RAJA YOGA , MESSAGE 24

 Raja Yoga, Message 24

The section ‘Meditation Exercises’ resumes now 

4. Repeat OM mentally. Keep the meaning of OM always in the mind. Feel that you are the all-pervading, infinite Light. Feel that you are the pure existence-knowledge-bliss absolute, all-pervading Atman — the eternally pure, eternally free Brahman. Feel you are consciousness. Feel that you are the indivisible, all-full, homogeneous, peaceful, infinite, eternal, unchanging Existence. Every atom, every molecule, every nerve, vein and artery should powerfully vibrate with these ideas. Your heart, head and soul should feel that you are the subtle, all-pervading intelligence. This feeling should be kept up continuously. 

Negate the body idea when you repeat OM mentally. When you chant OM feel: 

Infinity am I ... OM OM OM

All Light am I ... OM OM OM

All Joy am I ... OM OM OM

All Glory am I ... OM OM OM

All Power am I ... OM OM OM

All Knowledge am I ... OM OM OM

All Bliss am I ... OM OM OM 

5. Meditate on OM as silence, as an embodiment of peace. Feel: "I am an embodiment of peace or silence." This is abstract or subtle meditation. It is vedantic nirguna meditation (or ahamgraha upasana). Meditate on OM as an embodiment of bliss. Feel: "I am an embodiment of bliss." This is also abstract meditation. Do you see clearly the difference now between the two forms of meditation — one on OM and the other on 'I'? The first kind of meditation will prepare you for the practice of the second kind of meditation. 

Meditate that the single letter, the supreme light — the pranava OM — is the origin or source of the three letters, A, U and M. Inhale the air through ida or left nostril for the space of sixteen matras, meditate on the letter A during that time; retain the air for the space of 64 matras, meditate on the letter U during that time; exhale for the space of 32 matras and meditate on the letter M during that time. Practise this again and again in the above order. Begin with two or three times and gradually increase the number to twenty or thirty times according to your capacity and strength. To begin with, keep the ratio 1:4:2. Gradually increase the ratio to 16:64:32. The practitioner will get great peace of mind and inner strength. Kundalini will be awakened. He will soon enter into nirvikalpa samadhi. 

Association with OM is to become one with the thing signified. Try to identify yourself with the all-blissful Self when you think or meditate or chant OM, and negate the five sheaths as illusory adjuncts created by illusion. 

Shut out all mundane thoughts. They may again and again recur. Again and again generate thoughts of the pure Self. Associate ideas of purity, perfection, freedom, knowledge, immortality, eternity, infinity, etc., with OM. Repeat OM mentally. This is the meaning. During meditation you should feel that you are all purity, all light, all-pervading existence, etc. Meditate on the Self daily. Think you are different from mind and body. Feel: 'I am all-pervading consciousness.' Constant effort with zeal and enthusiasm is indispensable. Repeat mentally the above ideas incessantly. Meditate on OM till you attain samadhi. If your mind gets distracted by rajas and tamas, practise concentration and meditation again and again. 

"Having made one's body or the lower self the lower fire stick, and pranava (OM) the upper, by the friction of continued practice of meditation one should see God (Atman) hidden within." —Svetashvatara Upanishad 

OM (pranava) is a ferry-boat for men who have fallen into the never-ending ocean of mundane life. Many have crossed this ocean of samsara with the help of this ferry-boat. You can also do so if you will meditate constantly on OM with meaning.

Enter the ship of OM. Start the propeller, the current of Brahma bhavana (I am Brahman, I am the immortal, all-pervading Self). Sail smoothly in the ocean of samsara with the help of constant meditation. Have the anchor of discrimination. Whenever the tempest of desires blows vehemently, whenever there is the fear of the ship being shattered by the iceberg of worldly infatuation, get ready to wear the lifebelt of enquiry into the nature of the Self and land safely in the marvellous city of existence, knowledge, bliss Absolute. 

Meditation on Soham 

'Soham' means 'He I am' or 'I am He', 'I am Brahman'. 'Sa' means 'he'. 'Aham' means 'I'. This is the greatest of all mantras. This is the mantra of paramahamsa sannyasins. This signifies the identity of the individual soul and Brahman, the Supreme Self. 

Soham is only OM. Delete the consonants 's' and 'h'. You get OM. Soham is modified OM. Some like 'soham' better than 'OM', because they find it convenient and easy to associate it or mix it with the breath. Further, there is no effort in doing japa of this mantra. The natural breath remains one with this mantra. If you simply concentrate on the breath, if you simply watch the breath, that is quite sufficient. 

Meditation on 'soham' is the same as meditation on OM. Some repeat the compound mantra 'hamsah soham, soham hamsah' — 'I am He; He am I'. Before you practise meditation on 'soham', you must practise the neti-neti (not this, not this) doctrine. You must negate or deny the body and the other sheaths by repeating "I am not this body, mind or prana. I am He, I am He. Soham, soham."  

Repeat this mantra mentally. You should feel with all your heart and soul that you are the all-pervading omnipotent, all-blissful Brahman. This is important. Then only will the full benefits of meditation or japa of this mantra be realised by you. Mere mechanical repetition will not help you much. It has its own benefits — but maximum benefits can only be realised in feeling. Feeling is Self-realisation.

If the intellect tries to feel, 'I am Brahman, I am omnipotent' and the sub-conscious chitta tries to feel, 'I am a clerk in the chief Court; I am weak; I am helpless. What shall I do for money for my daughter's marriage? I am afraid the judge will fine me', realisation is not possible. You must destroy all wrong impressions, all false imaginations, all weaknesses, all superstitions and all vain fears. Even if you are in the jaws of a tiger you must powerfully roar "Soham, soham, soham, I am not this body". Then only are you a real vedantin. Even if you have nothing to eat, even if you are in the roll of unemployment, you must say with great force and power, "Soham, soham". You have been spoiled by the mind and by ignorance. It is they that have brought you to this limitation through identification with this body. Pierce the veil of ignorance. Tear the five sheaths. Remove the curtain of nescience, which is a great nuisance. Rest in your own essential state of existence, knowledge, bliss Absolute through the force of meditation on 'soham' mantra. 

The jiva or the individual soul is repeating this mantra 21,600 times within twenty-four hours. Even during sleep the soham-repetition goes on by itself. Watch the breath very carefully and you will know this. When you inhale, the sound 'so' is produced. When you exhale, 'ham' is produced. This is termed ajapa-japa because it is done without moving the lips along with the breath. Repeat 'so' mentally when you inhale, 'ham' mentally when you exhale. Practise this for two hours in the morning and evening. If you can repeat for ten hours, it is all the better. Study Hamsa Upanishad. 

The repetition of the compound mantra 'hamsah soham — soham hamsah', creates a very deep impression. The late famous Sri Seshadri Swami of Tirunvannamalai used to meditate on this compound mantra. Even when he moved alone in the streets and bazaar, he repeated it. We say 'God is love, love is God.' Similarly, repetition of 'hamsah soham — soham hamsah' intensifies the force of the mantra. The aspirant gets more internal strength from the Atman. His conviction grows stronger. This sort of repetition corresponds to the repetition of the mahavakya, 'Aham Brahma asmi', 'Brahmaivahamasmi', 'I am Brahman, Brahman am I'. 

'Analhaq' of the sufi-fakirs corresponds to soham of the paramahamsa-sannyasins. Guru Nanak highly extolled this mantra.

You must practise meditation for full twenty-four hours when you advance on the path. You will find real rest during meditation. There is no necessity for sleep. 

Your duration of life is counted really by so many 'soham' breaths in the light of yoga. It is not really made up of so many years. By the practice of pranayama, you save the soham-breaths and thus can prolong your life. 

In the beginning of your practice simply watch the breath every now and then. Meditate on soham for one hour in a closed room with feeling and meaning. You can watch the breath with silent soham-repetition while sitting, standing, eating, talking, bathing, etc. This is an easy method of concentration. 

Soham is the breath of life. OM is the Soul of breath. If you concentrate on the breath you will notice that the breath is gradually becoming very, very slow when concentration becomes deep. Gradually the repetition of 'soham' will drop when there is deep concentration. The mind will become very calm. You will enjoy. Ultimately you will become one with the Supreme Self. 

Benefits of Chanting OM 

Brahman is compared to the swan Hamsa. An adept in yoga who bestrides the swan — i.e. contemplates on OM — is not affected by influences of karma or by tens of millions of sins. Whoever does japa of this mantra in the morning, destroys the sins committed during the day. Whosoever recites OM morning and evening becomes free from the sins, however sinful he may be. He derives the good effects of the recitation of all the Vedas. 

When a sacrificial rite or the like is found defective, it will be rendered perfect by the utterance of this powerful mantra 'OM' at the end. With OM all acts of sacrifice, study of sacred scriptures, spiritual discipline and meditation are commenced. If the doer of sacrifices remembers OM, all obstacles that stand in the way of success of the sacrifices are removed. 

You already know that radio waves travel seven times throughout the whole world in one second. Mysterious indeed! Have you ever thought of this? Have you ever thought of the efficacy of the vibrations of this mysterious chanting of OM? The vibrations of this OM chanting have travelled throughout the world and have brought solace to those depressed, sad persons who are filled with gloom and despair. It has given strength to many unselfish workers in the world. It has infused a new spiritual life, vigour and vitality in the very hearts of enthusiastic youths, the future hope of India, a glory and blessing to the world at large. It has a great deal changed the vicious impressions that are embedded in the sub-conscious mind of one and all. 

Whenever you feel depressed, whenever you get a little headache, take a brisk walk and chant OM while walking. While chanting OM feel that your entire being is filled with divine energy. Chanting OM is a potent, easily available tonic and specific for all diseases. It is a panacea or sovereign remedy for all ailments. Try this prescription yourself and feel the miraculous effects of this divine medicine. Just as you take medicine twice or thrice, take recourse to chanting of OM twice or thrice. Brahman or Atman is one with OM. Chanting of OM means going near to the source and tapping the cosmic energy which is inexhaustible. When you chant OM, feel: "All health am I". All pathogenic or disease-causing germs are destroyed or burnt by the vibrations of OM. You can chant OM while sitting on any comfortable seat in your room for the purpose of regaining, maintaining or improving your health. 

Drive out evil thoughts by chanting OM. Draw inspiration, power and strength by singing OM. Get one-pointedness of mind by doing japa of OM. Melt the mind in Brahman by meditating on OM and rest in your own essential nature. 

Such is the greatness and glory of OM, the name or symbol of Brahman. If you put unshakable faith in the glory of this name you will be freed from the bondage of births and deaths. If you perform any action with the utterance of OM in the beginning, middle and end, you will attain perfection and success in the action. 

May that OM guide you, protect you, elevate you, take you to the goal and free you from the round of births and deaths.

PRACTICE OF SAMYAMA 

"The three (dharana, dhyana and samadhi) together constitute samyama." (III-4) 

Samyama is the name given to the combined practice of dharana, dhyana and samadhi at one and the same time. These three constitute the internal (antaranga) sadhana of raja yoga, along with pratyahara. The first four — yama, niyama, asana and pranayama — are the external sadhana. Real raja yoga commences with pratyahara, with the internal sadhana. Samyama constitutes the actual practice of raja yoga. Dharana, dhyana and samadhi directly bring samadhi, while yama, niyama, asana, pranayama and pratyahara purify the body, prana and senses. 

By the conquest of samyama comes the stage of cognition. As samyama becomes firmer and firmer, so does the knowledge of samadhi become more and more clear — this is the fruit of the practice of samyama. Samyama should become very natural, then knowledge flashes. Samyama is a powerful weapon for the yogi. Just as the archer aims at the gross objects first and then takes to subtle objects, so also the yogi does samyama on gross objects and then takes to subtle objects. He does a great deal of practise and ascends the yoga ladder rung by rung. 

Through the practice of samyama you can enter into the truth about the thing meditated upon. You can come face to face with the real nature of things. You can get various siddhis and psychic faculties. 

By doing samyama on the sun the yogi gets knowledge of the worlds. Samyama on the moon gives him knowledge of the stellar system. Samyama on the pole star reveals to him the truth about the movement of the stars. The yogi gets the strength of an elephant if he does samyama on an elephant. By practising samyama on his own body, he is able to dematerialise the physical body and move about invisibly. 

By samyama on the signs (of others), comes the knowledge of their minds. By samyama on the relation of the ear and ether, comes divine hearing. By samyama on the relation between ether and the body, the yogi, attaining the lightness of cotton, attains the power of passage through ether (air). 

By samyama and direct perception of the samskaras, (impressions and tendencies) comes the knowledge of previous births. By samyama on the distinctive relation between sattva (purity) and Purusha (soul) comes the powers of omnipotence and omniscience. 

By samyama on the chakra (plexus) of the navel, comes the knowledge of the body. By samyama on the chakra at the pit of the throat, comes the removal of hunger and thirst. By samyama on the light of the head, comes the darshan of siddhas. 

Only one more samyama I would particularly mention and ask you to practise. That is samyama on virtues like love, friendliness, etc. Then you will be able to radiate these virtues and thereby transform others by infusing these virtues into them. 

Samyama on the innermost self is the goal of the practice of raja yoga. All other samyamas will only give you some siddhis which will pave the way to your downfall. Beware of them. Proceed cautiously along the path to the goal. Meditate on the Self. Enter into samadhi. Attain Atma-jnana. 

OBSTACLES 

Obstacles in Meditation 

"Disease, dullness, doubt, carelessness, laziness, indolence, worldly-mindedness or sensuality, mistaken notion or illusion, missing the point, instability causing distractions of the mind; these are the obstacles." (I-30) 

An intelligent and comprehensive understanding of the various obstacles that act as stumbling blocks in meditation is indispensable. Then alone will the aspirant find it easy to conquer them one by one. Just as the sailor sails in and out of a harbour along a dangerous coast with the help of a pilot, so also the aspirant with the help of a detailed knowledge of these obstacles and the methods to conquer them will be able to steer clearly in the ocean of spirituality. Hence, I will give a very lucid exposition of the various obstacles and the effective methods to conquer them. 

The real and serious obstacles to meditation are from within only. They do not come from outside. 

Attachment to objects, dullness of intellect or understanding, ill-directed argument leading to misinterpretation of texts and clinging obstinately to the belief that the Atman is susceptible to suffering grief and enjoying happiness, are obstacles in meditation. Any one of these is quite sufficient to interfere with the attainment of real knowledge. Therefore, cultivate dispassion, sharpen the intellect and give up perverted logic. Identify yourself with the pure Atman. 

If you are careless and non-vigilant, if you are irregular in meditation, if your dispassion wanes, if you yield even a bit to sensual pleasure, the mind will continue to go downward like a ball dropped upon a flight of stairs. When sedge is displaced on the surface of a lake, it closes in again at once; even so, the world closes in even upon a wise man if he stops his meditation and sadhana even for a short time. 

Just as water leaks out into the rat holes in agricultural fields, so also energy is wasted in wrong channels through attraction for objects, under-currents and lurking subtle desires. Suppressed desires also will manifest and harass you. You will unconsciously become a victim of those desires. Therefore, be careful, be alert, be regular in your meditation. 

Scents, soft beds, novel reading, dramas, theatres, cinemas, vulgar music, dancing, flowers, company of women and rajasic diet all excite passion and cause disturbance of the mind. Too much salt, too many chillies and too many sweets cause intense thirst and disturb meditation. Too much talking, too much walking, too much work and too much mixing disturb the mind in meditation. 

Dullness is indisposition of the mind to work. In a state of dullness a person is unfit to do any practice on account of inexperience in the line and the lack of tendencies (samskaras) of previous births. Dullness, laziness, etc., can be eradicated by pranayama, asana and active habits. Doubt is whether it is this or that; such indecisive notion is doubt. The yogi is not able to proceed further in the path of yoga. He will doubt whether all that is said in the yoga scriptures is true or not. This can be dispelled by right knowledge, discrimination and right thinking, study of scriptures and by the company of spiritually advanced souls. Worldly-mindedness is that tendency of the mind which unceasingly longs keenly for one or the other kind of sensual enjoyment on account of attachment. This is destroyed by looking into the faults of worldly objects and worldly life (such as impermanence, disease, death, old age, miseries, etc.) by constant company of dispassionate mahatmas (satsang) and study of books on dispassion.

Mistaken notion or illusion is mistaking an undesirable state for the most desirable one, due to illusion. This is also removed by the company of yogis. Missing the point is going astray from the right path to samadhi and falling into the clutches of siddhis. Missing the point and instability are removed by developing more dispassion and doing constant and intense sadhana in seclusion. Instability is that fickleness of the mind which does not allow the yogi to remain in the state of samadhi, even though he has reached it with great difficulty. Maya is powerful. There is many a slip between the cup and lip. (These obstacles do not come to those who do japa of OM.) 

When slight difficulties appear, do not stop the practice. Find out suitable means to eradicate the obstacles. Plod on till you get the highest asamprajnata samadhi. Success is bound to come if you are sincere and steady in your practice. 

Know things in their proper light. Do not be deluded. Emotion is mistaken for devotion; violent jumping in the air during group chanting for divine ecstasy; falling down in a swoon on account of exhaustion from too much jumping, for bhava samadhi (super-conscious state attained through intense divine emotion); rajasic restlessness and motion for divine activities and karma yoga. A tamasic man is mistaken for a sattvic man; movement of air in rheumatism in the back for ascent of kundalini; deep sleep for samadhi; building castles in the air for meditation and physical nudity for jivanmukta state. Learn to discriminate and become wise. 

Vikshepa is tossing or oscillation of the mind. This is an age-old habit of the mind. This is distraction of the mind. All seekers generally complain of this trouble. The mind never stays at a fixed point for a long time. It jumps hither and thither like a monkey. It is always restless. This is due to the force of rajas. Tratak, meditation, chanting of OM and pranayama will remove tossing of the mind. It is better to have a combined method. This will be more effective. 

When you take your seat for meditation you want to get up soon, not on account of pain in the legs, but on account of impatience. Conquer this undesirable negative quality by gradually developing patience. Then you will be able to sit for three or four hours at a stretch. 

A weak aspirant, though he may be strong in concentration, is overcome by idleness; but a strong aspirant, if he is weak in concentration, is over-powered by tossing of mind. Concentration and energy should, therefore, be well-balanced. 

Meditate, meditate. Concentrate, concentrate, my dear friends. Never miss even a single day owing to laziness. Life is short, time is fleeting and obstacles are many on the spiritual path. 

Conquer them one by one by exertion and prayer. If you are sincere you will succeed. 

(a) Physical Obstacles 

Disease is the first obstacle in yoga. Diseases are generated in the body through sleeping in the daytime, late overnight vigils, excessive sexual intercourse, moving in crowds, checking of the urine and excreta, laborious mental work, lack of regular exercise, irregularity in taking food and unwholesome food that cannot agree with the system. 

Diseases can be removed by the practice of asana, pranayama and physical exercises, meditation, dietetic adjustment, fasting, purgatives, enema, bath, sun-treatment, sufficient rest, etc. First diagnose the case and find out the cause for the disease and then try for a remedy; or consult a doctor. 

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