Yes! You read it right. Don't do Meditation.
Now if you search for the Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition for Mediation or Meditate, it is given as below-
- Because meditation cannot be done
- Because meditation is not a "doing" or "action"
- Because meditation is a non-doing or inaction
- Because by "doing" by "action" you cannot achieve "non-doing" or "inaction"
- Because meditation is a 'happening within you', it's a state of your "Being" not your "Mind"
- Because meditation means "not involving mind" or "bypassing the mind"
Until I reached the USA, the word "Meditation" meant something else for me. Until then it meant something like doing some exercises to sharpen your brain powers or neurons power of your mind. It meant "mental exercise" for me.
Now if you just type "Define Meditation" in Google, it displays the definition as below -
meditation
mɛdɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n/
noun
- the action or practice of meditating.
"a life of meditation"
synonyms: contemplation, thought, thinking, musing, pondering, consideration, reflection,
prayer, deliberation, study, rumination, cogitation, brooding, mulling
over, reverie, brown study, concentration, speculation;
rarecerebration"cultivating the presence of God in meditation and prayer"- a written or spoken discourse expressing considered thoughts on a subject.plural noun: meditations
"this is not a mythopoetic meditation on manhood, it's a historical study"
Now if you search for the Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition for Mediation or Meditate, it is given as below-
Definition of meditate
meditate; meditating
intransitive verb
- 1: to engage in contemplation or reflection - He meditated long and hard before announcing his decision.
- 2: to engage in mental exercise (such as concentration on one's breathing or repetition of a mantra) for the purpose of reaching a heightened level of spiritual awareness
transitive verb
- 1: to focus one's thoughts on: reflect on or ponder over He was meditating his past achievements.
- 2: to plan or project in the mind: intend, purpose He was meditating revenge.
So I had a perfect understanding of what it means and I had no confusion about it. But slowly after living in America, I realized that people are actually confused here. They are actually trying to achieve the state of "Dhyana" but they call it "Meditation" here and hence so much mental effort they are trying to put into it because Meditation is defined as "action involving mind".
When Westerners were translating the Hindi & Sanskrit Spiritual Knowledge often there were no words available in the English language so whatever closest word they could find according to "their understanding" they would use that. When Dhyana was being translated there were 3 words available; Focus, Concentration & Meditation. Focus and Concentration were very limited ones, Meditation was vague and expansive word covering a lot of meaning, so they used the word meditation for Dhyana. But since they were NOT MEDITATIVE people who were translating it, they never really "attained Dhyana" so mental understanding resulted in a translation that was for the mind, and is of absolutely no use. There are many such corrupted, polluted words that lost their meaning in translation, like "contemplation", "Samadhi", Self, Selfishness, Brahm/THAT and many more words.
SUBTLE METHODS TO ATTAIN DHYANA
Using 3rd Eye Chakra
The State of Dhyana can be attained directly.
Though one can go via the Mind (5 Senses/Manas) or Physical Body (Yoga/Yogic Tapas) route too. But that is far more time consuming and difficult, yet for some that may be the best and only option. No method is right or wrong, it depends from person to person and the level of "intensity" that one has.
Now, How can one attain Dhyana directly? DO NOT involve your Mind at all, that means No Attention, No Focus, No Concentration on Yantra, Mantra, Japa, Chanting, Images, Colors, Light or any outside object at all. Nothing needs to be done which involves, activates your mind. Dhyana can be easily achieved without any mental activity at all, we are trying to recognize the distance from any mental activity and thoughts. That distance need not be "created" by going far away or involving in yantra, mantra, chanting and this or that. That distance ALREADY exists in you, because you are not your thoughts or emotions or mind. All you have to do is STILL yourself, so you can SEE/FEEL/PERCEIVE that distance.
Now, How can one attain Dhyana directly? DO NOT involve your Mind at all, that means No Attention, No Focus, No Concentration on Yantra, Mantra, Japa, Chanting, Images, Colors, Light or any outside object at all. Nothing needs to be done which involves, activates your mind. Dhyana can be easily achieved without any mental activity at all, we are trying to recognize the distance from any mental activity and thoughts. That distance need not be "created" by going far away or involving in yantra, mantra, chanting and this or that. That distance ALREADY exists in you, because you are not your thoughts or emotions or mind. All you have to do is STILL yourself, so you can SEE/FEEL/PERCEIVE that distance.
So when we use the direct methods to attain Dhyana using 3rd Eye Center the first thing to understand is that there already is a huge distance/gap/separation between you and your mind-thoughts-emotions-bundle. Dhyana means that GAP, that SILENCE, that STILLNESS within, it already exists. There is no need of any efforts to Create it. You just have to recognize it, tap into it, perceive it without using ANY of your 5 senses (Manas) because it is beyond the perception power of 5 senses. That means 5 senses should be withdrawn so they do not create a distraction.
Sit cross-legged on the floor or asana (cotton/wool/jute/bamboo or natural organic material mat) with your back straight. Room or your place of Dhyana should be a QUIET one. Your ears should not get any input. Start Dhyana at night, when it's all dark outside and you can turn off the room lights as well so eyes will not get input either. Light up a very small candle in front of you about 3 feet away, to increase the Etheric vibration and so you can see the "tip of your nose". You shouldn't be seeing the entire room and stuff and things around clearly at all. Nothing should be touching your body. Eat food two hours before or after Dhyana, so taste buds are not so excited and stomach/digestion process is not causing distractions. Wear appropriate clothes so neither you are cold nor you should be feeling too warm. For few days just do this much, try to practice sitting with a straight back, because there is no point in going forward with a weaker foundation. If sitting cross-legged is a problem then sit on the chair but with back straight. If you do not have any prescribed medical condition which prevents you from sitting on the floor cross-legged then try, try and try until you become comfortable sitting that way. You will always see the Awakened ones sitting in Padmasana, or Siddhasana or Ardhpadmasana like poses only because there is a big reason for that, it's about creating a perfect circuit of energy in your Etheric body. Samadhi is also a posture/pose/asana of the body initially when it happens. Once Dhyana or Samadhi states becomes your Natural State of being then it won't matter how your physical body is, but then naturally you won't be able to slouch your back even if you want to, you will sit cross-legged or with one leg half folded even on the chair because in all the other ways you will feel uncomfortable.
Once you are able to still your body and you are able to sit for at least 15 minutes in a cross-legged position without moving and you are accustomed to the dark room with only a small candle then comes the second step.
The second step is to just throw a "glance", very "gentle look" on the tip of your nose. Do not focus, do not concentrate, as there is no Eifel Tower or Taj Mahal there to look, there is nothing to look or to put focus or concentration on. There should not be any "effort" done at all. Just a simple, gentle glance, look on the tip of the nose that will "half close" your eyes. This is being done so neither your eyes stay open and get tons of inputs to distract you by activating your conscious mind, and nor your eyes close completely and your subconscious becomes active and you start slipping in the dream mode instead. So for Beginners eyes should not be fully open and should not be fully closed. Initially, this gentle glance/look will break every few seconds, but slowly by practicing you will be able to sit like this for 10-15 minutes. Initially, you will feel like it is creating a sort of pressure in your forehead, which is nothing to be worried about. Because yes, it is creating pressure on your 3rd Eye point and that is the reason we are doing it. Now you will realize that when you throw a gentle glance on the tip of your nose anywhere, anytime you CANNOT THINK. There will not be any thoughts at all. Once you master this glance you can do it anywhere, anytime. But never do it for more than 15-20 minutes. That's all. Slowly this "thoughtlessness" will start taking deeper and deeper roots in you. And that's what Dhyana is, a "thoughtless state". After a couple of months, you will be able to tap into this "thought-less" state without even glancing on the tip of your nose. Dhyana state can be achieved instantly with even just first try, it is something very very simple. And just in 3-4 months, it takes roots in you, this thoughtless state becomes your natural state to be, like how anxiousness or fear or stress or frustration were your natural states before.
Once glancing the tip of your nose is learned you never need a special place, asana or other favorable surroundings, its good if you have them but if you want you can come out of those sensory limitations. Once Dhyana state can be achieved without throwing this glance on the tip of the nose, then give up that too, don't keep on doing it for more than few months at all. Keep giving up on all such things that were used to get into that Dhyana state. Buddha used to say - Once you cross the river do you keep carrying the "boat" with you? No! You leave the boat after crossing the river and do not carry it on your shoulders wherever you go. So that's the point. Do not carry the boat, the mode, the practice part, just "be that thoughtless state". Drop the boat once you have arrived on the other shore.
Now few important things to understand here are that Dhyana is the state of "non-doing", "stillness" of "being", not the stillness of Mind. Mind CANNOT be made still at all, the mind is a mind and it's futile to fight it, you can never teach non-doing, non-thinking to the monkey mind, so why struggle on that front. You are trying to silent your mind which is against the nature of mind but why worry about mind at all, let it be there, you do whatever needs to be done and it doesn't involve mind at all. Thoughts become a problem when you want to Attain Dhyana using your Thoughts & Imagination. When your understanding of Dhyana is the definition of Meditation. That's when you struggle and make mistake. If you can keep your body still, then Dhyana happens INSTANTLY. Try right now, just throw a gentle glance on the tip of your nose. You won't be able to "think" anything, thoughts will not be there. All you need to do is make this state a little longer, deeper in you. Let it sink within you. Some people will struggle with this throwing a gentle glance on the tip of the nose because they will start focusing on it, concentrating on it, the moment it happens means the mind is on the crime scene now, stop it, break it try again. It should be a very gentle, soft, effortless look.
Now few important things to understand here are that Dhyana is the state of "non-doing", "stillness" of "being", not the stillness of Mind. Mind CANNOT be made still at all, the mind is a mind and it's futile to fight it, you can never teach non-doing, non-thinking to the monkey mind, so why struggle on that front. You are trying to silent your mind which is against the nature of mind but why worry about mind at all, let it be there, you do whatever needs to be done and it doesn't involve mind at all. Thoughts become a problem when you want to Attain Dhyana using your Thoughts & Imagination. When your understanding of Dhyana is the definition of Meditation. That's when you struggle and make mistake. If you can keep your body still, then Dhyana happens INSTANTLY. Try right now, just throw a gentle glance on the tip of your nose. You won't be able to "think" anything, thoughts will not be there. All you need to do is make this state a little longer, deeper in you. Let it sink within you. Some people will struggle with this throwing a gentle glance on the tip of the nose because they will start focusing on it, concentrating on it, the moment it happens means the mind is on the crime scene now, stop it, break it try again. It should be a very gentle, soft, effortless look.
So just these two steps - the First one "Preparation for Dhyana" and Second one "Be in Dhyana". Just like one Prepares themselves to be in the shower first by taking off clothes etc and then one is in the shower. That's all, it's simple, no complications. No struggle and Mind is not at all in the picture, neither Thoughts nor Emotions. Absolutely no drama at all.
Using Prana/Pranic Energy
There is another way to attain this state of Dhyana using the 4th Chakra/Heart Chakra power. There is another simple way, through using Prana/Pranic Energy.
Do this experiment on yourself. Think of a really fearful situation that you were in your life, anything that might have scared you very much. Think of it. Then just think how you were breathing at that time. Shallow, fast paced kind of. Now the try to breathe in the exact same way right now. Do it for 2-3 minutes and you will see that it actually created the Fear in you. Try another one, think of a time when you were sexually aroused and think how you were breathing at that time. Long rhythmic deep breaths. Try to breathe in the exact similar way right now and within few minutes you will feel sexually aroused. Try another one, think of the time when you were with your love, or with your child or anyone with whom you feel deeply in love with and think how you were breathing at that time. Try to breathe in the exact same way for few minutes and you will feel love within. So what this tells you is that Emotions can Change/Trigger a specific Breathing pattern, and Breathing pattern can Initiate/Trigger the emotion in you accordingly. Emotions or Emotional Energy are part of your Heart or Heart's Energy field. And there is no way to access Heart Chakra or Energy Field of the Heart except either through Emotions or through Breathing. Now emotions are highly unstable and keep on forcing your Breathing pattern to be arrhythmic, out of sync. The State of Dhyana is also the energetic field of the Heart/Heart Chakra. So by tapping into that energetic field, you can attain Dhyana. How?
Preparation of Dhyana - Start watching your breath, just become aware of your breath. No need to change it at all. In any given moment just watch your breath. Do not focus or concentrate on "how am I breathing?" Don't get into the analysis of your breathing pattern. Just simply, effortlessly watch your breath. Now this "watching/being aware of" is a quality in you, just like any other emotion and it exists in you. No need to mentally focus or concentrate on your Breath. No mind involvement. Just a gentle, soft watching, being aware of your Breath.
Dhyana - Slowly from that breathing "watchfulness/awareness" will arise in you. Just like above I explained that emotion of fear can create a specific breathing pattern, and the reverse is also true, a specific breathing pattern can initiate/trigger the emotion of fear in you. So in the same way we are at first using our natural quality of "watching/being aware" to watch our Breath, and then slowly through that "watchfulness/awareness" will arise within. The more and more we do it, the more this watchfulness/awareness within starts taking deeper roots. If you are being watchful or aware of your breath then you cannot think of anything else. Initially, this watchfulness/awareness of breath will be broken shortly after you start, but keep coming back to that again and again. Initially, you will be able to recognize it after you are done with "being watchful or aware of your breath" or maybe an hour later. Slowly you will start noticing this watchfulness more and more. This quality of watchfulness or awareness is not connected to anything in you. It's a space, void kind of thing.This thoughtless state, this watchfulness/awareness is Dhyana. It is not about watching or being aware of something particular at all, it's just a natural quality that we all have, and it can be initiated/triggered in you through breathing. Some people may struggle with this technique when they get into an analysis of their breath or their chest going up & down or anything like that. If you see yourself doing that, stop, try again, just simply be watchful, be aware. Within few days of practice, watchfulness/awareness will arise within you. Once you start recognizing it, it will start taking deeper roots. You can do this by sitting anywhere in any pose, day or night or whenever. But it works best when you are sitting cross-legged with your back straight, or at least with your back straight. This is another powerful way to attain Dhyana.
Other than the above there are many Pranayam techniques, Kriya Yoga techniques.
Other than the above there are many Pranayam techniques, Kriya Yoga techniques.
GROSS METHODS TO ATTAIN DHYANA
Using Mind/Manas/5 Senses
Mind has 4 dimensions, aspects, functions -
- Manas - Sensory Control
- Aham - The "I" maker
- Buddhi - Intellect
- Chitta - Impressions, Perception storage
Now from the above 4, Manas is a really powerful gross dimension, aspect and can be used to attain Dhyana. One can fix their glance on a Yantra and can use their Eyes or can Listen to Mantras and use their ears, or can use their Speech to Chant a Mantra and vibrate their Consciousness, or one can use Tantra to go deep down into the depths of sense of "Touch" and activate the flow of energy to reach Consciousness, Awareness. There are different methods & techniques involving senses and Manas and it depends on a person as to which sense will work for him. Many yogis used Yantra, many Chanted Mantra, many heard (Shruti) the Mantra and yet many went through the routes of Tantra.
One can use their Chitta - Impressions storage house too, to see the stored reflections and purify Chitta and learn the life lessons and raise their vibrations, consciousness level and erase the boundaries, limitations of “I”, “Me”, “Mine”.
Kundalini Awakening, Kriya Yoga methods work directly on the Energy Body or Etheric layer of your body. For some people, this is the best option.
While choosing a method to attain Dhyana, if you are trying by yourself then try Subtle Methods first and then go for Gross methods. No method is right or wrong, no one method is better than any others, it all depends on YOU. By doing Martial Arts or just by sweeping floor also one can attain Dhyana. It is NEVER about the Method actually. One Single deciding factor is “INTENSITY”. How much Intense anyone is, how much is the Fire Within and if one is really Intense then ANY method will work.
Now, let's understand "why" are we trying to attain Dhyana state? Benefits of attaining it are so many and can be categorized into two major categories -
One can use their Chitta - Impressions storage house too, to see the stored reflections and purify Chitta and learn the life lessons and raise their vibrations, consciousness level and erase the boundaries, limitations of “I”, “Me”, “Mine”.
Using Etheric/Energy Body
Kundalini Awakening, Kriya Yoga methods work directly on the Energy Body or Etheric layer of your body. For some people, this is the best option.
Using Physical Body
Many people attain Dhyana through Physical Body Tapas, by doing Hatha Yoga or other types of Yogas. But for that "intention" should be to "attain dhyana" and not just well-being. This may take a longer time to manifest but all these methods work too.While choosing a method to attain Dhyana, if you are trying by yourself then try Subtle Methods first and then go for Gross methods. No method is right or wrong, no one method is better than any others, it all depends on YOU. By doing Martial Arts or just by sweeping floor also one can attain Dhyana. It is NEVER about the Method actually. One Single deciding factor is “INTENSITY”. How much Intense anyone is, how much is the Fire Within and if one is really Intense then ANY method will work.
Now, let's understand "why" are we trying to attain Dhyana state? Benefits of attaining it are so many and can be categorized into two major categories -
- Physical, Mental, Emotional, Energetical Well-Being
- Moksha/Liberation
Once a person attains Dhyana state and is able to tap into that silence, that void, that watchfulness, then he/she naturally becomes peaceful. And despite leading a hectic, busy, stressful life one knows how to maintain the distance from the mind and doesn't indulge in overuse of alcohol, drugs type of stuff to numb the mind to stop the thought process. Maintaining the distance from mind results in an improvement in energy level. Once he/she becomes Calmer and Peaceful, it gets easier to deal with life and Physical Body gets less ruined, damaged and stays healthy instead. He/She is better equipped to deal with life situations by achieving emotional and mental balance. Hence Psychosomatic diseases do not happen to such a person. Once this Dhyana state takes deeper roots in anyone, then it CANNOT be LOST. You cannot unlearn it, or loose it. You may forget about it, but by similar small practice, you can again be back to it. The effect of it stays with you for a very long time, even if you don't do it.
Now those whose interest in Dhyana is to achieve Well-Being of Body, Mind or Emotions they do not need more information than what is already provided.
Those who are looking for Moksha/Liberation and are on their journey to find the Ultimate Truth they can take this State of Dhyana to whole another level. That's whole another dimension of understanding & living in itself. Most important thing to understand is that this will cause a major stir, overhaul in your life and everything that you have hidden inside will start coming to the surface to change the perception and once it is addressed another issue/block/unconscious pattern may come and this is going to be a heck of a roller coaster ride, but this State of Dhyana and then working on your issues by setting the correct perception will slowly "transform" you, will deplete your Karmic Account really fast and will help you achieve Moksha, will show you the Ultimate Truth, will help you Realize your True Nature.
~ Adiguru