Words From The Master: 23 Feb 2008

Towards Meditative Living

(continuation from earlier post)

From ‘Meditation in Life’ to ‘Life in Meditation’

Right now you are at the beginning stage. Right now you are still exploring meditation.

That’s why you ask, How can I include meditation in my lifestyle? How many hours should I practise? Which technique will be right for me?

These questions are perfectly alright at this stage.

In the beginning you will practise meditation in life.

You have to consciously introduce meditation into your lifestyle. Choose a technique, practise for half an hour or one hour a day. See how you feel. If you enjoy a technique, stick to it for at least ten days without expecting results. If a technique has touched you, there is no way it cannot transform you in some way. Sometimes the transformation will be subtle, and sometimes others may see it better than you do.

So often, people come to me and say, Swamiji, after I started practising this meditation, people are telling me there is a glow on my face, that I’ve become more energetic, more positive!

So there is definitely a transformation happening at some level. Just because you don’t get results directly, don’t be impatient. Patience can work wonders!

By and by, you will stop chasing new techniques. You will find one, or a few, techniques you are comfortable with, and settle into a routine with those. Right now these techniques are still new and exciting for you, and your mind will tell you to try out this and that. It is just like going into a pastry shop – there are so many varieties, you simply can’t decide what you actually want to eat!

So don’t restrain yourself. Try whatever your mind asks you to try. And whatever you try, do it with full sincerity. Put your whole strength, your complete motivation into the trial. Work out each technique as if that is the only available one. Don’t be greedy, don’t be impatient. Otherwise you will simply be flirting with the idea of meditation, you will never experience the soul of meditation.

And just one experience is enough!

Just one glimpse of the joy of meditation is enough to make you fall in love with meditation.

Then you will no longer ask me how many hours you must practise! When you wake up, your very first thought will be of meditation. When you take a shower, when you dress, when you eat – you will do everything with such complete mindfulness that every act, every moment will become alive with meditation. Meditativeness will became the natural state of your life. You will begin to live life in meditation.

This is the state I want you to achieve ultimately.

But of course it is not easy. First, you will have to get used to the idea of meditation. You will need to practise for a little while every day, then extend that feeling into the rest of the day.

(to be continued.)
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This excerpt has been taken from the book: "Meditation is for You" -- an introduction to the science and art of meditation