Meditation by Swami Virajananda Part -2
When the mind is absolutely calm, breathing becomes steady and kumbhaka (suspension of breath) follows. When breathing is steady, the mind becomes one-pointed. Bhakti (love of God) also brings about kumbhaka and breathing becomes steady. Even without practising yoga, pranayama (control of breath) is attained automatically if one remembers, and thinks of, the Lord and does japa (repetition of the mantram) with a yearning heart. There is no other easy or convenient method to achieve onepointedness of mind except by abhyasa, or repeated and sustained efforts, and vairagya, or non-attachment to worldly objects.
Whatever be the time you devote to japa and meditation - even if it be only ten or fifteen minutes - do it with all your heart and soul. The Lord is the indweller, the inner guide. He sees your heart; His measure is not how long you meditate on Him nor how many times you do japa, but your inner longing.
Self-effort (purushakara) is necessary for spiritual attainment. Resolve firmly, "I will realise God through my own efforts by doing spiritual practices," and go on steadfastly practising japa and meditation, seated in proper posture, for at least two hours every morning and evening, for three or four years - and see if you succeed or not.
When by continued practice of japa and meditation the mind will have become calm and purified, then the mind itself will be your Guru or guide, and you will have proper understanding of everything, and find the solution of your spiritual doubts and questions within yourself. The mind will tell you what you should do, one thing after another, and how you should conduct yourself.
Japa, or mental repetition of the mantra, counting it on the fingers, using a rosary, or keeping the number of the repetitions - all these are only preliminary means to help withdraw the mind from other objects and fix it on the object of worship. Otherwise, you will not know when the mind may have run away in another direction; or you may even have dozed off. So, though these processes may appear to cause a little distraction at the outset, they will enable one to keep watch over the mind's vagaries and to detect them easily, and to draw the mind back and keep it on the object of meditation.
Never think yourself to be weak. Have firm faith in yourself. Think, "There is nothing that I cannot do; I can do everything if I want." Why should you acknowledge defeat to your mind? Know that if you can subdue it, the whole world will be under your feet. One who has no self-confidence does not have real faith in God. Swami Vivekananda has said that the real atheist is he who has no faith in himself. Nobody listens to the words of one who has no self-confidence; and God also does not listen to his prayers.
Whatever be the time you devote to japa and meditation - even if it be only ten or fifteen minutes - do it with all your heart and soul. The Lord is the indweller, the inner guide. He sees your heart; His measure is not how long you meditate on Him nor how many times you do japa, but your inner longing.
Self-effort (purushakara) is necessary for spiritual attainment. Resolve firmly, "I will realise God through my own efforts by doing spiritual practices," and go on steadfastly practising japa and meditation, seated in proper posture, for at least two hours every morning and evening, for three or four years - and see if you succeed or not.
When by continued practice of japa and meditation the mind will have become calm and purified, then the mind itself will be your Guru or guide, and you will have proper understanding of everything, and find the solution of your spiritual doubts and questions within yourself. The mind will tell you what you should do, one thing after another, and how you should conduct yourself.
Japa, or mental repetition of the mantra, counting it on the fingers, using a rosary, or keeping the number of the repetitions - all these are only preliminary means to help withdraw the mind from other objects and fix it on the object of worship. Otherwise, you will not know when the mind may have run away in another direction; or you may even have dozed off. So, though these processes may appear to cause a little distraction at the outset, they will enable one to keep watch over the mind's vagaries and to detect them easily, and to draw the mind back and keep it on the object of meditation.
Never think yourself to be weak. Have firm faith in yourself. Think, "There is nothing that I cannot do; I can do everything if I want." Why should you acknowledge defeat to your mind? Know that if you can subdue it, the whole world will be under your feet. One who has no self-confidence does not have real faith in God. Swami Vivekananda has said that the real atheist is he who has no faith in himself. Nobody listens to the words of one who has no self-confidence; and God also does not listen to his prayers.
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