 106. Meditation |
There there is the concept of an external, "higher" Being, there is also an internal personality, which is known as "I" or the Ego. In this case meditation practices becomes a way of developing communication with an external Being. This means that one feels oneself to be inferior and one is trying to contact something higher, greater. Such meditation is based on devotion. This is basically an inward, or introvert practice of meditation, which is well known in the Hindu teachings, were the emphasis is on going into the inward state of samadhi, into the depths of the heart. This is a means of identifying oneself with an external Being and necessitates purifying oneself. The basic belief is that one is separate from God, but there is still a link, one is still part of God. This confusion sometimes arises, and in order to clarify it, one has to work inward and try to raise the standard of individuality to the level of a higher consciousness. This approach makes use of emotions and devotional practices which are aimed at making contact with God or gods or some particular saint. These devotional practices may also include the recitation of mantra.
The other principal form of meditation is almost entire opposite in its approach, though finally it might lead to the same results. Here there is no belief in higher and lower; the idea of different levels. . . does not arise . . . There is no centralizing concept at all . . . This basic form of meditation is concerned with trying to see what is. There are many variations on this form of meditation, but they are generally based on various techniques for opening oneself . . . In this kind of mediation practice, the concept of nowness plays a very important part. In fact, it is the essence of meditation. Whatever one does, whatever one tries to practice is not aimed at achieving a higher state or at following some theory or ideal, but simply without any object or ambition, trying to see what is here and now . . .
Generally meditation instruction cannot be given in a class. There has to be a personal relationship between teacher and pupil. Also there are certain variations within each technique, such as awareness of breathing. I [will] mention the basic way of meditating, and then, if you want to go further, I am sure you could receive further instruction from a meditation teacher.
The cross-legged posture is the one generally adopted in the East, and if one can sit in that position, it is preferable to do so . . . But for those who find it difficult to sit cross-legged, sitting on a chair is quite good . . . The important thing is to keep the back straight so that there is no strain on the breathing. And for the breathing itself, it is not a matter of concentrating, but of trying to become one with the feeling of breath. At the beginning some effort is needed, but after practicing for a while, the awareness is simply kept on the verge of the movement of breath; it just follows it quite naturally and one is not trying to bind the mind to breathing. One tries to feel the breath – outbreathing, inbreathing, outbreathing, inbreathing – and it usually happens that the outbreathing is longer than the inbreathing, which helps one to become aware of space and the expansion of breathing outwards.
It is also very important to avoid becoming solemn and to avoid the feeling that one is taking part in some special ritual. One should feel quite natural and spontaneous, and simply try and identify oneself with the breath. That is all there is to it, and there are no ideas or analyzing involved. Whenever thoughts arise, just observe them, as thoughts, rather than as being a subject . . . one should not try to suppress thoughts in meditation, but one should just try to see the transitory nature, the translucent nature of thoughts. One should not become involved in them, nor reject them, but simply observe them and then come back to the awareness of breathing. The whole point is to cultivate the acceptance of everything, so one should not discriminate or become involved in any kind of struggle.
That is the basic meditation technique, and it is quite simple and direct. There should be no deliberate effort, no attempt to control and not attempt to be peaceful. This is why breathing is used. It is easy to feel the breathing, and one has no need to be self-conscious or to try and do anything.
Basically there are two stages in the practice of meditation. The first involves disciplining oneself to develop the first starting point of meditation, and here certain techniques, such as observing the breathing, are used. At the second stage one surpasses and sees the reality behind the technique of breathing, or whatever the technique may be, and one develops an approach to actual reality through the technique – a kind of becoming one with the present moment . . .
