It is only through meditation that we can rise above our available consciousness
and allow it to fly high into the super sky of super consciousness
Everyone from very early childhood has this fundamental
question, “Why am I here? What is the purpose?
What will I achieve at the end of my life? What is after this life? Is there an afterlife?
Is there God?” How to answer such questions?
When someone asked my guruji, “Can you show me God?”
And his answer was very brilliant and very thoughtful, “Suppose I show you God, how will you know
it is God?"
So answers, verbal answers are of no use. Someone says, “Yes, there is God.” How will
that satisfy your heart? No way. So one has to experience.
What is the purpose of life? Many great saints like Swami Vivekananda
Shri Ramana maharshi,
Shri Rama Krishna Paramahamsa, our ancient texts, Ashtavakra Gita,
Vasistha Samhita, Bhagavad Gita, they all say one
common thing: the purpose of this life is to evolve.
And what are we trying to evolve? Is it the
physical body? No. Ask yourself this question, “During
these next few years, or decades, can my body evolve?” No.
My body can only age. To fly like an eagle
or to swim like a dolphin, perhaps it might take
millions of years. But that doesn't solve the purpose
of my life now.
So, physically we cannot evolve. We can only age.
When we tackle the causal body,
our soul, and ask ourselves a question, “Can soul evolve?”
Our shastras (scriptures) say one thing fundamentally that:
Soul cannot evolve because it is perfect in itself. What can you add to that perfection,
to that immutable entity
which is pure? How much purity can you add?
How much perfection can you add to that?
So, we see that the soul cannot evolve and the gross body cannot evolve.
Then what is there to evolve?
Our subtle body, sukshma Sharir, which is made up of four things: chit, manas, buddhi,ahankar.
Manas, buddhi, ahankar (mind, intellect and ego) are a part of this consciousness,chetna.
As we evolve,
as this subtle body evolves, consciousness evolves. And consciousness can evolve
Only if, I say again,
only if the other three bodies evolve.
Mind, intellect and ego - if they don't evolve, then consciousness can never evolve.
It is only through meditation that we can rise above our available
consciousness and allow it to fly high into
the super sky of super consciousness. And at the
same time, the same meditation can help us dive deeper
into the ocean of subconsciousness.
Question from Kanpur. Shri Tushar Pandey ji is asking,
“I feel like meditating after cleaning practice. Is that fine too?”
Well, cleaning practice is applied right after we come home. Having cleaned ourselves from
the impressions that we collected during daytime, we feel lighter and we feel rejuvenated.
And sometimes, if you like meditating,
nothing wrong with it. You can surely meditate
after doing your cleaning. You will benefit a lot, actually.
Another question we have is “When I pray,
whom should I pray to? I feel like addressing that
to God/Goddess I am used to worshiping. Is that fine?"
When you say,” I like to offer this prayer to God or Goddess.”
You know, it is a baffling thing. I don't even know to whom I am offering this prayer.
I may recite, I may imagine the name Lord Krishna, Lord Shiva, or Lord Hanuman or
Lord Vaikunta.
Except for the name and images, I have no other ideas.
It is good to be honest when we offer prayer,
when we meditate,
“God, though I use the name God or Goddess, I don't know
who you are. I like to feel your presence
and experience who you are.” And with that authenticity,
with that honesty, we should offer prayer and also meditate.
Between prayer and meditation, I prefer meditation.
We have another question, from Shri Bharath from Madurai,
“I am often worried that I am not doing
my meditation in the right way. How to know if I have done my meditation correctly?”
Well, whenever we have done meditation correctly,
we will always feel satisfied “Yes, my meditation has
been good.” Even though I may have lots of
thoughts during meditation, but specially
meditation done with pranahuti (yogic transmission) in
the Heartfulness way,
even when we have lots of thoughts, meditation may
have been disturbed, yet the end result will always be remarkable. Also, we will always feel peaceful,
we will always feel lighter.