings and humans is well documented and supported by research. The US
National Library of Medicine has a notable abstract titled, “Effect of Mantras
on Human Beings and Plants” in which: “The author during his various
experiments on plants found that these from the stage of seedling to the
maturity are effected by certain types of sound waves, especially the Mantras.
This study reveals that the plants have shown a positive response to this type
of particular sound waves regarding the growth and their efficacy in curing the
diseases etc.”
In part, some researchers assume
this benefit to be sound frequency’s effect on water. The human body, plants,
and animals are mostly water. Researcher Maseru Emoto published findings in a
peer reviewed journal (Journal of Scientific Exploration) containing
results of experiments on water. He photographically demonstrated the effect of
mantras and sound on water with striking results. Ice crystals in water exposed
to negative sounds or thoughts created predictable and negative formations,
while water exposed to mantra, prayer or positive thoughts rendered beautiful
and striking images. While scientists are divided on support for hs work, in
part due to insufficient controls, no one disputed the general conclusion that
sound can negatively or positively impact humans and plants — beings made up
mostly of water.
Sanskrit’s
Unique Sound Vibration
Sanskrit language in particular has
been demonstrated to be more predictably impactful on body and mind. Most
mantras are Sanskrit. This may be due to the ancient roots of Sanskrit, the
mother of all languages (most modern languages evolved from Sanskrit (with the
exception of indigenous languages of America, Africa and Australia). In part the impact of ancient Sanskrit
mantras on our unconscious minds, as suggested by Carl Gustav Jung. Sanskrit is
also very rhythmic and, to some extent, mimics nature’s sounds — which have
been proven in numerous studies to have a profound impact on our minds. (For
example, the call of a loon, or the howl of a wolf evoke specific emotions
in humans — primitive memories stored in our subconscious mind.) What
is more powerful, the printed word or the spoken word? To be able to speak
creatively and spontaneously or to repeat what someone else has said? Remember
your inmost voice that arises from the core of your own Being. That is your
Mantra which is ever resounding.
The highest Mantra arises spontaneously
beyond individual speech or mind as a self-effulgent light. The power of mantra
pervades all space, shapes all cosmic forces, and draws us to the highest
awareness in which we forget ourselves altogether and become one with all.
Note
the Paramjyoti Mantra to the Supreme Light: OṀ
Hrīṁ
(Hreem) Hamsa Soham Svāhā!
“Mantra beyond Speech and Mind
What is more powerful, the printed word
or the spoken word? To be able to speak creatively and spontaneously or to
repeat what someone else has said? Remember your inmost voice that arises from
the core of your own Being. That is your Mantra which is ever resounding.
The highest Mantra arises spontaneously
beyond individual speech or mind as a self-effulgent light. The power of mantra
pervades all space, shapes all cosmic forces, and draws us to the highest
awareness in which we forget ourselves altogether and become one with all.
Note the Paramjyoti Mantra to the
Supreme Light:
OṀ
Hrīṁ
(Hreem) Hamsa Soham Svāhā!
-David Frawley”
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