Value: Meditation - November 2025

First Week: Prepare to Meditate

The secret of success in meditation lies in the secret of living a successful life, a way of pure existence. The more one lives by the right values, the more one shall succeed in meditation.

- Swami Chinmayananda

The culmination of living right values is having a calm mind when you sit for meditation. A mind that has no regrets, repulsion or anxiety alone can easily settle down. Leave aside all your roles and responsibilities when you sit for meditation. It is an exclusive engagement of you with yourself.

Create the right atmosphere.

With the mind, we live every wakeful minute. With the same mind, we should sit for meditation as well. We cannot leave the mind aside. Therefore, do not suppress the thoughts that arise in your mind. Regularity is essential in any practice. Fix the time and place of mediation and try to maintain it every day.

Gurudev's advice: "Today, when you have ten minutes all to yourself, sit down and practice smiling in your mind. Watch what is happening. It does not matter if your eyes are open; simply watch the mind and make it smile. Drop all its worries for the time being. In a cheerful mind, there will be very few agitations. Each day, your mind will bring a different weapon, and from your armory, you must select the right weapon as an antidote. On certain days, for example, you will feel an attachment to the body. By relaxing the body to a large extent, your attachment to it will be temporarily released.

Relaxation before meditation is effected through a process called thought massage, by which the meditator, with closed eyes, sends his thoughts consciously down his body, mentally relaxing and massaging every muscle in every limb."

Choose the procedure

What to do:

• Keep your back straight with head, neck and trunk of the body aligned in one straight line
• Keep your eyes softly closed. If you wish to keep your eyes open, have your personal deity's form in front of you at the level of the eyes
• Meditation spot should be well ventilated with sufficient air flow
• Meditation seat should not be too hard or too soft to sit on
• Face the east or north direction
• After sitting in a comfortable posture, inhale and exhale slowly
• Stay as a witness to the mind and watch the parade of thoughts

What not to do:

• Do not lean on a wall or other support. If you are sitting on a chair, maintain an erect posture
• Do not consume any caffeinated drink before meditation
• Do not sit for meditation when you feel physically exhausted
• Do not have another person or pet in the same room who moves a lot or disturbs the atmosphere
• Do not face the south direction
• Do not have very strong light or incense burning in the room

Further steps will be discussed in the subsequent blogs...

 

Value: Bhakti - October 2025

Fifth Week: Bhakti is Mukti

No one will seek mukti, or liberation, if it does not represent independent and everlasting happiness. However, our pursuit of happiness often focuses solely on avoiding sorrow. At the bodily level, we seek happiness through comfort, convenience in daily life, sensory gratifications, and relief from illness. A mind that is free from sorrows and agitations is also considered a source of happiness. Achievements such as appreciation, authority, and fame are regarded as happiness when attained. Yet, is this kind of happiness truly mukti, or liberation?

Some people define liberation as the end of the cycle of birth and death. Others believe that reaching heaven, the abode of the highest happiness, signifies mukti; while devotees see it as being in the presence of God at His lotus feet.

Devotion without division is liberation while living

Liberation should be understood as something that is not determined by any place, time, objects, or circumstances. If it is determined by these factors, it will be temporary and no different from worldly pleasures and gains. If I like a particular place, say a serene spot in a garden facing the ocean, that happiness will be lost when it is occupied by someone else. If I like an object or a person, then space and time may not hamper that happiness, but it is limited by the person or the object.

Happiness is lost due to divisions. An Upanishad student inquired this from the Guru: 'The uncaused (eternal) happiness cannot be effect of the ephemeral actions. What is the source of that (eternal)?' (Mu 1.2.12). A devotee worships the Lord upon recognizing Him to be the uncaused happiness. Devotion leads such a devotee to continue live, enjoying this oneness with Him, losing all divisions. 

Living with unconditional love

If the liberation, or mukti, achieved by the saint is unconditional, the love he expresses in the world is also equally unconditional. For him, it is evident that the presence of the Self or pure consciousness is unconditional in all living beings; therefore, the love for that is also unconditional in the heart of the saint.

From his standpoint, every being is eligible to realize the divine presence of God, and the opportunity to do so should be extended to all. Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda, during his entire life as a missionary, embraced everyone as his disciples or devotees, only to compassionately guide them to reach unconditional happiness through unconditional love.

 

Value: Bhakti - October 2025

Fourth Week: Reflection & Contemplation

Reflection and contemplation are essential steps in understanding spiritual teachings. The first step is reflection, which involves recalling the teachings directly imparted by the Guru. Often, we do not pay enough attention when hearing these teachings, leading to difficulties in connecting them coherently. Reflection helps us organize these teachings in our minds by bringing them to memory.

Contemplation follows reflection. This process involves aligning our personal priorities with the goals outlined in the teachings. It is clear that all beings desire lasting happiness, and the teachings found in the Upanishads and other scriptures guide us on how to achieve it. Clarity about this pursuit comes through contemplation.

Experiencing the proximity of His presence

God embodies infinite happiness, and discovering Him as the eternal presence within our hearts is the goal of all spiritual paths. Sri Ramana Maharshi highlights this with his significant statement: "Resting the mind in (God, who resides in) the heart is the aim of all yogas." A well-known mantra from the Upanishads states, "Just as butter hidden in milk rises to the surface through constant churning, the presence of the divine, which is hidden in our hearts, will manifest only by churning the heart with the help of the mind."

Upon making this discovery, we should consider a pivotal question: "Is He in me, or am I in Him?" Both perspectives imply a separation between oneself and God. The phrase "He is in me" encourages us to discipline and divine our lives, serving as a constant reminder that He observes all our words, actions, and thoughts. Conversely, the phrase "I am in Him" leads to surrender, devotion, and an egoless existence.

Study of devotional texts

Devotion develops through steady association with fellow devotees. Regularly seek the company of those who love God, perform services for Him, sing His praises, and love everyone as if they were God.

When you cannot find a community of devotees, read the devotional texts and compositions authored by them. Through their words, you can cultivate the same devotional feelings and love for God. Bhakti finds its expression through selfless service, singing with devotion, and maintaining gratitude for everything we receive from Him.

 

Value: Bhakti - October 2025

Third Week: Namanam - Salutations!

Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda used to explain the term nama as na mama, which means "not mine." True salutations involve renouncing the notion of "me" and "mine." What is most dear to us? It is not any object or person; rather, it is our own mind that we are so attached to. We implicitly follow our mind's commands from the moment we wake up until we go back to sleep.

Therefore, namanam can also be understood as na mana, meaning "no mind." This can be challenging unless we practice it daily. In Hindu tradition, younger members of the family are taught to speak softly in the presence of elders and wise individuals. This is one way to relinquish the mind—by observing silence at the altar of the Lord and in the company of those with wisdom. 

Salutations to Surrender

There is an old Tamil song that expresses a profound idea: "If everything were to happen exactly as one thinks, there would be no God; and if one continues to ponder over what has already happened, there will never be peace." The song continues, "Whatever has occurred does not continue in His books, and whatever has begun does not necessarily end in one's home or the sphere of influence."

Our daily struggle often stems from our inability to accept what has happened and our unwillingness to embrace the present. This stems from our limited perception of life. Life itself never ends; it is only the body that dies. The Upanishads affirm that life continues beyond death. If we can understand and accept the eternity of the soul, we will find that we have little to complain about in this world, which is merely a temporary residence. True reverence to the Lord comes when we attain this understanding and surrender ourselves to Him.

Surrender to Salvation

The song had a significant impact on the minds of filmgoers at that time. It conveys a profound message: "The heart has a thousand gates, giving rise to many thoughts. There will be no suffering if only One remains in the heart; if another enters, there will never be peace!"

This is truly insightful! Salvation is not found in death or merely reaching heaven. It lies in maintaining His presence and not allowing anything or anyone else in. The song concludes by stating, "No one knows where life begins or how it will end. No one knows the path or the journey. The path will ultimately change, and the journey will come to an end. The delusion will fade when we realize that the path has shifted."

Salvation is not a sudden conclusion, but a change of path that leads to the merging of the soul, much like a river alters its course to flow into the vast ocean. This change represents total surrender to His will.

 

Value: Bhakti - October 2025

Second Week: Japa - Repetition of holy names

Our minds are always doing the japa - repetition of thoughts! Strong tendencies and lasting impressions are the results of repetitive thoughts about our likes and dislikes. But when the same repetition of thoughts about the qualities of the Lord when practiced correctly, will help us rise above likes and dislikes. 

Repetition of the Lord's name reprograms the thought-flow

Let us explore the correlation between the mind's behavior and the characteristics of the five basic elements. In a deep sleep state, the mind is like the earth—static and unmoving. When we are awake, the mind behaves like water, continuously flowing toward the world of objects, emotions, and feelings. When we engage in lofty thoughts and ideas, it acts like fire, rising upward.

During inspired activities, the mind moves like air, transcending familiar areas of knowledge, where all creative thoughts and intuitions arise. In meditation, the mind dissolves into vastness, similar to space, where there are no physical dimensions.

Japa, or the repetition of the Lord's names, transforms the mind from being like water to fire. It shifts the gross mind into a more subtle presence and reprograms the flow of thoughts to rise upward.

Repeat-Remember-Love-Seek-Reach

Oral japa refers to the repetition of words that express the qualities of the Lord. Words stem from thoughts, and when our thoughts echo these words, it allows our minds to remember Him more frequently.

Love grows through constant remembrance, and as a result, our devotion, or bhakti, increases with the conscious practice of japa. The next step after nurturing devotion is to seek the Lord. This seeking is not about possession; rather, it is about making ourselves available to Him, serving Him, and carrying out His work in the world.

A devotee who firmly believes that the Lord is the sole focus of love will ultimately reach Him. This concept is emphasized by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita: "एक भक्तिः विशिष्‍यते" (One-pointed devotion excels).

 

Value: Bhakti - October 2025

First Week: Devotion - the path of Love

No living being is unfamiliar with the emotion of love. Even plants and animals comprehend the universal language of love. In fact, this is the first language we learn from our mothers while we are still in the womb. It is the only language that God understands from those who earnestly seek Him.

Bhajanam Bhaktih

The word bhaj in Sanskrit encompasses several meanings: to share, to receive, to cultivate, to pursue, to practice, to choose, to honor, to love, to grant, to worship, and to sing, among others. It represents all actions performed with sincere emotion. Let us explore five aspects of Bhajanam for our analysis: bhakti, japa, namanam, mananam, and mukti.

The first and foremost qualification for being a devotee is recognizing the Lord's role in our lives. He operates for our existence, both externally and internally. The texts of Vedanta emphasize that the entire creation is the will of Ishwara; we live in His mind. By faithfully acknowledging this, we begin to sense His living presence in our minds, similar to how a dream exists in our mind while we are also present in that dream. 

Bhava-rupa Bhaktih

Who is qualified to love God? Everyone is qualified, and no special training is necessary! In Vedanta texts, there are various means of knowledge that also serve as ways to understand the divine: direct perception, inference, illustration, logical conclusion, and so on. However, for devotion, no proof is needed.

The feeling of love cannot be proven through perceptions, such as seeing or sensing; it cannot be established through inference or logical conclusion. Neither is there a need for documentary evidence. Love is, in itself, self-evident. When one is truly in love, one simply knows. 

However, devotion to the Lord differs from love for other beings or inanimate objects. When you love someone, you often seek reciprocation. When you love an object, you care for it possessively. In contrast, in devotion, you do not seek reciprocation, nor can you possess Him. The natural and spontaneous love that arises from your heart for Him is, in fact, the response from the Lord. You also fully allow Him to possess you!

 

Value: Seva - September 2025

Fourth Week: Seva at the Altar

Having a personal deity as part of the family has been a long-standing tradition among Hindus. Daily worship of this personal God is considered a duty for every householder, with the entire family participating in the worship process. Monthly and yearly festivities related to the deity are celebrated as family events, where all members, including relatives, neighbors, and friends, joyfully engage in seva (service) to God. This participation includes children and youth.

Performing seva at the family altar by the youth fosters respect for the elders, who have also served the same altar with reverence and devotion in the past.

Seva begins with surrender to the personal God

The Upanishads teach us that all the faculties of our bodies are engaged in serving the presiding deity, who resides within each of us—the Self. Each faculty has its own unique role and responsibilities, and they do not compete with one another. Similarly, we are like the limbs of the Lord, and our actions are a form of service to Him. Therefore, there should be no comparison or competition among us in performing service wherever we do.

To free ourselves from the stress and strain of a competitive world, let us begin each day with surrender to God. Our work is ultimately His work, and both our successes and failures belong to Him. Our morning prayer at His altar is a request to help us give our best in all that we do throughout the day.

An altar in life will alter your life

Spiritual transformation is a gradual process; it does not happen overnight. The bondage created by ignorance has accumulated over many lifetimes, so the release from it will also occur over many lives. However, we can expedite this process by continually remembering God's presence within us.

 

If we consider Hanumanji as the vital force, the son of the wind, we can understand how He energizes every part of our body to carry out various functions. He embodies the best servant of the Lord by serving everyone as this vital force, without seeking any credit for Himself. He carries the essence of His Lord, Sri Rama, wherever He goes and in everything He does. Similarly, let us carry the essence of God in our hearts while engaging in all our actions as a form of service to Him.

 

In addition to regularly worshipping your personal deity at home, seek out the nearest temple or shrine where you can extend your service (seva) to the Lord. Spend time quietly serving at the altar. This can include ritual worship (puja), washing the lamps and puja utensils, preparing the altar for worship, maintaining the garden for the flowers, and more. All these activities are for the same Divine presence that resides in all of us.