Swami Vivekanada - Meditation and Its Methods

MEDITATION

AND ITS METHODS

by

Swami Vivekananda

This book is part of Project Gutenberg and is available at www.gutenberg.org as this book is under public domain.

W h at is me d i tat i o n ? M ed i t a t i o n is th e p ower w h i c h e n a b l es u s t o r e si s t all t h is. N a t u re may c all u s, Lo o k , t h e r e is a b e a ut i f u l t h i n g ! I d o n o t l o ok. N ow s h e say s , T h e r e is a b e a ut i fu l smell; smell i t! I say t o my n os e , D o n ot smell i t , a n d th e n ose d o e s n t . Eye s , d o n ot se e! N a tu r e d o e s s u c h a n aw fu l th i n g -k ills o n e o f my c h i l d r en , a n d say s , N ow, ra sc al, sit d own a n d w e e p ! Go t o t h e d e p t h s ! I say, I d o n t h ave t o. I j u mp up . I m u st b e f r e e . T r y it some t imes . .. [In m e d i t a t i o n ], f or a m o m e nt , y o u c an c h a n g e t h is n a tu r e. N ow, if y o u h ad th a t p ower in yo u rsel f , w o u l d n o t th a t b e h e a v e n , f r e e d o m ? Th at is th e p ower of m e d i t a t io n .

H ow is i t t o b e a t t ai n e d ? In a d ozen d i f f e r e n t w ay s . Each t em p e ram e n t h as i t s own w ay. B u t th i s is th e g e n e r al p r i n c i p l e : get h old of th e mi n d . T h e mi n d is li k e a la k e, a n d e v e r y s t o n e th a t d r o p s i n t o it r aises w aves. These wa ves d o n ot l e t u s s ee w h at w e ar e . The f u ll m o o n is r e f lec t e d i n t h e w a t er of t h e la k e, b u t t h e s u r f ace is s o d is tu r b e d th a t w e d o n ot see t h e r ef l ec t i o n c l ea rly. Let i t b e c alm. D o n ot let n a tu re raise t h e w ave. K e e p qu i e t , a n d th e n a f te r a li tt le w h ile s h e w ill give you u p . T h en w e k n ow w h at w e a r e. God is th e r e alr e a d y, b u t t h e m i n d is so ag i t a t e d , al w ays r un n i n g a f t er t h e s e n ses. Y ou cl ose th e s e n ses a n d [yet] y o u w h irl a n d w h irl a b out. J u st t h is m o m e n t I t h i n k I a m all rig h t a n d I w ill me d it a t e up o n G o d , a n d t h en my mi n d go e s t o L ond o n in o n e mi n ut e. A n d if I pu ll i t a w ay f r o m t h e r e, i t g o e s t o N ew Y o rk t o th i n k a b out th e th i n gs I h ave d one t h e r e i n t h e p as t . T he se [w aves] are t o b e s t opp e d b y th e p ower of m e d i t a t io n . ( C W4.4)

Meditatio n i s th e gat e tha t open s tha t t o us . Prayers , ceremonials , an d al l th e othe r form s o f worshi p ar e simp ly kindergarte ns o f meditation . Y o u pra y , yo u offe r something . A certai n theo ry e x iste d tha t eve r ythin g raise d one s spiritua l power . Th e us e o f certai n words , flowers , images , temples , ceremonial s lik e th e wavin g o f light s bring s th e min d t o tha t attitude , bu t tha t attitud e i s alway s i n th e huma n soul , nowher e else . [People ] ar e al l doin g it ; bu t wha t the y d o withou t knowin g it , d o knowing l y . Tha t i s th e powe r o f meditation .

Slow ly an d gradual ly w e ar e t o trai n ourselves . I t i s n o jok e - no t a questio n o f a da y , o r years , o r mayb e o f births . Neve r mind ! Th e pul l m u s t g o on . Knowingl y , voluntaril y , th e pul l mus t g o on . Inc h by inc h w e wil l gai n ground . W e wil l begi n t o fee l an d ge t rea l possessions , whic h n o on e ca n tak e awa y f r o m u s- th e wealt h tha t n o ma n ca n take , th e wealt h tha t nobod y ca n destro y , th e j oy tha t n o mise ry ca n hur t an y more . (C W 4.248-249 )

Yog a i s th e scienc e whic h teache s u s ho w t o ge t thes e perceptions . I t i s no t muc h us e t o tal k abou t religio n unti l on e ha s fel t it . Wh y i s ther e s o muc h disturbance , s o muc h fightin g an d quarrellin g i n th e nam e o f God ? Ther e ha s bee n mor e bloodshe d i n th e nam e o f Go d tha n fo r an y othe r cause , becaus e peopl e neve r wen t t o th e fountain-head ; the y wer e conten t onl y t o giv e a menta l assen t t o th e custom s o f thei r forefathers , an d wante d other s t o d o th e same . Wha t righ t ha s a ma n t o sa y h e ha s a sou l i f h e doe s no t fee l it , o r tha t ther e i s a Go d i f h e doe s no t se e Him ? I f ther e i s a Go d w e mus t se e Him , i f ther e i s a sou l w e mus t perceiv e it ; othe r wis e i t i s bette r no t t o believe . I t i s bette r t o b e a n outspoke n atheis t tha n a hypocrite .

Ma n want s truth , want s t o experienc e trut h fo r himself ; whe n h e ha s graspe d it , realise d it , fel t i t withi n hi s hear t o f hearts , the n alone , declar e th e Vedas , woul d al l doubt s vanish , al l darknes s b e scattered , an d al l crookednes s b e mad e straight . (C W 1.127-28)

How hard it is to control the mind! Well has it been compared to the maddened monkey. There was a monkey, restless by his own nature, as all monkeys are. As if that were not enough someone made him drink freely of wine, so that he became still more restless. Then a scorpion stung him. When a man is stung by a scorpion, he jumps about for a whole day; so the poor monkey found his condition worse than ever. To complete his misery a demon entered into him. What language can describe the uncontrollable restlessness of that monkey? The human mind is like that monkey, incessantly active by its own nature; then it becomes drunk with the wine of desire, thus increasing its turbulence. After desire takes possession comes the sting of the scorpion of jealousy at the success of others, and last of all the demon of pride enters the mind, making it think itself of all importance. How hard to control such a mind! (CW 1.174)

Accordin g t o th e Y ogis , ther e ar e thre e principa l nerv e currents ; on e the y cal l th e Id , th e othe r th e Pingal , an d th e middl e on e th e Sushumn , an d al l thes e ar e insid e th e spina l column . Th e Id a an d th e Pingala , th e lef t an d th e right , ar e cluster s o f ne r ves , whil e th e middl e one , th e Sushumna , i s hollo w an d i s no t a cluste r o f ne r ves . Thi s Sushumn a i s closed , an d fo r th e ordinar y ma n i s o f n o use , fo r h e work s throug h th e Id a an d th e Pingal a only . Current s ar e continuall y goin g dow n an d comin g u p throug h t hes e ne r ves , carryin g order s al l ove r th e bod y throug h othe r ne r ve s runnin g t o th e differen t organ s o f th e body .

Th e tas k befor e u s i s vast ; an d firs t an d foremost , w e mus t see k t o contro l th e vas t mas s o f sunke n thought s whic h hav e becom e automati c wit h u s . Th e evi l dee d is , n o doubt , o n th e consciou s plane ; bu t th e caus e whic h produce d th e evi l dee d wa s fa r beyon d i n th e realm s o f th e unconscious , unseen , an d therefor e mor e potent .

Thi s i s th e firs t par t o f th e study , th e contro l o f th e unconscious . Th e n ex t i s t o g o beyon d th e conscious . So , therefore , w e se e no w tha t ther e mus t b e a twofol d work . First , b y th e prope r workin g o f th e Id a an d th e Pingala , whic h ar e th e tw o existin g ordinar y currents , t o contro l th e subconsciou s action ; an d secondly , t o g o beyon d eve n consciousness .

He alone is the Yogi who, after long practice in self-concentration, has attained to this truth. The Sushumna now opens and a current which never before entered into this new passage will find its way into it, and gradually ascend to (what we call in figurative language) the different lotus centres, till at last it reaches the brain. Then the Yogi becomes conscious of what he really is, God Himself. (CW 2. 30, 34, 36)