Those First Few Weeks of Meditation

What is meditation? The Sanskrit word that describes the process we call meditation is “Sadhana.” Sadhana is derived from the root verb sadh, 'to do something in a sustained way'. It is the effort to calm the mind and point it at one aim, one thought. Brahma Sadhana as taught in Ananda Seva and explained by Shrii Shrii Anandamurti is “the effort of the mind to know and become one with the Great.”

However our everyday mind, the mind immersed in our functioning in the day to day life is by its tendency has been conditioned to be utilized in activity in the everyday world. The yogis say “the mind is like the mad monkey stung by a scorpion.” So long as we let the mind free to roam in its capacity for activity we are not so aware of the monkey mind within. But when we attempt to focus the mind on a thought of sublime nature it has a tendency to get back to what is familiar, the activity fueled by our cares, worries and concerns. It is this tendency of the mind that disturbs our ability to connect with our inner serenity, sense of peace and well-being.

Though I have been actively engaged in the practice of sadhana for 38 years every day I face the challenges of distractions of my own mind. How can this be?

As long as there is what we call mind, human mind, small mind there will be the challenges presented by its very desire to maintain its own identity as separate from the all encompassing mind. It is a dynamic struggle and sets the stage for ongoing growth. Spiritual progress is not what you have achieved, but what you have let go of. I have many times let go of what I, little I believed only to replace it with another belief. Liberation from mind does not occur in totality until I or anyone sits of surrenders all of the identity of being small to the Great I, the large I whom we differentiate ourselves from. We achieve this through a sustained effort to redirect the power of the mind to the one unitary thought. Small I is but a particle of big I. Release not your personality, but your attachment to your personality and you can begin to actually experience unitary consciousness.

When the meditation becomes challenging, when you seem to not have the time when the other mundane cares and worries of living in the manifested world grw too great, do not lose heart. This type of challenge is common to most. It is simply the mind revealing itself to you. Apply the practice in a sustained way and you will see the great progress.

To achieve anything meaningful in the life we must apply ourselves in a sustained way. The obstacles will come and the obstacle will go, but because we have a strong desire for our goal in our family, our career or special achievement we will try again and again until the lofty goal is reached. Be like that in your spiritual life also. Achievements of great value do not come so easy; they come after great effort to overcome the obstacles.

The yogis say that “obstacles are those helping incidents on the path to Spiritual realization. Chatter of the mind; sense of being too small for the task are two of the greatest obstacles to fulfilling your spiritual goal. But remember the advice of the Yogis, that by their very existence the obstacles on the spiritual path are actually your friends. They are the helpers for they not only let you know that there is work ahead, but they make you aware of what the work is.

So not allow discouragement to diminish your commitment to engage in he practices so helpful to know and become one with the Great. Each day begin anew and give fresh effort and commitment to your practice. Forget any failings of the past. They are over. Embrace their possibilities of each now day and day by day, bit by bit you will find greater and greater joy in your practice and your life. I have been told by my teacher that one who does the sadhana; the sustained effort everyday will attain liberation in this very lifetime. He said, in fact, that it is a sure guarantee.

Ac. Madhusudan

Marc Nevas

© Ananda Seva Mission