Value: Meditation - November 2025

Fourth Week: Meditation & Life

An elderly, devout, wise person said the following inspiring words: 'One who knows the Self does not desire, he who knows you doesn't get angry, and one who knows both doesn't suffer.' As long as we ignore the Self, we do not think of these three as choices: desire, anger and suffering. 

Maintaining serenity

Is pursuing a desire a choice? Is there an alternative to desire? Are you prepared to let go of that desire if you achieve what you seek from it before you begin? If you reflect on this correctly, you will. The practice of meditation aims to attain a peace that is far greater than any happiness derived from achievement.

That man attains peace who, abandoning all desires, moves about without longing, without the sense of ‘l-ness’ and ‘my-ness.' (BG 2.71)

Bhagavan Krishna promises infinite peace through regular practice of meditation with assertion and negation, which we discussed earlier. How? Because this culminates in abidance in the Self, in which the individual's dominant ego, that which seeks happiness through desire, reduces itself to a single thought of 'I am the Self'  

Deal with the unpredictable

While you pursue peace, it’s important to acknowledge the challenges that life brings. The journey is filled with unpredictable twists and turns, resulting in both positive and negative experiences. Should you shut your eyes and remain passive, or should you engage and risk losing your peace?

Wise individuals advise us to engage peacefully in every situation. This means avoiding the creation of new crises and not allowing our egos to drive selfish decisions. Consider how you can effectively participate in resolving crises by setting aside your ego, rather than perpetuating problems by clinging to it.

Regular meditation is key to reducing the ego. While constant reflection, known as atma vichara, can help convince your intellect, true freedom comes only when you reside in the Self, merging all thoughts into the vast ocean of the all-pervading Self.

 

Value: Meditation - November 2025

Third Week: Focus in Meditation

We all know how to focus. For instance, when reading a book, our attention is on the words, their meanings, and our understanding of the subject. When driving a car, we focus on the road and the traffic around us. Is the focus the same in meditation?

In meditation, focus is essential, but it should not be directed toward anything familiar to the mind. The goal is to reach the deeper layers of the mind—its underlying essence, where thought flows originate. This is akin to observing the riverbed through the flowing water.

External support

Traditionally, the worship known as upasana of your favorite deity should conclude with meditation. After invoking the presence of Bhagavan in an idol, you should focus exclusively on Him. The external form serves as a support to remove your attention from all other thoughts and to maintain your concentration on the divinity that the deity represents.

Gently chanting the name of Bhagavan, in a way that you can hear it while gazing at the form, will help calm your mind. This is neither the loud chanting of Vedic mantras and stotrams nor the repetition of names with a japa mala. It is simply a soft whisper to help you maintain mental stillness.

After a few weeks of practice, you will be able to visualize the form of Bhagavan in your mind with your eyes closed, while continuing to whisper the name or chant silently within your mind.

Internal support

The inner stillness that is gained from the above practice should be followed by abidance in the higher Self and not just remain as emptiness. For this, you can choose verses from the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita or other texts to meditate on. Essentially, these are used to assert the nature of the Self and negate the false notions of oneself, popularly known as anvaya and vyatireka, respectively.

Through this practice, you begin to affirm and abide in the eternal presence, and simultaneously recognize the false nature of the ego and discard what you have been living and identifying with for many lifetimes. 

A verse from Mundakopanishad:

यत्तद्-अद्रेश्यम्-अग्राह्यम्-अगोत्रम्-अवर्णम् -अचक्षुश्रोत्रं तद्-अपाणिपादम् |

नित्यं विभुं सर्वगतं सुसूक्ष्मं तद्-अव्ययं यद्-भुतयोनिं परिपश्यन्ति धीराः || १.१.६

The men of wisdom know the Self to be everywhere, which cannot be perceived by the senses, cannot be grasped, having no roots and qualities, having no eyes, ears, hands or feet (these are negations - that which you are not), which is eternal, omnipresent, all-pervasive, supremely subtle, imperishable and the womb of all beings (these are assertions - that which you are)

A verse from the Bhagavad Gita:

न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचित् नायं भूत्वा-अभविता वा न भूयः |

अजो नित्यः शाश्वतः-अयं पुराणो न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे || २.२०

This Self is never born or dies. (negation) Having come into existence, again it never ceases to be.  It is unborn, eternal, undecaying, ancient. It is not killed when the body is killed (assertions)

Value: Meditation - November 2025

Second Week: Meditative mind

A mind prepared for meditation should have limited or no worries. This doesn’t mean it is free from the complexities of worldly life, but rather that it is eager to explore the depths of inner silence, thereby spending less time in brooding. It is willing to let go of all mundane concerns to attain the inner tranquility and stillness that are natural to the Self, the divine presence within.

Eliminate mental hang-ups

The past is gone, and the future is yet to come. Neither has any reality in the present moment. However, accepting this truth can be challenging for us. If you are eager to practice meditation, you should set aside both the past and the future without hesitation. Just as you distance yourself from the world when you go to sleep, do the same here.

 

When you wake up from a deep sleep, what do you feel accomplished? Nothing, except for a good rest for your body and mind. Meditation is similar; there is no external achievement you will feel after practicing it. Like sleep, it requires minimal effort, exertion, and free of anxiety.

 

Just like the body and mind need rest in sleep, the soul also needs rest. It has been on a journey for a long time, gathering both pleasant and unpleasant experiences through various bodies and lifetimes. It finds rest in meditation, where all attachments to past experiences are set aside. After an exhausting road trip, when you arrive home and look at your travel map, you may be surprised by how far and wide you have traveled. In the same way, you will gain awareness of your soul's journey upon awakening from deep meditation. Thereafter, the mental preoccupations with life's trivialities will no longer occupy your mind.

Golden rule - Silence

Guruji Swami Tejomayanandaji once shared a story: There was a devotee who went to the temple every day to pray. One day, he realized, “Each day I talk to God through my prayers, but I never listen to Him. Today, I will try to hear what He has to say.” So, he decided to remain silent. However, his mind kept chattering. He thought, “I still cannot hear Him; perhaps I need to quiet my mind.” When he finally succeeded in calming his thoughts, he entered a state of deep meditation. After this experience, he no longer visited the temple. When asked why, he replied, “I have found the Lord within me. Whether I worship Him internally or externally makes no difference.” This is the highest form of devotion, where one reaches the depths of meditation through sincere practice. Silence can be understood in two ways: when you do not speak, that is silence; when there are no thoughts, that is stillness. Outer silence has two aspects: the first is your choice to remain silent, and the second is observing the silence that already exists when there is no sound. Both forms are beneficial for meditation. This is why Bhagavan Krishna advised Arjuna to choose a place of solitude for meditation or to meditate at a time when the world has not yet awakened. Schedule time each day to practice silence. Commit to this practice diligently for a few weeks until it feels natural. Gradually work on silencing your thoughts during this time as well. Observe your thoughts without engaging with them.

 

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.