Meditation Follows Concentration - Part 6

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