What all is NOT Meditation
Meditation is a state of profound, deep peace that occurs when the mind is calm and silent, yet completely alert. This is just the beginning of an inner transformation that takes us to a higher level of awareness. This enables us to fulfil our true human potential.
Before understanding what is meditation – let us understand what is not Meditation
Concentration
Concentration is an effort to fix the attention on a particular object or idea for a long period of time. The techniques used in visualization are another type of concentration.
Loss of control
Sounds (clairaudience), voices (clairvoyance), seeing colors and involuntary movements have nothing to do with meditation or spirituality. These are symptoms of loss of awareness and loss of control over some parts of ourselves. These may be controlled by subconscious or supraconsicous or other lower level realms and does us more harm than good!
Exercises or yoga postures
Exercises or yoga, breath control – pranayama, do not constitute meditation. They may help establish some physical & mental level balance if done under the guidance of a true master (a realized soul). Their practice without a true spiritual goal only leads to an imbalance in the right channel.
Mental effort
Repetition of a mantra/ chanting are all mental efforts. How far can it take you – only up to what your mind knows about – only up to the level that your miniscule mind can comprehend! Thoughtless awareness is achieved only through the raising of the Kundalini by the grace of the sadhguru. To get rid of blockages that prevent her ascent, we use the hands and introspection but never mental effort (e.g., the continuous repetition of “I must stop thinking”).
