Just as the light is burning within the hurricane lamp, so also the Divine Flame is burning
from time immemorial in the lamp of your heart. Close your eyes. Merge yourself within the Divine Flame. Plunge deep into the chambers of your heart. Meditate on this Divine Flame and become one with the Flame of God. If the wick within the lamp is small the light will also be small. If the wick is big, the light also will be powerful. Similarly, if the Jiva (individual soul) is pure, if he practices meditation, the manifestation or expression of the Self will be powerful. He will radiate a big light. If he is unregenerate and impure, he will be like a burnt-up charcoal. The bigger the wick, the greater the light. Likewise, the purer the soul, the greater the expression.
If the magnet is powerful, it will influence the iron fillings even when they are placed at a
distance. Even so, if the Yogi is an advanced person, he will have greater influence over the persons with whom he comes in contact. He can exert his influence on persons even when they live in distant places. The fire of meditation annihilates all foulness due to vice. Then suddenly there comes Knowledge of Self or Divine Wisdom which directly lends to Mukti or final emancipation.
During meditation note how long you can shut out all worldly thoughts. Watch your mind.
If it is for twenty minutes, try to increase the period to thirty minutes and so on. Fill the mind with thoughts of God again and again.
In meditation do not strain your eyes. Do not strain the brain. Do not struggle or wrestle with
the mind. Relax. Gently allow the divine thoughts to flow. Steadily think of the Lakshya (point of
meditation). Do not voluntarily and violently drive away the intruding thoughts. Have sublime
Sattvic thoughts. The vicious thoughts will by themselves vanish.
From - SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA
Discovery of India
You have within yourself tremendous powers and latent faculties of which you have really
never had any conception. You must awaken these dormant powers and faculties by the practice of meditation and Yoga. You must develop your will and control your senses and mind. You must
purify yourself and practice regular meditation. Then only you can become a Superman or
God-man. There is no such thing as miracle or Siddhi. Ordinary man is quite ignorant of higher
spiritual things. He is sunk in oblivion. He is shut up from higher transcendental knowledge. So he calls some extraordinary event a miracle. But for a Yogi who understands things in the light of
Yogas there is no such thing as miracle. Just as a villager is astonished at the sight of an aeroplane or a talkie for the first time, so also a man of the world is stunned when he sees an extraordinary spectacle for the first time.Every human being has within himself various potentialities and capacities. He is a magazine of power and knowledge. As he evolves, he unfolds new powers, new faculties, new qualities. Now he can change his environments and influence others. He can subdue other minds. He can conquer internal and external nature. He can enter into super-conscious state. In a dark room if a pot containing a lamp inside it, is broken, the darkness of the room is dispelled and you see light everywhere in the room. Even so, if the body-pot is broken through constant meditation on the Self, i.e., if you destroy ignorance (Avidya) and its effects such as identification with the body, and rise above body-consciousness, you will cognise the supreme light of the Atman everywhere.
Just as the water in the pot that is placed in the ocean becomes one with the waters of the
ocean, when the pot is broken, so also when the body-pot is broken by meditation on the Atman, the individual soul becomes one with the Supreme Soul.
From - SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA
If you meditate for half an hour, you will be able to face the daily battle of life with peace
and spiritual strength for one week through the force of meditation. Such is the beneficial effect of meditation. As you have to move with different minds of peculiar nature, get the requisite strength and peace from meditation and be free from worry and trouble.
The wise cut asunder the knot of egoism by the sharp sword of constant meditation. Then
dawns supreme Knowledge of the Self or full Illumination or Self-realisation. The liberated sage
has neither doubt nor delusion. All bonds of Karma (action) are rent asunder. Therefore be ever
engaged in meditation. This is the master-key to open the realms of eternal Bliss. It may be
disgusting and tiring in the beginning, because the mind will be running away from the point
(Lakshya) every now and then. But after sometime it will be focussed in the centre. You will be
immersed in Divine Bliss. Regular meditation opens up the avenues of intuitional knowledge, makes the mind calm and steady, awakens an ecstatic feeling, and brings the Yogic student in contact with the SupremePurusha. If there are doubts, they are all cleared by themselves, when you march on the path of Dhyana-Yoga (meditation) steadily. You will yourself feel the way to place your footstep in the next higher rung of the Yogic ladder. A mysterious inner voice will guide you. Hear thou this attentively, O Yogananda! When you get a flash of illumination, do not be frightened. It will be a new experience of immense joy. Do not turn back. Do not give up meditation. Do not stop there. You will have to advance still further. This is only a glimpse of truth. This is not the whole experience. This is not the highest realisation. This is only a new platform. Try to ascend further. Reach the Bhuma or the Infinite. Now alone you are proof against all temptations. You will drink deep the nectar ofImmortality. This is the acme or final stage. You can take eternal rest now. You need not meditate any further. This is the final goal.
Sitting on your favourite meditative pose and keeping the head, neck and trunk erect, close
your eyes and gently concentrate on either the tip of the nose, space between the eyebrows, the
heart-lotus or the crown of the head. When once you have selected one centre of concentration,
stick to it till the last with leech-like tenacity. Never change it. Thus, if you have chosen to
concentrate on the heart-lotus after having tried the other centres, stick to the heart-lotus alone.
Then only you can expect rapid advancement. Meditation is of two kinds viz., Saguna (with Gunas or qualities) meditation and Nirguna (without Gunas or qualities) meditation. Meditation on Lord Krishna, Lord Siva, Lord Rama or Lord Jesus is Saguna meditation. It is meditation with form and attributes. The Name of the Lord is also simultaneously repeated. This is the method of the Bhaktas. Meditation on the reality of the Self is Nirguna meditation. This is the method of the Vedantins. Meditation on Om, Soham, Sivoham, Aham Brahma Asmi and Tat Tvam Asi is Nirguna meditation. Put an iron rod in the blazing furnace. It becomes red like fire. Remove it from the fire. It loses its red colour. If you want to keep it always red, you must keep it always in fire. Even so, if you want to keep the mind charged with the fire of Brahmic Wisdom, you must keep it always in contact with the Brahmic Fire of Knowledge through constant and intense meditation. You must, in other words, keep up an unceasing flow of Brahmic Consciousness.
Meditation is the most powerful mental and nervine tonic. The holy vibrations penetrate all
the cells of the body and cure the various diseases that human flesh is heir to. Those who regularly meditate save the doctor’s bills. The powerful soothing waves that arise during meditation exercise a benign influence on the mind, nerves, organs and cells of the body. The divine energy freely flows like the flow of oil from one vessel to another, from the Feet of the Lord to the different systems of the practitioner.
From - SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA
Of course, even if you wander from pole to pole, you cannot get an ideal place that will
satisfy you from every standpoint. Every place has some advantages and some disadvantages as
well. So you should select a place that is more advantageous than others. Having once hit upon a
place, you must stick to it till the last. You must not think of changing the place, when some
difficulty stares you in the face. You must put up with the difficulty by all means. Rishikesh (Himalayas), Haridwar, Uttarkashi, Badrinarayan, Gangotri, Mount Kailas, Brindavan, Varanasi,
Nasik and Ayodhya are all excellent places for meditation in India.
The best and the most congenial time for the practice of meditation is unquestionably the
Brahmamuhurta i.e., from 4 to 6 a.m. That is the time when the mind is quite refreshed after an
agreeable slumber, when the mind is calm and comparatively pure. It is like a clean blank sheet of paper. Only such a mind can be moulded into whatever shape you like. Moreover, the atmosphere also is charged with purity and goodness at this time.
In the beginning you can meditate twice daily, from 4 to 5 in the morning and 7 to 8 at night.
As you advance in your practices, you can increase the duration of each sitting little by little using your commonsense and discretion, and also have a third sitting either in the morning between 10 and 11 or in the evening between 4 and 5.
In the Yoga-Vasishtha you will find: “The right course to be adopted by one who is in his
novitiate is this: Two parts of the mind must be filled with the objects of Enjoyment, one part with Philosophy and the remaining part with Devotion to the teacher. Having advanced a little, he should fill one part of the mind with the objects of Enjoyment, two parts with Devotion to the teacher and the remaining one with getting an insight into the meaning of Philosophy. When one has attained proficiency, he should everyday fill two parts of his mind with Philosophy and supreme Renunciation, and the remaining two parts with Meditation and devoted Service to the Guru.” This will eventually lead you on to meditation for twenty-four hours.
From - SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA
Meditation follows concentration. Concentration merges into meditation. Concentration is
holding the mind on to some particular object. An unbroken flow of knowledge in that subject is
meditation. Meditation is regular flow of thought with regard to the object of concentration.
Meditation opens the door of the mind to intuitive knowledge and many powers. You can get
whatever you want through meditation. During meditation all worldly thoughts are shut out from the mind. Meditation is called Dhyana in Sanskrit and is the seventh step in the Yogic ladder. In Lesson VII you were advised to keep a separate room for practicing Pranayama, isn’t it so? Well, the same room will also serve the purpose of meditation. In fact, one room will be quite sufficient for all spiritual practices—Asanas, Pranayama, Japa,27 Kirtan,28 concentration,
meditation, and so forth. The room should be regarded as a temple of God. You should not allow
anybody into the room. You should enter the room with a pious and reverent mind. Thoughts of
jealousy, lust, greed and anger should not be entertained within the four walls of the room. All
worldly talks, also should not be indulged in there. For every word that is uttered, every thought that is cherished and every deed that is done is not lost; they are reflected on the subtle layers of ether encircling the room where they are done and hence affect the mind invariably.
Decorate the room with inspiring pictures of great Saints, Sages, Prophets and World
Teachers. In a prominent place in the room keep a beautiful photo of your tutelary Deity
(Ishta-Devata), either Lord Jesus, Lord Krishna, Lord Siva or Devi. Let the Deity face the East or North. Spread your Asana (seat) in front of the Deity. Keep some religious and philosophical books such as the Bhagavad-Gita, the Upanishads, the Vedanta-Sutras, the Ramayana, the
Yoga-Vasishtha, the Bible, etc., by your side. Wash your face, hands and legs before you enter the room. Burn a piece of camphor and light some scented sticks immediately after entering the room. Sit on the Asana in front of the Deity and repeat the Name of the Lord or sing some devotional hymns. Then take to the practice of concentration and meditation.
From - SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA
Imagine that you are a lotus candle. Someone walks toward you and lights your wick. You are now giving out a small glow of orange light. Slowly, your whole body becomes an orange colour. Feel yourself giving out warm orange light. Someone lifts you up and places you on the shrine table. Your warm orange light is like the brightness of wisdom. You are now shining brightly, as bright as you can be, to drive away the darkness of ignorance. Your light symbolizes the Buddha’s teaching. His teachings help and guide us when we are in darkness. When we behave badly and get angry, it is as if we are in darkness. We need the light of the Buddha’s teaching to help us. Your light helps to remind people not to remain in darkness but to brighten themselves with the Buddha’s teaching.You are the bright orange light. Feel yourself , your light going out further and further, until it shines through the whole temple, then further until it shines through the whole country, and still further until it covers the whole world. You are as big as the whole world and your light breaks through all the darkness and your light shines out in every direction. Your light of wisdom is touching all of space. Continue giving out orange light in every direction.
From - Guided Meditation for Primary Students
That’s all you can do. So just be mindful, don’t beat up your self.About consciousness-awareness-knowing, remember and observe these things always:e arising and passing away of consciousness.at every mind that arises is another and new mind.Consciousness arises because of the object and passes away because of the object.It is consciousness that sees hears, smells, tastes, touches, and thinks, not ‘I’ or ‘me’ or ‘mine.’ It is consciousness, the mind, that experiences all sense objects.When you are not mindful you get gaps of ‘knowing.’Understanding comes to those who are not in a hurry to understand. Understanding is like a fruit tree. It takes some time to mature. One cannot force it to bear fruits.A person who is ‘role free’, ‘game free’, ‘I’ free. Accepting the truth frees the mind.Understand your limitations, you can only do so much. Seeing ones own limitations clearly is very important.How hard it is for me to see where I am stuck and how to become unstuck. Only when you see clearly where you are stuck, there is a chance that you might become unstuck.People behave like they are doing something and as if they know what they are doing. Do they really know what they are doing?You may stop thinking for a while just how important you are!Life is very short. ere are things to be done.Only deep understanding of attachment can free the mind from it.at’s all you can do. So just be mindful, don’t beat up your self.About consciousness-awareness-knowing, remember and observe these things always:e arising and passing away of consciousness.at every mind that arises is another and new mind.Consciousness arises because of the object and passes away because of the object.
From - Contemplation of the Mind
The nature of the body is to be born, decay and die.Don’t try to get calm or peaceful. Do just one thing. Watch the noting mind.If any questions come up in your mind just watch it and let go. e answer will come to you later.After you have watched your mind for years, you get to know it so well, recognise it so clearly; how stupid, tricky, jealous, foolish, covetous, bossy, overpowering, it can be and because you can be aware of it, it cannot carry you away.We cannot afford to be careless, always try to be very careful and use your sati as your compass.e mindful mind will always warn you when you are getting into trouble. No control, just simple bare awareness of mind. Can you hear the chattering, the monologue or dialogue going on in the mind, the comments, the judgements and so on.e mind is always tricky and craves for something, but is that what you really want to do? Run all day slaving for the mind?Just because many other people are running mindlessly after all kinds of stimulation?Watch how the mind creates its own problems. Most of our problems are mind made. Most problems will disappear just by the understanding of the mind.e present phenomenon is the only thing I have whether I like it or not. So it is more important for me.Having little distraction we can observe things easily. When you will become quite mindful you will know how to live your life. You will know what to do in any situation.Looking for satisfaction is looking for pain. Understanding this deeply we learn to let go.See how much you hurry yourself when you are upset. Be mindful. See anger as anger, not ‘my anger’.If you are upset because you enjoy music you are too demanding, you are asking and expecting too much of yourself.But if you see the enjoying mind and watch it with equanimity then only you will see it for what it is.Being upset which is a kind of aversion, is a close companion to greed and pride, because you think: ‘ I am a meditator so there shouldn’t be greed and pride arising in my mind.’But you should be thinking: ‘Now is a good chance for me to study and examine them!’A stream enterer still has greed and anger. But he has no identification with mind and body. Only non-returners and fully enlightened ones are free of greed and anger. Only the arahat is free from comparing oneself with others.Meditate also when you are restless when you think it’s impossible for you to meditate because your mind is crazy. at is the most important time for you to meditate.e Buddha said: ‘When the mind is restless he or she knows that the mind is restless’.You are not expected to do more than that. You don’t feel guilty because there is anger or greed, etc. You know anger or greed are happening, you don’t deceive your self.
From - Contemplation of the Mind
This is the proper way to practise a mantra. Utter it as loudly and slowly as possible ten times, then not quite so loudly and a very little faster ten times more. Continue this process until there is nothing but a rapid movement of the lips; this movement should be continued with increased velocity and diminishing intensity until the mental muttering completely absorbs the physical. The student is by this time absolutely still, with the mantra racing in his brain; he should, however, continue to speed it up until he reaches his limit, at which he should continue for as long as possible, and then cease the practice by reversing the process above described. Any sentence may be used as a mantra, and possibly the Hindus are correct in thinking that there is a particular sentence best suited to any particular man. Some men might find the liquid mantras of the Quran slide too easily, so that it would be possible to continue another train of thought without disturbing the mantra; one is supposed while saying {19} the mantra to meditate upon its meaning. This suggests that the student might construct for himself a mantra which should represent the Universe in sound, as the pantacle<
1. Aum.
2. Aum Tat Sat Aum. This mantra is purely spondaic. II. {illustration: line of music with: Aum Tat Sat Aum :under it}
3. Aum mani padme hum; two trochees between two caesuras. III. {illustration: line of music with: Aum Ma-ni Pad-me Hum :under it}
4. Aum shivaya vashi; three trochees. Note that "shi" means rest, the absolute or male aspect of the Deity; "va" is energy, the manifested or female side of the Deity. This Mantra therefore expresses the whole course of the Universe, from Zero through the finite back to Zero. IV. {illustration: line of music with: Aum shi-va-ya Va-shi Aum shi-va-ya Vashi :under it} 5. Allah. The syllables of this are accented equally, with a certain pause between them; and are usually combined by fakirs with a rhythmical motion of the body to and fro. 6. Hua allahu alazi lailaha illa Hua. {20} Here are some longer ones: 7. The famous Gayatri. Aum! tat savitur varenyam Bhargo devasya dimahi Dhiyo yo na pratyodayat. Scan this as trochaic tetrameters.
8. Qol: Hua Allahu achad; Allahu Assamad; lam yalid walam yulad; walam yakun lahu kufwan achad. 9. This mantra is the holiest of all that are or can be. It is from the Stele of Revealing.
This means that you have to face the situation at the beginning and not ignore it until it’s too late.Check very carefully your attitude: If there is wrong attitude there and you are able to see it clearly, acknowledge it, that ‘seeing’ by itself will change and turn in time that negative attitude into positive. Do not change object until your present object zeros. If sati is strong, usually the mental feeling will decrease to zero, then the mental attitude will change to upekkha-neutral feeling, and the mental image will disappear and bodily sensation will break up or it will be just another sensation.For a seasoned Cittanupassana meditator the looking at the mental attitude changing will cause the image to disappear and the bodily sensation to break up.So Zap it with the X rays of your sati!
from - Contemplation of the Mind
Every breath, every thought, every image, every step or movement,
you experience is brand new.Mark the ending of experience carefully.Doubt: Before anything else see the teacher because different
methods apply. Look into this doubt mind, no reason to get alarmed, it’s a very natural thing, but if questions arise while you are practising don’t try to answer them. Leave them for later.Remorse: Again, see the teacher before anything else, because different methods apply. Don’t let it affect you, or the present moment.Doubt and Remorse will arise when the practice is good. Look directly into the mind that’s causing it.Sensual Desire: Ask sensual desire: Why do you arise? Who are you?Human life is the perfect environment for fighting and extinguishing defilement. Forget suppression, samatha practice and locking up yourself in a volt!Look repeatedly at the mental feelings, and the pictures in your mind until you can understand the composition of its characteristic feeling. (Don’t be surprised at this stage if the hindrance gets stronger). Also check your mental attitude: Do I desire this, or do I dislike it? Do I fear it ?At this stage upekkha will arise, then as you look back at the object, it will disappear. (is will do for beginners who find out the characteristics of desire for food for example. However the same method applies to desiring all kinds of things.)An experienced practitioner would check his mental attitude first and then check bodily sensations and would avoid looking at the mental image. Will drop the image immediately, and again and again if necessary.e difficulty one faces with the dropping of the image, shows the strength of the attachment.is last method works with all sense objects.is latest practice will help you understand how mental attitudes and mental feelings cause you to suffer.Sexual Desire: In this case check your mental attitude first, then chest-heart area for mental feelings, totally ignore image and keep checking as before again.If there is change in mental attitude you will feel it; i.e. mental heaviness, contraction (chest-heart area) or pleasantness and so on.Also use your wisdom, see the bad side in what seems attractive and desirable, think of the results or the price you have to pay for sense pleasure. Look at what’s coming, what’s following pleasant feeling. Observe that feeling (is does not mean start feeling guilty!)As you observe continuously, the unpleasant feeling will decrease. (Your observing has to be at present moment, but to be able to do that, your mental attitude has to be right.)Observe sensation until it goes down to zero. is is very important, because if it doesn’t work, it means sati is weak.To increase sati look continuously into sensation area persisting, increasing viriya; i.e. putting out fire: if its not much, a glass of water will put it out, if your whole house is burning a glass of water its useless.
from - Contemplation of the Mind
A Quick Look At e Hindrancesere are pleasant and unpleasant hindrances. For example, pleasant visual hindrances such as the Buddha or the Sangha, Temples, Teachers etc. ey promote faith. But too much faith brings blind devotion unless it is balanced with wisdom.If there was wisdom in the first place one would have ignored the encouraging images.Pleasant Bodily Sensations: Just look at them until they disappear. Piti gives rise to joy; calm (passadhi) gives rise to comfort, to no pain, mental clarity inner happiness etc. (caused by samadhi).Note, observe, and do not get attached.Unpleasant Hindrances: sleepiness-restlessness-boredom-doubt-remorse (caused by lack of samadhi).Sleepiness: With good sati look at it directly without getting involved. If sati is weak look at the properties of sleepiness: dark, heavy, foggy and so on.By continuously applying your self you will be able to overcome it. Sleepiness is only a mental state.Restlessness: Return to rising and falling until your mind gets calm enough to overcome it. Check for tension in your body and mind. Tension is the mother of restlessness.B : Restlestness
and worry: Look straight into the thinking mind. at will cause it to disappear. en turn your attention to the ‘rising and falling’ for three or four times and look right into the mind again checking for thinking/restlessness. If there is restlessness turn your attention again to the ‘rising and falling’ for a few breaths and look again into the mind checking for thinking. Work like this again and again balancing the mind until thinking mind is totally overcome.Boredom: Seeing repetition and getting bored. Remind your self that what you are seeing is always new.
from - Contemplation of the Mind
Dhamma Sukha Tawya translates as Dhamma happiness hermitage. It is Shwe Oo Min Sayadaw’s second monastery. His International Center. Both Vipassana and Cittanupassana are taught in the center in the style of Shwe Oo Min Sayadaw.e main characteristics of the center would be:a) Not a tension factory!b) Definitely Dhamma conscious. In other well-known centers monks and nuns who are not ‘fast progressing’ according to certain expectations are simply and coldly told to ‘go somewhere else to practice’ or are looked down on, and so on.at’s not the case at all in Dhamma Sukha Tawya where patience and compassion are plenty for all. they also cater especially for people with depression problems.e schedule in this monastery is arranged in such a way that one can practice, without having to take a pause if one wishes, indefinitely.
from - Contemplation of the Mind
Higher Consciousness
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