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Brother Bhaktananda
MEDITATION
Meditate with the Guru
Deeply meditating disciples should concentrate on their guru, or meditate with him if possible. Those who are spiritually advanced do in fact meditate with the guru by visualizing him in the spiritual eye and tuning in with him, whether or not they are in his physical presence. During meditation the spiritual vibration of a great master silently works on lesser yogis who may be meditating with him or who are in tune with him, regardless of distance. It is sufficient for a disciple to think strongly of his guru before meditation. He will then find his meditation on God to be reinforced by the Lord's power flowing through the direct tangible channel of the guru. (Chapter VI, God Talks With Arjuna: The Bhagavad Gita by Paramahansa Yogananda)
Every day's meditation must be deeper than yesterday's. |
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The Five Parts of Meditation
By Brother Bhaktananda
(1) First is to begin with a prayer, invoking the presence of God and the Gurus in our meditation, asking Their guidance and praying that They give us what we need for our spiritual growth at this time. Pray from the heart, not from the mind. Words offered superficially from the mind do not touch God. The Lord does not have to respond to that kind of prayer, Master used to say, but He has to respond to love. That is His law.
(2) Next comes chanting. Singing a devotional chant helps us to concentrate our thoughts and awakens our love for God. It helps us to get in the mood for meditation.
(3) Third comes practice of the yoga meditation techniques. These are taught in the Self-Realization Fellowship Lessons. When you practice them with concentration and devotion, they produce a state of deep peace and calmness.
(4) Then, Master said,
"Sit a long time in the stillness." |
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That is the fourth part of meditation.
"Stillness" means no restless thoughts, not even praying. Just be aware of the spiritual eye—keep the mind riveted at the Christ Center. As the Bible says,
"Be still, and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10) |
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To have any spiritual experience, the body must be still, the mind must be still, and the feelings must be still.
(5) Finally, when the body and mind begin to get restless after sitting in the stillness as long as you can, that is the time to practice devotion. Talk to God from the heart. Tell Him: "I love You. I am seeking You. You are the most important thing in my life." And it is at this time too, that you can talk with God about any problems you may have. Then close with a prayer. Each of these five parts—prayer, chanting, techniques, sitting in stillness, and devotion—-is very important and should be practiced in our daily meditations.
