We ended the last presentation by considering how a student assembles a clearly defined thought. We start this presentation by giving several examples.
Let’s take the subject of harmony. Consider its relation to the various senses, music, colour, and various phenomena. Try to identify the main features of harmony and how it differs from similar and contrasting ideas. Explore the role it plays in events, its purpose, and the consequences of its absence. Once these questions are answered, try to let go of concrete images and thoughts and focus on the abstract idea of harmony.
The student should remember that mental vision is as real and fulfilling as physical vision. It is possible to train the mind to see concepts such as harmony or the square root of two as clearly and certainly as one sees a physical object like a tree or a table.
For our third example, let us consider a devotional meditation. Visualise the ideal person, a Master, or, if you prefer, the deity or any manifestation of the deity. Allow the thought to contemplate the subject from different perspectives, constantly arousing admiration, gratitude, reverence, and worship. Reflect on all the qualities manifested in the subject, taking each quality in all its aspects and relationships.
From a general perspective, both an abstract ideal and a personality are equally suitable for meditation purposes. A person of intellectual temperament will usually find the abstract ideal more satisfying, while someone with an emotional temperament will seek a concrete embodiment of their thoughts. The disadvantage of the abstract ideal is that it may fail to inspire aspiration, while the disadvantage of the concrete embodiment is that it may fall short of the ideal.
It’s worth noting the impact of meditating on the Master, as it creates a definite connection with the Master, which appears as a kind of line of light in clairvoyant vision. The Master subconsciously feels the influence of this line and sends out a steady stream of magnetism in response, which continues even after the meditation is over.
If a picture is used for meditation, it may be observed to change in expression. This occurs because the will can be trained to directly influence physical matter, with the actual physical particles being unquestionably affected by the power of strong, sustained thought.
Another form of meditation that can be mentioned is mantric meditation.
A mantra is a specific sequence of sounds arranged by an occultist to achieve certain results. When these sounds are repeated rhythmically and consistently, they synchronise the vibrations of the individual’s different aspects into harmony. Essentially, a mantra is a method of controlling vibrations or producing desired vibrations. Its effectiveness relies on what is called sympathetic vibration.
The more a mantra is repeated, the more powerful the result. This is why repetition is valued in church formulas and in the use of the rosary, as it allows the mind to fully concentrate on what is being said and thought without being distracted by keeping count.
In this method of meditation, commonly practiced in India, the devotee focuses their mind on a deity, such as Shri Krishna, the incarnate God representing the Spirit of Love and Knowledge in the world. By the way, Krishna is the Lord Maitreya, the World Teacher better known as Christ. A sentence is chosen and chanted repeatedly as a mantra while the devotee reflects deeply on its varied meanings. Through this practice, the devotee seeks to connect with the divine.
While many individuals find success in meditating alone on a daily basis, there are even greater possibilities when a group of people join together to focus their minds on a single objective. This collective concentration creates a positive influence not only in the mental and emotional realms but also in the physical ether. It aligns with our desired direction and can make our surroundings more supportive. However, success in group meditation requires all participants to maintain their focus without letting their minds wander. A wandering mind in a group setting can disrupt the collective concentration, creating “eddies” in the flow of thought akin to rocks deflecting water in a river.
When meditating, it is important to consider the physical aspects. Posture plays a crucial role in meditation. The physical envelope should be placed in a comfortable position and then forgotten. If the envelope is uncomfortable, it would constantly capture attention and hinder the process of meditation.
In addition, certain thoughts and emotions often manifest themselves in characteristic envelope movements and gestures. Conversely, envelope positions can also influence one’s mental and emotional states, aiding the practitioner in focusing on them.
Most Western individuals find it comfortable to sit in an armchair with a moderately inclined back. They can clasp their hands and rest them on their legs or lightly place them on their knees. The feet can be positioned together or crossed, with the right foot over the left. Crossing the extremities helps retain the envelope’s magnetism, hence the practice of sitting cross-legged in the East.
The posture should be relaxed and effortless, with the head lightly balanced and not drooping on the chest. The eyes and mouth should be closed, and the spine should be kept upright to maintain the flow of magnetism.
In contrast, Eastern practitioners often sit cross-legged on the floor or a low stool. This position is believed to be more effective, as any released magnetism forms a protective shell around the envelope.
Consider the following guidelines for meditation:
Please be mindful of your posture while meditating to prevent losing physical awareness, which can be quite challenging. If you’re seated on the floor, keep in mind that falling backward won’t cause any harm. When meditating in a chair, it’s a good idea to use an armchair to avoid falling out if you lose consciousness.
Avoid lying down during meditation, as this position naturally tends to induce sleep, except in very rare cases. Before meditation, consider taking a cold shower or going for a brisk walk to overcome any sluggish circulation, which can be detrimental to brain activity.
Breathing is closely linked to profound meditation. As the body becomes harmonised during meditation, breathing tends to become deeper, regular, and rhythmic. With practice, the breath becomes slower and quieter, almost imperceptible. Hatha Yoga, on the other hand, intentionally regulates breathing to harmonise bodily functions and, ultimately, the mind. Be cautious when practicing breathing exercises. It’s better to focus on controlling your thoughts in line with Raja Yoga, letting meditation naturally influence the body.
While some breathing exercises can be dangerous, simple deep breathing is generally fine as long as it doesn’t strain the heart or lungs and doesn’t involve concentrating on various envelope centres or chakras.
Incense can help to purify the atmosphere from an occult standpoint. The student may also find assistance from beautiful colours, flowers, pictures in their surroundings, and other uplifting elements for the mind and emotions.
It’s also useful for the student to follow certain dietary restrictions and, if possible without affecting their health, to avoid consuming meat and alcohol. Consumption of alcohol can lead to inflammatory symptoms in the brain, particularly affecting the pituitary gland.
Early morning is likely the most suitable time for meditation, as desires and emotions are more tranquil after sleep and before getting caught up in the hustle and bustle of the day. However, it’s important to ensure that there won’t be any disturbances during meditation. Additionally, as mentioned earlier, it’s important to meditate at the same time regularly, as consistency is crucial.
Devotees in ancient times meditated at sunrise, noon, and sunset, which are considered most suitable from a magnetic perspective. It’s beneficial to develop the habit of briefly focusing on realising oneself as a Spiritual Person at the beginning of every hour throughout the day. This practice leads to what Christian Mystics call “self-recollection” and helps the student to train their mind to revert to spiritual thoughts automatically.
Meditating after a meal is not advisable, as it may draw blood away from the digestive organs. Likewise, meditating at night is not recommended, as the envelope is tired, and the etheric double is more easily influenced. In addition, the negative influence of the moon is at play during the night, making undesirable results more likely.
Sometimes, meditation may be less successful than usual due to unfavourable emotional or mental influences. Some people believe that planetary influences can also impact meditation. For example, an astrologer mentioned that certain planetary alignments, such as those involving Jupiter and the moon, may expand the etheric atmosphere and make meditation appear more successful. Conversely, alignments with Saturn may congest the etheric atmosphere, making meditation more difficult.
The meditation system described here aims for spiritual, mental, and ethical development, as well as control of the mind and emotions. It does not seek to develop psychic abilities from a lower level, but it may naturally lead to an intuitive form of psychism in individuals with sensitive organisations. This may manifest as increased sensitivity to people and places, fragmented memories of emotional plane experiences during sleep, greater receptivity to guidance from the solar deva, and the ability to recognise the influence of spiritually developed individuals and the Masters.
Meditation may lead to illumination, which can take three different forms:
- Through intense and careful contemplation, an individual may arrive at conclusions about a subject.
2. Through connection with their solar deva, an individual may discover true thoughts on a particular matter.
3. In the case of highly developed individuals, they may come into contact with Masters or Devas. Only in the first case would conclusions likely be influenced by an individual’s own thought forms. The Masters or devas, would be able to transcend these influences.
The results achieved through meditation depend on our actions and thoughts throughout the day. For example, if we hold prejudices in our daily lives, we cannot escape from them during meditation. Physical meditation is intended for the training of the lower vehicles, not the monad. During meditation, the monad views the personality much as it does at any other time – usually with slight contempt. If the monad is developed, it will meditate on its own level, but this meditation may not synchronise with that of the persona.
Meditation is a method of acquiring the skill to leave the envelope with full consciousness. The consciousness is strengthened to an unwavering steadiness and focus, and the attention is gradually drawn away from the external world and the envelope while the senses remain quiet. Meanwhile, the mind is intensely active but with all its energies focused inward and ready to be directed at a single point of thought—the highest it can reach. When the mind is able to stay in this state relatively easily through a strong yet calm effort of will, it can propel itself beyond the highest thought it can attain while working in the physical brain. In doing so, it will rise to and unite with the higher consciousness and find itself liberated from the physical envelope. During this process, there is no sense of sleep or dreams nor any loss of consciousness. The individual finds themselves outside their envelope, as though they had shed a heavy burden, not as though they had lost a part of themselves.
There are other methods of achieving freedom from the envelope, such as through intense devotion or through special techniques that may be imparted by a great teacher to their student.
The individual can return to their envelope and re-enter it at will. Furthermore, under these circumstances, they can impress the experiences undergone on the brain and thus retain the memory of those experiences while in the physical envelope.
Real meditation requires intense effort, not just the feeling of happiness that comes from being half-asleep and comfortable. It’s different from the passive mediumship practised in spiritualism.
You need to make a positive effort to raise your consciousness to higher levels so that you can open yourself to higher influences. Only then is it safe to relax and find peace. “Opening yourself to spiritual influences” means maintaining deep stillness at a high spiritual level, similar to how a bird stays steady in a strong wind by continuously using its wings and feathers.
In the next presentation, we will begin to examine the last of the three ways of focusing our thoughts: contemplation.