Message #10341

[Caitlin]

there are the following steps for meditation...

The FIRST is the step of rhythmic breathing. Breathe in slowly, easily, evenly, and deeply and then breathe out slowly, easily, evenly, and deeply. Within three minutes you should be able to breathe in and out about ten times. But you need not count. I will do the counting for you. And when the three minutes are over, shall ask you to move on to the second step. As your breathing becomes rhythmic, your tensions will relax. It may be better if you blend the repetition of “OM” with your breathing. As you inhale, take in the breath, utter the sacred syllable “OM” silently. Then exhale, take out the breath and as you do so, utter the sacred syllable “OM” orally i.e. with sound.

The SECOND is the step of detached observation. In this step, as an observer you have to watch the movements of the mind. Detach yourself from the mind. This is very, very important. You are not the mind. You are only watching the mind. What is the mind doing? What thoughts is it entertaining? You are not the mind. You are not thinking those thoughts. Just watch the mind. Observe the mind without any judgment, without any criticism. You are but a silent observer; observe without judgment, without criticism. You will find that as you detach yourself from the mind and just keep on watching it, its movements, gradually the mind will cease its activities.

Then we come to the THIRD step. The third step is the step of serenity, the step of peace. In this third step, you may imagine yourself as a rock in the midst of an ocean. Waves arise. They dash against the rock. The rock is unaffected, is calm, tranquil, peaceful, serene. Waves arise. Waves are the distracting thoughts. They dash against the rock. The rock is unaffected, calm, tranquil, peaceful, serene.

Then we come to the FOURTH step. It is the step where you realize your oneness with all that is, all men, all creatures, all things, all conditions. You are not apart from others. The others & you are parts of the one great whole. You are in every man, in every woman, in every child. You are in every unit of life, in every bird and animal, in every foul & fish, in every insect, in every shrub, in every plant. You belong to all countries and communities, all races and religions. You are at one with the universe. This type of meditation will fill your heart with loving kindness & a spirit of compassion so that a stage may come when you will not wish to snuff out the life even of the smallest insect.

The FIFTH is meditation on your immortality. In the fourth step you have realized that you are not merely in your physical body. You are in all that is, in the experience that we call death. It is the body that drops down, the physical body. But you will continue to be, even when the body has dropped down, you will continue to be in every grain of sand, in every drop of water, in every ray of sunshine. Death cannot touch you. You are immortal. If you are at one with all humanity, then even if there is one human being alive, you are alive. If you are at one with all living creatures, then even if there is but one creature breathing the breath of life, you are alive. Yes, you are immortal, immutable, eternal, deathless!