Notebooks of Paul Brunton > Category 4: Elementary Meditation > Chapter 3: Fundamentals

Fundamentals
Stop wandering thoughts

!he longest book on yoga "an tea"h you nothing more about the pra"ti"al aim of yoga
than this: still your thoughts#
$
%ne of the "auses of the failure to get any results from meditation is that the meditator
has not pra"tised long enough# &n fa"t' the (astage of mu"h time in unprofitable'
distra"ted' rambling thinking seems to be the general e)perien"e# *et this is the prelude
to the a"tual (ork of meditation in itself# &t is a ne"essary e)"a+ation before the building
"an be ere"ted# !he fa"t is unpleasant but must be a""epted# &f this e)perien"e of the
first period is frustrating and disappointing' the e)perien"e of the se"ond period is
happy and re(arding# ,e should really "ount the first period as a preparation' and not as
a defeat# &f the preliminary period is so irksome that it seems like an artifi"ial a"ti+ity'
and the subse-uent period of meditation itself is so pleasant and effortless that it seems
like a perfe"tly natural one' the moral is: more perse+eran"e and more patien"e#
3
&f the turning (heel of thoughts "an be brought to a perfe"t standstill (ithout paying the
penalty of sleep' the results (ill be that the !hinker (ill "ome to kno( himself instead
of his thoughts#
4
Meditation is admittedly one of the most diffi"ult arts to learn# !he mind of humanity in
its present.day "ondition is so restless' so (andering' and espe"ially so e)tro+erted' that
the effort to bring it under "ontrol seems to the beginner to meet (ith disheartening
results# Proper patien"e' right te"hni-ue' and the mental help of an e)pert are needed# &n
most "ases it takes se+eral years' but from e)perien"e and kno(ledge there may "ome
the skill and ease of the profi"ient meditator#
/
&t is useful only in the most elementary stage to let thoughts drift ha0ily or hapha0ardly
during the allotted period# For at that stage' he needs more to make the idea of sitting
perfe"tly still for some time -uite a""eptable in pra"ti"e than he needs to begin
(ithdra(al from the body1s sense# ,e must first gain "ommand of his body before he
"an gain "ommand of his thoughts# But in the ne)t stage' he must for"ibly dire"t
attention to a single sub2e"t and for"ibly sustain it there# ,e must begin to pra"tise
mental mastery' for this (ill not only bring him the spiritual profits of meditation but
also (ill (ard off some of its psy"hi" dangers#
3
4 rabble of thoughts pursue him into the silen"e period' as if determined to keep his
mind from e+er be"oming still#
5
6o not miss the ob2e"t of your meditations and lose yourself in useless re+eries#
7
!he moral is' find the ob2e"t that makes most appeal to your temperament' the ob2e"t
that e)perien"e pro+es to be most effe"ti+e in indu"ing the "ondition of mental
"on"entration#
8
!he first -uarter.hour is often so fatiguing to beginners that they look for' and easily
find' an e)"use to bring the pra"ti"e to an abrupt end' thus failing in it# !hey may
frankly a""ept the fatigue itself as suffi"ient reason for their desertion# %r they may
make the e)"use of attending to some other task (aiting to be done# But the fa"t is that
almost as soon as they start' they do not (ant to go on# !hey sit do(n to meditate and
then they find they do not (ant to meditate9 :hy; !he ans(er lies in the intelle"t1s
intra"table restlessness' its inherent repugnan"e to being go+erned or being still#
<
Command your thoughts during this first period of meditation= dire"t them by the
energi0ed (ill to(ards a definite and spe"ifi" sub2e"t# 6o not let them drift +aguely#
4ssert your mastery by a positi+e effort#

&n your meditations' stop thinking about the things that ought to ha+e been left outside
the door and start thinking about the %+erself#
$
!he mind (ill rush off like a (ild bull from the dis"ipline he seeks to impose on it# &f
this fails' it (ill use temptations or di+ersions or pessimism#
3
!hink of the lama sitting in long and sustained meditation in the free0ing "ell of a
!ibetan monastery and be ashamed of your o(n (eakness#
4
&f the meditation is not to lose itself in empty day.dreaming' it must be alert#
/
&f meditation (ere to stop (ith ruminating intently o+er one1s o(n best ideas or o+er
some inspired man1s re"orded ideas' the result (ould "ertainly be helpful and the time
spent (orth(hile# &t (ould be helpful and "onstru"ti+e' but it (ould not be more than
that# >u"h "ommunion (ith thoughts is not the real aim of meditation# !hat aim is to
open a door to the %+erself# !o a"hie+e this' it "asts out all ideas and thro(s a(ay all
thoughts# :here thinking still keeps us (ithin the little ego' the deliberate silen"e of
thinking lifts us out of the ego altogether#
3
!he essen"e of yoga is to put a stop to the ego1s mental a"ti+ities# &ts e+er.(orking'
e+er.restless "hara"ter is right and ne"essary for human life but at the same time is a
tyrant and sla+e.dri+er o+er human life#
5
%ne of the hindran"es to su""ess in meditation' to be o+er"ome (ith great diffi"ulty' is
the tenden"y of the intelle"t..and espe"ially of the modern :estern intelle"t..to think of
the a"ti+ity to (hi"h it "ould be attending if it (ere not trying to meditate' or to look
for(ard to (hat it (ill be doing as soon as the meditation ends' or to pro2e"t itself into
imaginations and predi"tions about the ne)t fe( hours or the ne)t day# !he only (ay to
deal (ith this (hen it happens is for"ibly to drag the mind1s attention a(ay from its
(anderings and hold it to the No(' as if nothing else e)ists or "an e+er e)ist#
7
Cat"h your thoughts in their first stage and you "at"h the "ause of some of your
troubles' sins' and e+en diseases#
8
!he thoughts (hi"h intrude themsel+es on your meditation in su"h multitudes and (ith
su"h persisten"e may be -uelled if you set going a sear"h as to (here they "ome from#
$<
&f the (andering "hara"teristi" of all thoughts di+erts attention and defeats the effort to
meditate' try another (ay# ?uestion the thoughts themsel+es' seek out their origin' tra"e
them to their beginning and redu"e their number more and more# Find out (hat
parti"ular interest or impulse emotion or desire in the ego "auses them to arise and push
this "ause ba"k nearer to the +oid# &n this (ay' you tend to separate yourself from the
thoughts themsel+es' refuse to identify (ith them' and get ba"k nearer to your higher
identity#@PA
$
!he first part of the e)er"ise re-uires him to banish all thoughts' feelings' images' and
energies (hi"h do not belong to the sub2e"t' prayer' ideal' or problem he "hooses as a
theme# Nothing else may be allo(ed to intrude into "ons"iousness or' ha+ing intruded
by the mind1s old restlessness' it is to be blotted out immediately# Such expulsion is
always to be accompanied by an exhaling of the breath. Each return of attention to the
selected theme is to be accompanied by an inhaling of the breath.@PA
$$
:hen thoughts are restless and hard to "ontrol' there is al(ays something in us (hi"h is
a(are of this restlessness# !his kno(ledge belongs to the hidden B&B (hi"h stands as an
unruffled (itness of all our efforts# :e must seek therefore to feel for and identify
ourself (ith it# &f (e su""eed' then the restlessness passes a(ay of itself' and the
bubbling thoughts dissol+e into undifferentiated !hought#@PA
$3
,e must first (ork at the "leansing of his mind# !his is done by +igilantly keeping out
degrading thoughts and by refusing entry to (eakening ones#
$4
,e must (ait patiently yet (ork intently after he "loses his eyes until his thoughts'
"ir"ling like a flo"k of birds around a ship' "ome gently to rest#
$/
:e habitually think at random# :e begin our musings (ith one sub2e"t and usually end
(ith an entirely different one# :e e+en forget the +ery theme (hi"h started the
mo+ement of our mind# >u"h an undis"iplined mind is an a+erage one# &f (e (ere to
(at"h oursel+es for fi+e minutes' (e (ould be surprised to dis"o+er ho( many times
thought had in+oluntarily 2umped from one topi" to another#
$3
!he first problem is ho( to keep his interest from drying up' the se"ond ho( to keep his
attention from (andering off#
$5
:hen he has pre+iously purified his "hara"ter' he (ill naturally be able to sustain long
periods of meditation (ithout being distra"ted by (ay(ard emotions#
$7
!he passage in "ons"iousness from mere thoughts to sheer !hought is not an easy one#
Cifelong ingrained habit has made our "ons"iousness form.ridden' tied to solids' and
e)pe"tant of "onstant "hange# !o surrender this habit seems to it @albeit (ronglyA -uite
unnatural' and "onse-uently artifi"ial resistan"es are set up#
$8
!o keep up the meditation for some length of time' to for"e himself to sit there (hile all
his habitual bodily and mental instin"ts are urging him to abandon the pra"ti"e' "alls for
arousing of inner strength to fight off inattention or fatigue# But this +ery strength' on"e
aroused' (ill e+entually enable him to keep it up for longer and longer periods#
3<
4s the mind slo(ly rela)es' the number of thoughts is redu"ed' the attenti+eness to
them in"reased#
3
:hene+er the meditator noti"es that he has lost his (ay and is no longer thinking of his
"hosen sub2e"t' he has to start again and rethink the sub2e"t# !his pro"ess of refinding
his (ay se+eral times may ha+e to be repeated during ea"h session of meditation#
3$
&t (ill be a help to meditate more su""essfully if' at the beginning' the breathing rhythm
is e-uali0ed so that the inbreath and the outbreath are roughly of the same length and if
one dra(s the air in a little more deeply than normally and lets it out a little more slo(ly
than normally#
33
!he so."alled normal mind is in a state of "onstant agitation# From the standpoint of
yoga' there is little differen"e (hether this agitation be pleasurable or painful#
34
&f a student is not purified enough' nor informed enough' it is better not to endea+our to
rea"h the tran"e stage# ,e should de+ote his efforts to the "ontrol of thoughts and to the
sear"h for inner tran-uillity along (ith this self.purifi"ation and impro+ement of
kno(ledge#
3/
!he thought.flo( may be stopped by for"ible means su"h as breath "ontrol' but the
result (ill then be only a transient and superfi"ial one# &f a deeper and more durable
result is desired' it is essential to "on2oin the breath "ontrol (ith other kinds of self.
"ontrol..(ith a dis"ipline of the senses and a "leansing of the thoughts#
33
!he aim is to (ork' little by little' to(ard slo(ing do(n the a"tion of thinking first and
stilling it altogether later#
35
&f the initial period of distra"ted' (andering' o+era"ti+e' or restless thoughts irks him by
its length' he should remember that this sho(s the state of his mind during most of the
day#
37
&t is a "ustom among the yogis' and one laid do(n in the traditional te)ts' to begin
meditation by paying homage to Dod and to the master# !he purpose of this is to attra"t
help from these sour"es#
38
!he mind is dragged hither and thither by its desires or interest' dragged to fleeting and
ephemeral things#
4<
!he undis"iplined mind (ill ine+itably resist the effe"ts needed for these e)er"ises# !his
is a diffi"ult period for the pra"tiser# !he remedy is to arouse himself' Bsummon up the
(ill'B and return again and again to the fight until the mind' like a horse' begins to
a""ept its training and learns to obey#
4
&n this interim (aiting period nothing happens' only the thoughts bubble along as they
usually do during an idle time' e)"ept that there is some strain' some "onstri"tion
(hene+er he remembers that there is a purpose in his sitting here' a "ontrol needed to
a"hie+e it#
4$
,e is to begin by gi+ing a dis"iplined attention to the (orkings of his o(n mind#
43
!he body soon begins to protest against the una""ustomed stillness suddenly enfor"ed
on it: the mind soon starts to rebel against the tedium and boredom of the early stages'
and the habitual unrest of both (ill ha+e to be fa"ed again and again#
44
&t is diffi"ult' often impossible' to stop thinking by one1s o(n effort# But by gra"e1s help
it gets done# :ith thinking no longer in the (ay' "ons"iousness "eases to be broken up:
nothing is there to impede mo+ement into stillness#
4/
&f the innate "apa"ity is la"king' as it usually is' then the aspirant re-uires some skill
gathered from repeated e)perien"e to shut out sounds (hi"h bring the mind ba"k to
physi"al situations#
43
&t is not only thoughts that "ome up in the form of (ords that ha+e to be brought under
"ontrol' but also those that "ome up in the form of images# >o long as "ons"iousness is
peopled by the a"ti+ities of imagination' so long does its stillness and emptiness remain
unrea"hed# !hat "ertain yoga e)er"ises use either of these forms to rea"h their goal does
not falsify this statement# For e+en there the method pra"tised has to be abandoned at a
parti"ular point' or stop there by itself#
45
!he intelle"tual type tries to analyse (hat he does and sees in the attempt to understand
it more fully# But the end result is that the trans"endent part of the e)perien"e is lost=
one set of thoughts su""eeds only in produ"ing another# ,e must be (illing and ready to
stop intelle"tion at the start of the e)er"ise# !his is essential to su""ess in meditation#
47
:hate+er method blo"ks the (andering of thoughts or the pra"ti"e of intelle"tualism'
(hether random or "ontinuous' may be useful so long as it assists "on"entration and
logi"al e)amination is a+oided# &t "ould be a mantram' but not a de+otional' intelligible'
or meaningful one# &t "ould be a diagram' a dot on the (all' or a door.handle#
48
,e must try to keep his mental e-uilibrium undisturbed by the hardships and unbroken
by the pleasures (hi"h life may bring him# !his "annot be done unless the mind is
brought to rest on some point' idea' name' or symbol (hi"h gi+es it a happy poise' and
unless it is kept there#
/<
&t is not enough to a"hie+e "ontrol of the body' its urges and its dri+es and its passions'
splendid though that "ertainly is# ,is ad+an"e must not stop there# For he has yet to deal
(ith his thoughts' to re"ogni0e that they "ome from his ego' feed and nurture it' and
"ontrol of them must also be a"hie+ed#
/
!he first la( of the dis"iple1s life is to bring his o(n thoughts under la(#
/$
B!o stop thinking is as if one (anted to stop the (indB is an old Chinese statement#
/3
!he "ontrol of thought and its "onse"ration to e)alted themes (ill bring him more pea"e
and more po(er#
/4
,e must gi+e himself a suffi"ient length of time' first to attain the "on"entrated state and
se"ond' to hold it#
//
,e finds that' ho(e+er (illing and eager he may be' he "an sustain the intensity of
struggle against this restlessness of mind only for a "ertain time#
/3
,e must gi+e his thoughts a de"isi+e turn in the "hosen dire"tion e+ery time they stray
from it#
/5
&magination is likely to run a(ay (ith his attention during this early period# 4t first it
(ill be o""upied (ith (orldly matters already being thought about' but later it may
in+ol+e psy"hi"al matters' produ"ing +isions or hallu"inations of an unreliable kind#
/7
E+en (hen he is meditating' the aspirant may find that feelings' thoughts' memories' or
desires and other images of his (orldly e)perien"e "ome into the "ons"iousness# ,e
must not bind himself to them by gi+ing attention to them' but should immediately
dismiss them#
/8
E)perien"es and happenings keep attention e+er a"ti+e and e+er out(ard.turned' (hile
memories' although internal' dire"t it ba"k to the physi"al (orld# >o a man1s o(n
thoughts get in the (ay and pre+ent him from a "onfrontation (ith pure !hought itself#
3<
!he ability to bring the mind to "ontrolled one.pointedness is e)tremely diffi"ult' and its
a"hie+ement may re-uire some years of effort and determination# ,e need not allo(
himself to be"ome dis"ouraged but should a""ept the "hallenge thus offered for (hat it
is#
3
!he mind flutters from sub2e"t to sub2e"t like a butterfly from flo(er to flo(er' and is
unable to stay (here (e (ant it#
Blankness is not the goal
3$
4 mere emptiness of mind is not enough' is not the ob2e"ti+e of these pra"ti"es# >ome
idiots possess this naturally but they do not possess the (isdom of the %+erself' the
understanding of :ho and :hat they are#
33
Philosophy does not tea"h people to make their minds a blank' does not say empty out
all thoughts' be inert and passi+e# &t tea"hes the redu"tion of all thinking a"ti+ity to a
single seed.thought' and that one is to be either interrogati+e like B:hat 4m &;B or
affirmati+e like B!he godlike is (ith me#B &t is true that the opening.up of %+erself.
"ons"iousness (ill' in the first deli"ate e)perien"e' mean the "losing.do(n of the last
thoughts' the uttermost stillness of mind# But that stage (ill pass# &t (ill repeat itself
again (hene+er one plunges into the deepest tran"e' the raptest meditati+e absorption#
4nd it must then "ome of itself' indu"ed by the higher self1s gra"e' not by the lo(er
self1s for"e# %ther(ise' mere mental blankness is a risky "ondition to be a+oided by
prudent seekers# &t in+ol+es the risk of mediumship and of being possessed#@PA
34
Ea"uity of mind is not to be "onfused (ith per"eption of reality#
3/
&t is only a limp' semi.mesmeri" state' after all' and yields a pea"e (hi"h imitates the
true di+ine pea"e as the image in a mirror imitates the flesh.and.blood man# &t is
produ"ed by self.effort' not by Dra"e' by auto.suggestion rather than by the %+erself#
33
BNo more serious mistake "an be "ommitted than "onsidering the hibernation of reptiles
and other animals as illustrating the samadhi stage of *oga# &t "orresponds (ith the
pratyahara' and not the samadhi stage# Pratyahara has been "ompared (ith the stage of
insensibility produ"ed by the administration of anestheti"s' for e)ample'
"hloroform#BFt..Ma2or B#6# Basu' &ndian Medi"al >er+i"e
35
!o seek mental blankness as a dire"t ob2e"ti+e is to mistake an effe"t for a "ause# &t is
true that some of the inferior yogis do so' trying by for"ible means like suppression of
the breath to put all thoughts out of the mind# But this is not ad+o"ated by philosophy#
37
!o attempt the elimination of all thoughts as they arise' (ith the aim of keeping
"ons"iousness entirely empty of all "ontent' is another method (hi"h some yogis and
not a fe( %""identals try to pra"tise# &t is not as easy as it seems and is not fre-uently
su""essful# Philosophy does not use this rash method' does not re"ommend making the
mind 2ust a blank# !here are t(o perils in it# !he first is that it lays a man open to
psy"hi" in+asion from outside himself' or' failing that' from inside himself# &n the first
"ase' he be"omes a spiritualisti" medium' passi+ely surrenders himself to any unseen
entity (hi"h may pass through the door thus left open' and risks being taken possession
of by this entity# &t may be earthbound' foolish' lying' or e+il' at (orst# &n the se"ond
"ase' he unlooses the "ontrols of the "ons"ious self and lets into it for"es that he has
long outgro(n but not fully eliminated..past sel+es that are dying and (ould be best left
alone' sub"ons"ious impulses that lead into e+il or insane hallu"inations mas-uerading
as o""ult per"eptions or po(ers# No( it is "orre"t to say that the mind must be
"ompletely mastered and that a +a"uum (ill arise in the pro"ess' but this is still not the
(ay to do it# !he better (ay is to fo"us the mind so un(a+eringly on some one thing'
thought or image or phrase' so ele+ated that a point (ill be rea"hed (here the higher
self itself suddenly obliterates the thoughts#
38
!he silen"e of meditation is a dignified thing' but the silen"e of a stupid empty mind is
not#
5<
Merely being thought.free by itself may lead to psy"hi" results# %ne has to sink ba"k to
a dynami" positive mental silen"e by starting meditation (ith a dynami" positi+e
attitude#
Eliminating thoughts and eliminating the ego during meditation are t(o different things#
*ou should e)periment (ith the +arious methods gi+en in the books if you (ant to
kno( (hi"h (ould help you most#
5
Su Tung Po: BPeople (ho do not understand sometimes des"ribe a state of animal
un"ons"iousness as the state of samadhi# &f so' then (hen "ats and dogs sleep after
being (ell fed' they too do not ha+e a thought on their minds# &t (ould ob+iously be
in"orre"t to argue that they ha+e entered samadhi#B
5$
Zen Patriarch ui!neng: B&t is a great mistake to suppress our mind from all
thinking # # # to refrain from thinking of anything' this is an e)treme erroneous +ie( # # #
your men are hereby (arned not to take those e)er"ises for "ontemplating on -uietude
or for keeping the mind in a blank state#B
53
!he dro(sy torpor of a la0y mind is not the true +oid to be desired and sought#
54
!he feeling of pea"e is good but de"epti+e# !he ego.."ause of all his tension..is still
hidden (ithin it' in repose but only temporarily ina"ti+e#
Practise concentrated attention
5/
Meditation has as its first ob2e"t an in"reasing (ithdra(al of the mind from the things of
this (orld' and also from the thoughts of this (orld' until it is stilled' passi+e' self.
"entered# But before it "an a"hie+e any ob2e"t at all' attention must be made as keenly
"on"entrated as an eagle1s stare#
53
!he aim is to a"hie+e a "on"entration as firm and as steady as the Mongolian
horseman1s (hen he gallops (ithout spilling a drop of (ater from a "ompletely filled
glass held in his hand#
55
Ea"h e)er"ise in meditation must start (ith a fo"al point if it is to be effe"ti+e# &t must
(ork upon a parti"ular idea or theme' e+en though it need not end (ith it#
57
:hen it is said that the ob2e"t of "on"entration pra"ti"e should be a single one' this does
not mean a single thought# !hat is reser+ed either for ad+an"ed stages or for spiritual
de"larations# &t means a single topi"# !his (ill in+ol+e a (hole train of ideas# But they
ought to be logi"ally "onne"ted' ought to gro( out of ea"h other' as it (ere#
58
!he genius is the produ"t of intense "on"entration# 4ll those (ho la"k this -uality' (ill
also la"k genius#
7<
E)er"ise: :hen (holly absorbed in (at"hing a "inema pi"ture or a stage drama or in
reading a book (ith "omplete interest' you are un"ons"iously in the first stage of
meditation# 6rop the seed of this attention' that is' the story' suddenly' but try to retain
the pure "on"entrated a(areness# &f su""essful' that (ill be its se"ond stage#
7
!hese "on"entrations begin to be"ome effe"ti+e (hen they su""eed in breaking up the
hold of his habitual a"ti+ities and immediate en+ironment' (hen they free his attention
from (hat (ould ordinarily be his present state#
7$
,e is able to rea"h this stage only after many months of faithful pra"ti"e or' more likely'
after some years of it# But one day he (ill surely rea"h it' and then he (ill re"ogni0e
that the straining' the toil' and the faith (ere all (ell (orth(hile#
73
!he first thing (hi"h he has to do is to re.edu"ate attention# &t has to be turned in a ne(
dire"tion' dire"ted to(ards a ne( ob2e"t# &t has to be brought inside himself' and
brought (ith deep feeling and mu"h lo+e to the -uest of the >oul that hides there#
74
!he mind "an be (eaponed into a sharp s(ord (hi"h pier"es through the illusion that
surrounds us into the Geality behind# &f then the s(ord falls from our grasp' (hat
matter; &t has ser+ed its useful purpose#
7/
!here is an in+isible and inaudible for"e (ithin us all# :ho "an read its riddle; ,e (ho
"an find the instrument (here(ith to "onta"t it# !he s"ientist takes his dynamo and
gathers ele"tri"ity through its means# !he truth.seeker "on"entrates his mind upon his
interior and "onta"ts the mysterious For"e ba"k of life# Con"entrated thought is his
instrument#
73
!he effort needed to (ithdra( "ons"iousness from its fo"al point in the physi"al body to
its fo"al point in a thought' a mental pi"ture' or in its o(n self' is ine+itably tremendous#
&ndeed' (hen the "hange is fully "ompleted' the man is often -uite una(are of ha+ing
any body at all#
75
Patan2ali points out that inability to hold a state of meditation after it is rea"hed (ill
pre+ent the arisal of spiritual "ons"iousness as mu"h as inability to rea"h the state at all#
77
!he mind must be emptied first of all "ontent sa+e this one paramount thought' this
fi)ed fo"us of "on"entration#
78
Cet it be granted that the pra"ti"e of "on"entration is hard to perform and irksome to
"ontinue for (eeks and months (ithout great result# Ne+ertheless' it is not too hard#
4nyone (ho really makes up his mind to master it' "an do so#
8<
:hen this "on"entration arri+es at fi)ity and firmness (hi"h eliminates restless
(andering' intrusion' and disturban"e' the need of "onstantly repeating the e)er"ise
+anishes# &t has fulfilled its immediate purpose# !he aspirant should no( transfer his
attention to the ne)t @BConstant Gemembran"eBA e)er"ise' and e)ert himself hen"eforth
to bring his attainment into (orldly life' into the midst of attending to earthly duties#
8
!he pra"ti"e of yoga is' negati+ely' the pro"ess of isolating one1s "ons"iousness from the
fi+e senses and' positi+ely' of "on"entrating it in the true self#
8$
:ith it ma)imum moral and mental "ons"iousness is indu"ed# !here are t(o separate
phases in this te"hni-ue (hi"h must be distinguished from one another# !he first
in+ol+es the use of (illpo(er and the pra"ti"e of self."ontrol# !he se"ond' (hi"h
su""eeds it' in+ol+es redire"tion of the for"es in aspiration to(ard the %+erself' and may
be "alled the ego.stilling phase#
83
4ll e)er"ises in "on"entration' all learning and mastery of it' re-uire t(o things: first' an
ob2e"t or sub2e"t upon (hi"h attention may be brought steadily to rest= se"ond' enough
interest in that ob2e"t to "reate some feeling about it# :hen this feeling be"omes deep
enough' the distra"tions "aused by other thoughts die a(ay# Con"entration has then been
a"hie+ed#
84
Hust as (e get strong by enduring tensions in the +aried situations of life' so (e get
strong in "on"entration by patiently enduring defeats one after the other (hen
distra"tions make us forget our purpose (hile sitting for meditation#
8/
?uietening the mind in+ol+es' and "annot but in+ol+e' -uietening the senses#
83
Con"entration pra"ti"e ad+an"es through stages# &n the first stage that (hi"h is
"on"entrated on is seen as from a distan"e' (hereas in the se"ond stage the idea tends to
absorb the mind itself# &n the first stage (e still ha+e to make hard efforts to hold the
idea to attention (hereas in the ne)t stage the effort is slight and easy#
85
!he body must stop its habitual mo+ement# !he attention must take hold of one thing..a
metaphysi"al sub2e"t or physi"al ob2e"t' a mental pi"ture or de+otional idea# %nly after
profi"ien"y is rea"hed in this preliminary stage should the intelle"t seek an unfamiliar
stillness and an e)pe"tant passi+ity..(hi"h mark the "losing se"tion of the se"ond stage#
87
&f any light flash or form is seen' he should instantly "on"entrate his (hole mind upon it
and sustain this "on"entration as long as he is able to# !he a"ti+e thoughts "an be
brought to their end by this means#
88
&t is possible for a perfe"tly "on"entrated yogi to imagine a(ay the (hole (orld out of
his e)isten"e9
<<
&f the re+erie attains the depth of seeing and feeling hardly anything outside him' being
only faintly a(are of things before him or around him' that is -uite enough for
philosophi"al purposes# 4 full tran"e is neither ne"essary nor desirable#
<
,e "on"entrates daily on the image (hi"h he desires to "reate and sustain in his mind#
<$
!his (ork of pushing attention in(ards' ba"k to its +ery sour"e' and the sense of B&.
nessB ba"k (ith it' is to be a""ompanied by thinking only until the latter "an be stopped
or itself stops# !his (ork is then "ontinued by a stilled and steady sear"h# :hen the
need of sear"h "omes to an end' the sear"her +anishes' the B&B be"omes pure BBeing'B
has found its sour"e# &n these daily or nightly sessions' it is his (ork to turn a(ay from
the diffused attention (hi"h is his normal "ondition to the "on"entrated attention (hi"h
is indispensable for progress' and to sustain it#@PA
<3
&t is not ad+isable to listen to musi" (hilst (orking at a type(riter' doing "reati+e
(riting' or reading to learn# !he only e)"eption is reading light' unimportant' or
entertaining material..although e+en then it is still not ad+isable# !his is be"ause it leads
to a di+ided mind= it "reates tension' and (hat one is doing must ne"essarily suffer to
some e)tent (hile trying to attend to the musi"#
<4
Geading a noble book helps be"ause it "on"entrates the thoughts along a single tra"k# &t
is thus an e)er"ise in "on"entration#
</
&f his lo(er emotions and earthly passions are to be brought under proper "ontrol' (ill
and reason' intuition and aspiration must be brought into the struggle against them# &f
his a"ts are to be his o(n' and not the result of en+ironmental suggestion' if his thoughts
are to arise from (ithin his o(n mind' and not from other people1s minds' he must learn
the art of fi)ing them on (hate+er he "hooses and "on"entrating them (hene+er he
(ishes#
<3
Di+e -uesters this order of 6aily E)er"ise: @A Prayer in posture= @$A Breathing in
posture= @3A 4ffirmations in mantra..semi.meditation= @4A Full meditation#
<5
Be"ause he needs to generate enough po(er to "on"entrate his mind on this high topi"' a
"ertain e"onomy of energies is re-uired and an a+oidan"e of distra"tions#
<7
!he same po(er of dire"ting attention and "on"entrating thought (hi"h binds him to the
(orldly e)isten"e "an be used to free himself from it#
<8
!he "ulti+ated and "on"entrated fa"ulty of attention be"omes the tool (here(ith he
"arries on his inner (ork upon himself#
<
!he preliminaries of meditation must not be mistaken for the a"tual meditation itself#
!hey are merely o""upied (ith the effort to brush off distra"tions and attain
"on"entrated thought (hereas it is effortless' "ontinuous mental -uiet# !hey "arry the
meditator through the initial period of sear"h= it is the higher state of "ons"iousness
(hi"h they indu"e#

>u"h intense "on"entration "an abolish time and annihilate spa"e in it= thus re+eries
demonstrate their relati+ity and their mentalness#
$
4 useful e)er"ise to help a"-uire "on"entration is to shut the eyes' dire"t attention
to(ard some part of the body' and hold it there#
3
:e make use of "ons"ious efforts only in order to attain sub"ons"ious effort= (e fi) one
thought in meditation only in order to arri+e at a state beyond all thought#
4
!he mind1s great "reati+e poten"y re+eals itself in proportion as the mind1s
"on"entrati+eness de+elops#
/
Nuri the 6er+ish (as an adept in meditation# :hen asked from (hi"h master he had
learnt su"h skill' he said that a "at (at"hing a mouse had been his guru#
3
!here are t(o different ga0ing pra"ti"es used by the yogis# !he first re-uires them to fi)
their eyes steadily on the end or tip of the nose= the se"ond re-uires them to fi) it on the
root# !he first lea+es the eyelids "loser together than the se"ond# !here is a third pra"ti"e
of a related kind in (hi"h the ga0e is dire"ted to the "entre of the stoma"h' or na+el#
5
Meditation E)er"ise on Pulse.Beat: !ake hold of the left (rist bet(een thumb and
forefinger of right hand# Co"ate the artery (here the "ir"ulation of the blood "an be felt#
Con"entrate attention on this pulse.beat undi+idedly#
7
!he state of "on"entration a"-uired during a (orldly pursuit differs from that a"-uired
during mysti"al meditation in that the first is usually dire"ted to(ard out(ard things and
the e)perien"e of sense.pleasures' (hereas the se"ond is dire"ted to(ard in(ard being
and re2e"ts sense.pleasures# !hus the t(o states are at opposite poles..one belonging to
the ego.seeking man' and the other to the %+erself.seeking man#@PA
8
:hereas ordinary "on"entration keeps the attention still turned to(ard out(ard things
and situations' that "on"entration (hi"h attains its third stage is transformed into
"ontemplation# ,ere the attention is entirely in(ard.turned and to(ard the hea+enly
being' the holy of holies that is the %+erself#
$<
!here are t(o (ays in (hi"h "on"entration is pra"tised# !he first is un"ons"ious and is
used by many persons to get their (ork done (hether they be engineers or artists# !hey
ha+e to hold their mind to the 2ob' the matter' or the duty in hand# !he s"ientist may
pra"tise it' too' in analysing or in logi"ally de+eloping a theory or in linking up different
ideas# !he meditator uses "on"entration in a different (ay if he is at the first stage'
(hi"h is the "ons"ious and deliberate pra"ti"e of "on"entration# &t is then used (ithout
analysis' (ithout dis"ursi+e thought# &t is simply held to a single ob2e"t or idea# !he
attention is not allo(ed to (ander a(ay into de+elopments of that idea or ob2e"t# &n
short' the "onne"tions to other things are not made#
$
Con"entration' from the standpoint of mysti"al de+elopment' may be regarded as
a"hie+ed (hen attention is kept on one idea all the time' (ithout being di+ided up o+er
se+eral different ideas# &t is not a"hie+ed if kept on one sub2e"t all the time through
"onsidering se+eral related ideas..that is' ordinary "on"entrated thinking#
$$
,e must train himself to possess the po(er to "on"entrate: first' on a single line of
thoughts to the e)"lusion of all others and se"ond' on a single thought#
$3
:ith the gradual settling do(n of thought and body' the mental stiffness (hi"h resisted
"on"entration diminishes# ,e (ill be distin"tly and +i+idly a(are of this turning point
be"ause of the ease' and e+en delight' (ith (hi"h his mind (ill no( feel its o(n e)alted
po(er#
$4
!he spiritual life of man at this 2un"ture is a battle against the out(ard.running tenden"y
of the mind# !o per"ei+e this in oneself is to per"ei+e ho( (eak one really is' ho(
feeble a +i"tim of (orldly a"ti+ities' ho( la"king in the ability to "on"entrate perfe"tly
e+en for fi+e minutes' and ho( unable to hold the attention for the same length of time
in the impersonal embra"e of a philosophi" theme#
$/
!he >amurai of old Hapan embodied a yoga te"hni-ue in the fen"ing instru"tion# !he
no+i"e had to de+elop the po(er of mental "on"entration' and then use it by pi"turing
himself during meditation (ielding the s(ord to perfe"tion# !hus the body (as broken
gradually to the (ill of the mind' and began to respond (ith rapid lightning strokes and
pla"ings of the s(ord# !he famous Iatsu' (ho rose from destitute boy to national
leadership of Hapan1s nineteenth."entury a(akening' (ent night after night to an
abandoned temple..(here he mingled regular meditation (ith fen"ing pra"ti"e in his
ambition to be"ome one of !okyo1s master s(ordsmen#
$3
!his po(er to sustain "on"entrated attention upon a single line or ob2e"ti+e for a long
time..a po(er so greatly admired by Napoleon.."omes in the end to those (ho
perse+ere in these pra"ti"es#
$5
!he fi)ed statue.like posture of the hunter (at"hing a prey "lose at hand' refraining
from mo+ement lest he disturb it' eyes and mind "ompletely intent on the animal' ga+e
the yogi seers another ob2e"t lesson in the art of "on"entration#
$7
,e makes the no+i"e1s mistake of assuming that (hat is good for him' ne"essary for
him' is e-ually good and ne"essary for others# But (hat is essential for mysti"al
e)perien"e is one thing and one thing only..the fa"ulty of fi)ing one1s attention (ithin
and sustaining it#
$8
!hrough it you effe"t a "hange in your entire mental make.up# !he mind be"omes
in"reasingly one.pointed# &t is able to form -ui"k de"isions# !hose de"isions are usually
"orre"t be"ause all the fa"ts of the "ase are seen at on"e' as in a flash# &t (ill gi+e you an
air of definite purpose' simply be"ause in your e)ternal life you are merely (orking
a""ording to the purposes planned in -uietude# *our e+ery a"t be"omes more real and
+ital# *ou gather self."onfiden"e be"ause you "on"entrate your mind on the one thing
you are doing#
3<
,is purpose must be utterly unified' absolutely single.minded#
3
!he attainment of re+erie passes through t(o stages also# &n the first' the mind is like a
little "hild trying to (alk but often falling' for the abstra"ted mood is intermittent only
and soon lost# &n the se"ond stage' the mind is like an adult (alking steadily and
"ontinually' for the abstra"ted mood remains unbroken and undisturbed#
3$
:hen the meditator tries to keep out all other thoughts e)"ept the "hosen one' he puts
himself up to a tension' a strain..be"ause in most "ases he simply "an not do this and the
failure (hi"h is finally admitted after repeated efforts then has a depressing and
dis"ouraging effe"t upon his ?uest# !herefore' other and easier methods ha+e been
de+ised for beginners as a preliminary to the more diffi"ult pra"ti"es of "on"entration#
>u"h methods in"lude the steady ga0ing at a physi"al point' ob2e"t' or pla"e= use of a
mantram' (hi"h is the "onstant repetition of a (ord or phrase or formula= >hort Path
affirmation (hi"h is the d(elling mentally and "onstru"ti+ely on a metaphysi"al truth or
ethi"al -uality of "hara"ter= and' finally' the pra"ti"e of "ertain breathing e)er"ises#
33
,e imagines a point upon the (all and "on"entrates all his being upon it until he is
a(are of nothing else but the point# 4ll other thoughts ha+e to be emptied out of his
mind' all e)perien"e of the physi"al senses other than this sight of the point has to
+anish#
34
&t is a useful pra"ti"e' (hen the thoughts during meditation refuse to be "on"entrated' to
turn them' too' o+er to the ,igher Po(er..no matter to (hat e+ent or person' situation or
pla"e they stray#
3/
:hen the "apa"ity for "on"entration is intensified and prolonged' the man is then ready
for the further phase (hi"h is meditation as su"h#
33
4 simple te"hni-ue for meditation (hi"h has been used in 4sia sin"e the most an"ient
times a+oids the use of any human being or any sa"red mantram as the ob2e"t of
meditation# !his te"hni-ue in its most primiti+e form is to take a pie"e of "har"oal and
to dra( a "ir"le or a s-uare on the (all of a room and then in the "entre of the pattern to
put a dot# !he student is then told to "on"entrate his ga0e upon the dot and to think of
nothing else# !he pattern is usually large enough for him to see it -uite plainly (hen
sitting a yard or t(o or e+en three from the (all# No(adays' the same te"hni-ue is used
by making the diagram on plain (hite thi"k dra(ing paper and pinning the paper to the
(all#
35
!he pra"ti"e of using a physi"al ob2e"t upon (hi"h to ga0e in order to "on"entrate
attention during meditation makes it mu"h easier for those (ho are attra"ted to it# 4
metaphysi"ian of Ionigsberg' &mmanuel Iant' used the same pra"ti"e (hen (orking
out his metaphysi"al theories# >itting in his study' he (ould look through the (indo(
and fi) his sight on a parti"ular fir tree (hi"h (as gro(ing outside# %ne day it (as "ut
do(n and remo+ed and for some time thereafter Iant found diffi"ulty in holding his
line of thought (ithout the a""ustomed fir tree to ga0e upon# &ndeed' Iant (as su"h a
"reature of habit that e+ery e+ening pun"tually at fi+e o1"lo"k he (ould take his (alk#
People in the "ity of Ionigsberg used to time their (at"hes by his appearan"e in the
street' be"ause he (as in+ariably pun"tual in starting his (alk#
37
For those (ho ha+e set up a high spiritual ideal and moral "hara"ter for themsel+es and
(ho ha+e a"-uired suffi"ient kno(ledge through study or le"tures about the prin"iples
and fundamentals of yoga' there is an e)"ellent e)er"ise (hi"h (ill help them through
the elementary phases of de+elopment= but to others (ho are highly neuroti"' mentally
disturbed' approa"hing or under psy"hosis' it is not only not re"ommended' but (ould
be dangerous# !his e)er"ise is to "on"entrate all the attention upon one ob2e"t in the
surroundings and to keep it there# 4ll asso"iated ideas' analysis' and thoughts about the
ob2e"t should be thro(n out# &t is not a matter of refle"ting about the ob2e"t' but of
holding it in the +ie( and in the mind to the e)"lusion of e+erything else#
%ne "an begin (ith +ery short periods of pra"ti"e and go on slo(ly to longer ones' but
(hen some amount of su""ess has been established by the rigorous use of (illpo(er the
ob2e"t should be "hosen from some things ele+ating to the mind su"h as beautiful musi"
or beautiful lands"ape# For the elementary phase' about fifteen minutes should be the
ma)imum' but for this uplifting phase one may go on longer#
38
!he pra"ti"e of one.pointed "on"entration of attention for any purpose of an ordinary or
(orldly "hara"ter or professional or te"hni"al nature "an be "arried to su"h a far point
that it (ill influen"e the mind generally' so that (hen in the "ourse of time the person
e+ol+es to higher aims and (orthier goals he has ready to use and to bring into his
efforts to attain those goals this "on"entrated po(er of the mind (hi"h is so +aluable
and so ne"essary for his inner gro(th#
4<
!o s-uint lightly at the root of the nose is another form of "on"entration# &t is a help
to(ards (ithdra(ing from the physi"al senses and entering either the psy"hi" or the
spiritual planes# !he psy"hi" pi"tures may be seen as symboli" or literal' and
"lair+oyan"e may de+elop# &f these manifestations are re2e"ted' and attention is dra(n
deeper into the +oid of spa"e' freedom and 2oy may be felt# But if they are a""epted' the
"reati+e fa"ulty of the artist is unfolded#
4
Meditation e)er"ise @Cama 6ratiA: &magine a (hite dot in "entre of forehead and keep
attention held unmo+ingly on it for one hour# %r you "an pla"e it in heart# Better still'
imagine the figure of Buddha pro2e"ted in front of you' radiating (hite light# %r pla"e
the Buddha miniature.si0ed on your head# 4ll these are "alled e)er"ises to attain one.
pointed mind# %nly after this attainment "an you properly do the more ad+an"ed
e)er"ises#
4$
:hat "on"entration means to the artist is (hat it means to the mysti"# %nly its ob2e"t is
different# !he late >ir ,enry :ood' "ondu"tor of the Condon ?ueen1s ,all Con"erts'
told ho(' during the First :orld :ar' he ne+er heard' (hilst "ondu"ting' the sirens
(arning the metropolis of impending air raids# !his is (hat rapt absorption means#
43
!he art of fi)ing the mind in free "hoi"e' of holding thoughts as' and (hen' one (ills'
has yet to be +alued and pra"tised as it ought to be among us# %+erlooked and
disregarded as it has been' it is like buried treasure a(aiting the digger and the
dis"o+erer#
44
&t is important to gi+e the mind a definite idea to hold and mull o+er or a definite line to
follo( and "on"entrate on# &t must be positi+e in this early stage before it "an safely
be"ome passi+e in a later stage#
4/
!he mind "an be influen"ed by the fi+e senses only (hen it attends to them#
43
4t a "ertain depth of penetration into his in(ard being' pain of the body and misery of
the emotions are unable to e)ist# !hey disappear from the meditator1s "ons"iousness#
45
6uring the first period' (hi"h may e)tend to half an hour' (hen nothing seems to
happen and the line of thought or a(areness is (obbly and un"ertain' dis"ouragement
irksomeness and impatien"e -uite often o+er"ome the pra"tiser# !hey may indu"e him to
abandon the session for that day# >u"h a surrender to defeatism is un(ise# E+en in the
"ase of those (ho ha+e pra"tised for some years the tedious initial (aiting period may
still ha+e to be endured# For it is the period during (hi"h thoughts settle slo(ly do(n
2ust as a glass of muddy (ater slo(ly "lears as the mud settles to the bottom# !he proper
attitude to hold (hile this pro"ess "ontinues is patien"e# !his is -uite indispensable#
47
,o( "an a man unify his "ons"iousness (ith the %+erself (ithout first putting his mind
under some sort of a training to strengthen it' so that he (ill not let go but (ill be able to
hold on (hen a Dlimpse "omes;
48
:here attention is being fi)edly held on a single topi" by the po(er of a strong interest
in it' there (ill be little regard gi+en to the passage of time#
/<
!houghts (ill drift past in e+er "hanging +ariety' but he (ill learn to gi+e them no
attention e+en though he is a(are of them#
/
!he a"t of "ontinuous "on"entration..if "arried on for some time..dra(s an e)tra and
unusual -uantity of blood to the brain# !his "auses pleasurable sensations (hi"h may
in"rease to an e"stati" degree#
/$
!he nasal ga0e meditation e)er"ise is both easy and -uieting# &t is mentioned in the
"ita# !he half."losed eyes look do(n on the tip of one1s nose# !hey must not (ink
during the ga0e or be "losed# :hen tired' "lose them and rest# 4+oid strain' staring' and
popping the eyes (ide open# !he a"tion should be one of rela)ation' restful# 4ll
attention of an alert and "on"entrated mind should be fi)ed on the ga0ing# !his e)er"ise
gi+es "ontrol o+er the opti" ner+e and "ontributes to(ards steadiness of mind#
/3
:ith suffi"ient' (ell.dire"ted pra"ti"e' he should fi) the ideal of being able to attain a
"apa"ity of (ithdra(ing attention from the (orld and "on"entrating it (ithin himself
(ithout losing a single minute#
/4
,is progress into the deeper state is retarded if' (hile trying to hold his attention on the
"hosen theme' he lets some of it remain self!consciously alert at the same time to (hat
he is doing and (hat his surroundings are like#
//
4ny method (hi"h settles the mind upon a fi)ed sub2e"t' or "on"entrates attention upon
a single ob2e"t' may be used# But the result must be ele+ating and in a""ord (ith his
ultimate purpose#
/3
:ith all attention gathered in' listen to the beating of the heart#
/5
:hen the mind is too a"ti+e and thoughts su""eed ea"h other too -ui"kly' as in the "ase
of +ery ner+ous or +ery intelle"tual persons' physi"al methods are indi"ated for pra"ti"e#
!hese may be breathing e)er"ises' repetition of a sound or listening to musi" of a
repetiti+e nature' ga0ing at a lands"ape' figure' (ork of art' or symboli" pattern#
/7
Meditation su""eeds to the e)tent that attention is "ontrolled and turned in(ard# :hen
this "ontrol be"omes so intensi+e that neither sounds nor lights "an break it' its
"on"entration is "omplete#
/8
,o( beautiful is that deta"hment from unpleasant surroundings (hi"h the "apa"ity to
intensely "on"entrate besto(s# 4nd this is only one of its re(ards# Effi"ien"y in
studying a ne( sub2e"t is another#
3<
!he se"ret of "on"entration is # # # pra"tise "on"entration9 %nly by arduous effort and
persistent' diligent endea+ours to master his attention (ill he finally su""eed in doing
so# No effort in this dire"tion is (asted and it may be done at any time of the day#
3
%ne "an turn a mysti"al e)perien"e of as mu"h as t(enty years ago' or longer' into fo"us
for attention in meditation' and thereby assist the memory to re"all e+ery detail of it#
3$
!he pra"ti"e of isolating "ons"iousness and remaining "entered in it' "an be follo(ed
(hether (e are in solitary meditation or a"ti+e in the (orld# &n meditation it be"omes
the ob2e"t of thoughts= in a"ti+ity it be"omes their ba"kground# !he eyes "annot look at
themsel+es' neither "an "ons"iousness: it is itself the sub2e"t and "annot be its o(n
ob2e"t# &f the thoughts let themsel+es slip ba"k into it..their sour"e..the stillness of
being is e)perien"ed# >taying in it is the pra"ti"e#
33
!he mental deta"hment needed for this study permits him to shake off personal (orries
and pettier distra"tions# :hen he "an fully "on"entrate in his thinking' sustained and
un(andering absorption is possible#
34
&t is not essential for the meditator to be so sunk in his pra"ti"e as to be"ome entirely
heedless of his surroundings#
3/
,is attention should' in theory' be (holly "on"entrated on this single line of thought#
But in pra"ti"e it (ill be so only at broken inter+als#
33
*oga demands that the mind o""upy itself (ith one thought or one "oherent line of
thought' that attention be held fast to it' (hether it be the thought of something abstra"t
like Dod or the thought of something "on"rete like the "ross#
35
!hrough su"h "on"entrati+e thinking' (e may rea"h pea"e# &t is hard' "ertainly' and the
hand"uffed intelle"t (ill struggle in your grasp like a relu"tant prisoner ne(ly arrested#
*ou must "ontinue (ith your effort to de+elop "ons"ious "on"entrated thought no matter
ho( fumbling your first forays may be#
37
!he aim is to sit there totally absorbed in his thought or' at a more ad+an"ed le+el'
rigidly "on"entrated in his la"k of it#
38
!he (ord B"entreB is a purely mysti"al term: it is unphilosophi"al# :here is the
possibility of a "entral point in the mind (hi"h is so unlimited; But for pra"tising
mysti"s seeking to retire (ithin' the "entre is an e)"ellent goal to aim at#
5<
Could one of these yogis pra"tise his meditation (hile assailed by the deafening noise
of a steel.girder ri+etting ma"hine operating outside his "a+e; &s it pra"ti"able to follo(
the ad+i"e of the Maharishee' (hi"h & heard him gi+e a (ould.be meditator "omplaining
about being bitten by mos-uitoes' to ignore them; Cet it be noted that no person (ho is
trying to pra"tise this art "ould be distra"ted if he did not attend to the sense affe"ted'
(hether it be hearing aroused by a ma"hine or feeling aroused by a mos-uito#
5
>hutting the eyes is only the first step to(ard shutting all the senses# !hat in its turn is
only a step to(ards the still harder task of shutting out all thoughts and all ordinary
e+eryday feelings#
5$
!he fi+e senses ser+e us (ell in the ordinary hours of a"tual life but tyranni0e o+er us
(hen (e try to trans"end it and enter the spiritual life#
53
:ithin a fe( minutes of starting the e)er"ise they feel e)hausted# !he effort to
"on"entrate the mind is hard enough but to "on"entrate and intro+ert it at the same time
is too mu"h for them#
54
!he an"ient yoga te)ts en2oin "on"entration of a steadfast ga0e upon a small ob2e"t until
the eyes begin to shed tears# !he result of su"h pra"ti"es is a "atalepti" state in (hi"h the
mind be"omes fi)ed and unmo+ing (hile the body be"omes stiff as (ood#
5/
&t is not enough to "arry the "on"entrated a(areness a(ay from out(ard things: it must
then be kept there# !his also is hard' be"ause all tenden"ies rebel at first#
53
,is attention must be absolute and perfe"t if it is to be effe"tual and "reati+e in
produ"ing this result#
55
Con"entration re-uires a "apa"ity for "ontinuous attention#
57
4ttention must not (a+er' thought must not (ander# !his is the ideal' of "ourse' and is
not approa"hed' let alone rea"hed' until after long pra"ti"e#
58
!o keep the attention a(ay from any other than the "hosen sub2e"t is the (ork of this
first stage# !he better this is sustained' the deeper is the penetration into the sub2e"t#
7<
:hate+er distra"ts attention openly and +iolently' like the passions= or subtly and
insidiously' like "uriosity= or preo""upies it (ith "ares and an)ieties' like business' is
likely to interfere (ith the mind during pra"ti"e sessions either in "on"entration or
e)altation#
7
4gain and again he (ill ha+e to "olle"t his thoughts and bring his attention to the "entral
point#
7$
>ome of the old Buddhist monks' the histories say' rea"hed samadhi simply by steadfast
ga0ing upon the floor#
73
4ll that lies on the margin of attention may remain there#
74
!here is no doubt that' in its early phases' the art of meditation makes demands for more
"on"entration than most persons possess' that they soon tire unless their enthusiasm
"ontinues#
7/
Fi)ing the ga0e upon a spot marked on a (all or an ob2e"t near or far' is only a
preliminary to fi)ing the mind on a thought#
73
:hen "ons"iousness is deliberately turned a(ay from the (orld and dire"ted in(ard to
itself' and (hen this "ondition is steadily maintained by a purified person' the result is a
real one#
75
!he stage of "on"entration is e+aluated as ha+ing been established (hen it "an be
sustained long enough to let attention be"ome suffi"iently abstra"ted from surroundings'
suffi"iently absorbed in the mental ob2e"t' and for the pra"ti"e itself to be easy'
unhindered' attra"ti+e#
77
!o a"hie+e this kind of "on"entration (here attention is (ithdra(n from the outer (orld
and held tightly in itself' a determined attitude is needed of not stopping until this
sharply pointed state is rea"hed# 4ll other thoughts are re2e"ted in the +ery moment that
they arise# &f at the start there is aspiration and de+otion to(ard the %+erself' and in the
"ourse of the effort too' then e+entually the stress falls a(ay and the >tillness repla"es
it#
78
,e (ho is un(illing to endure "on"entration sustained to the point of fatigue (ill not be
able to penetrate to the deep le+el (here truth abides# But (hen he does su""eed' the
fatigue +anishes' an intense e)hilaration repla"es it#
8<
:hen he is going to pra"tise any e)er"ise..(hether mysti"al or physi"al..his mind
should be thoroughly "on"entrated on it and not on anything else# 4ll thought and
energy should go into it' if it is to be su""essfully done#
8
:hen "on"entration attains its effe"ti+e state' the e+er.tossing mental (a+es subside
and the emotional perturbations be"ome still# !his is the psy"hologi"al moment (hen
the mysti" naturally feels e)altation' pea"e' and super.earthliness# But it is also the
psy"hologi"al moment (hen' if he is (ise' he should turn a(ay from re+elling in
personal satisfa"tion at this a"hie+ement and' penetrating yet deeper' stri+e to
understand the inner "hara"ter of the sour"e (hen"e these feelings arise' stri+e to
understand pure Mind#@PA
8$
!o bring his s"attered thoughts to heel' to gi+e undi+ided attention to the intuiti+e
feeling (hi"h (ould lead to the se"ret spiritual self..this is the first task#
83
&f it is to profit him' the student must not allo( his meditation to be"ome nebulous and
+ague#
84
!he (ill' dri+ing the attention to a fine pinpoint of "on"entration' sinks through layer
after layer of the mind till it rea"hes the noblest' the (isest' and the happiest of them all#
8/
&t (ould be a serious error to belie+e that he is to "ontinue (ith any parti"ular e)er"ise
or "hosen theme' (ith any spe"ial de"laration or analysis or -uestion' no matter (hat
happens in the "ourse of a session# %n the "ontrary= if at any moment he feels the onset
of deeper feelings' or stronger aspirations' or notable pea"e' he ought to stop the
e)er"ise or abandon the method and gi+e himself up entirely to the interior +isitant# ,e
ought to ha+e no hesitation and no fear in "onsidering himself free to do so#@PA
83
:hen this gentle in(ard pull is felt' "on"entrate all attention' all feeling' and all desire
upon it# Di+e yourself up to it' for you are re"ei+ing a +isitation from the Cord' and the
more you do so' the "loser ,e (ill "ome#
85
!his is the stage of adoration' (hen the %+erself1s beauty and tran-uillity begin to take
possession of his heart# ,e should then "ease from any further thinking dis"ursi+ely
about it or "ommuning +erbally (ith it# &t is a time for "omplete inner silen"e# Cet him
engage himself solely in beholding' lo+ing' and e+entually uniting (ith the gra"ious
sour"e of these feelings#
87
!here is a distin"t feeling of something like a +al+e opening in the region of the heart#
88
:hen that deli"ate feeling "omes o+er him' he should hold on to it (ith all his
"on"entrati+eness and all his "olle"tedness#
$<<
!here is a "ru"ial time in the meditation session (hen the meditator goes into re+erse as
it (ere..instead of intensifying his attention on the idea or ob2e"t' imagery' or sound' he
lets go in surrender and rests# But it is not a rest in ego"entri"ity# 4ll has been handed
o+er to the higher >elf to (hom he no( feels "lose# %nly at this point is he
"on"entrated' "alm' ready' and re"epti+e to the 6i+inity#
$<
!he moment he feels the beginnings of any mo+ement to(ards the indra(ing of thought
and feeling a(ay from e)ternals' he should at on"e respond to it and let attention fall
deeper and deeper into himself' e+en if for only fi+e minutes# !his is important be"ause
of the "urrents of Dra"e (hi"h are being telepathi"ally transmitted to him in fulfilment
of the e)isting relationship#
$<$
&f he is (illing to submit to the %+erself1s gentle dra(ing' he must first be able to
re"ogni0e it for (hat it is#
$<3
!he sensation of being dra(n gently inside (ill be felt#
$<4
,e is to push attention from outside himself to inside# ,e is then to push a(ay
e)traneous thoughts (hile he "on"entrates on the feeling.sear"h for his innermost self#
$</
Better than any other pra"ti"e is this deep in.sear"hing#
$<3
Cons"iousness must fo"us itself in(ard upon as"ertaining its o(n sour"e to the
e)"lusion of e+erything else#
$<5
!he more he internali0es his attention' and the less he responds to the sense.
impressions' the nearer he dra(s to the spiritual presen"e in his heart#
$<7
!he di+ine atom is that part of the body (ith (hi"h the %+erself is most dire"tly
asso"iated' and that is (hy it is pla"ed in the heart' but of "ourse' the %+erself is
asso"iated (ith the (hole body# !here is a s"ientifi" e)planation (hy the heart is the
spiritual "entre of the body and (hy the brain is the mental "entre' and this is gi+en in
The #isdom of the $verself#
$<8
,is determined' one.pointed attention keeps going do(n deeper and deeper into his o(n
being#
%arieties of practice
$<
!here are +arious pra"ti"al methods of a"hie+ing the "ombined aim of remembering the
di+ine and "on"entrating on the di+ine# Mantram.repetition is one of them# !hey are
mostly elementary and (ell.suited to aspirants (ho are at an early stage of
de+elopment# But these aspirants "annot stay there al(ays# !he time "omes (hen they
must seek and struggle for a higher stage# Full enlightenment "an "ome only to the fully
de+eloped#
$
4lthough there are some general features "ommon to most te"hni-ues' there is also in
ea"h "ase something (hi"h is personally needed to suit the parti"ular temperament'
"hara"ter' and status#
$$
Ea"h method is merely a point of departure' not a pla"e or arri+al# &t is a fo"ussing of
thoughts upon a spe"ial ob2e"t or sub2e"t (ith a +ie( to tra+elling later beyond all
thoughts into the stage of "ontemplation#
$3
Most of these te"hni-ues are preliminary' intended to bring the mind into one.pointed
"on"entration# !hey do not lead to the real enlightenment#
$4
!here is no ob2e"tion to elementary methods of learning to "on"entrate' that is' to
mantram' affirmation' and breath "ontrol..pro+ided it is re"ogni0ed that they are
elementary and therefore ha+e their limitations# But (hen' as is so often the "ase' this is
not kno(n' not understood' or not thought to be "orre"t' then illusions and de"eptions
are fostered# %ne of the illusions is that enlightenment' !ruth' reality' has been attained#
%ne of the de"eptions is that this te"hni-ue is all that needs to be done#
$/
:e ha+e tried to formulate methods and to adapt e)er"ises (hi"h (ill enable the
modern man to "ome into this trans"endental "ons"iousness (ithout deserting the (orld
and (ithout be"oming a +otary of as"eti"ism#
$3
&t is a +aluable e)er"ise for those (ho are repelled by all e)er"ises' to rea"h ba"k in
memory and imagination' in surrender and lo+e' to some grand rare moment of mysti"al
insight# !hey (ill not be repelled by this one' for it is so simple that it "an hardly be
"lassified among the e)er"ises# 4nd yet it is' (ith a +alue immensely disproportionate to
its simpli"ity#
$5
!he student should not feel bound to follo( rigidly a de+otional.meditational program
laid do(n' as it needs must be' on general lines to suit a +ariety of people# ,e should
feel free to e)press his indi+iduality by impro+ising additions or alterations in it should
a strong prompting to do so "ome to him#
$7
4ll these rules and suggestions are for beginners# &n the end he (ill ha+e to learn to be
able to pra"tise in any pla"e and at any time#
$8
Cet him e)periment (ith many different e)er"ises and so learn (hi"h ones suit him best
and help him most#
$$<
4ll these methods are simply me"hani"al de+i"es for thro(ing the "ons"ious mind out
of gear#
$$
None of the elementary methods of yoga su"h as breath "ontrol and mantram lead to a
permanent "ontrol of the mind' but they prepare the (ay and make it easier to take up
those pra"ti"es (hi"h do lead to su"h a result#@PA
$$$
>o far as meditation is affe"ted by their hidden operation' the tenden"ies dra( one
person by one (ay and others by another# !here is no single road# !hose (ho fail to
ad+an"e in' or are unattra"ted by' dis"ursi+e meditation' may use mantrams' symbols'
and forms instead#
$$3
:hether the seeker uses a !ibetan mandala @spiritually symboli" pi"tureA to "on"entrate
on' or an &ndian mantram @"ontinuous mental or muttered repetition of a +erbal
formulaA' the end result (ill be an indra(n state of "ons"iousness' abstra"ted from the
outside (orld' or else a deeper and more sustained remembran"e of Dod# Cike the other
yoga methods' they are de+i"es to a"hie+e one.pointedness of mind#
$$4
:hen sele"ting an e)er"ise for pra"ti"e it is (ell to begin (ith one that "omes easiest to
him#
$$/
4 ne( e)er"ise' theme' or pra"ti"e in meditation (ill naturally need more time than an
old familiar one#
$$3
!he method of the Maharishi Mahesh *ogi "an not lead to enlightenment by truth' but it
"an lead to a +ery pleasurable temporary -uieting of the mind#
$$5
E)planations of the yogi" "hakras: ,e should treat them for 2ust (hat they are' points in
the physi"al body upon (hi"h to "on"entrate the mind# 4s he progresses in(ardly' he
mo+es up to the ne)t higher "hakra= but this kind of "on"entration yoga is not ordinarily
re"ommended# &t belongs to a spe"ial yoga (hi"h seeks the a(akening of the spirit fire
and that is a risky undertaking#
$$7
&n !ibetan Buddhist initiations of "ertain s"hools' the master uses his s"eptre to tou"h
those "entres (hi"h are spe"ially sensiti+e to re"ei+e the mysti" po(er he is transmitting
among them# 4fter tou"hing the head and breast' the importan"e of the ner+e "entre at
the nape of the ne"k is re"ogni0ed by re"ei+ing the third tou"h#
$$8
4fter some pra"ti"e' he (ill less and less "ons"iously think of the te"hni-ue and more
and more instin"ti+ely follo( it#
$3<
!he most balan"ed pro"edure is to alter the themes and e)er"ises from time to time to
meet the different re-uirements of his all.round de+elopment as (ell as the different
intuiti+e urges and passing moods (hi"h may manifest themsel+es#
$3
!he ad+o"a"y of meditation in a nonspiritual medi"o.psy"hologi"al form (ould
probably meet the situation of a number of indi+iduals# ,o(e+er' there ought to be' side
by side and along (ith it' another effort to ad+o"ate meditation in a religious and
aspirational form for the sake of other indi+iduals (ho are ready to emerge from narro(
orthodo)y' but still (ish to keep their religious faith# &n both "ases' it is ne"essary to
point out that all kinds of meditation must be safeguarded by some effort at self.
purifi"ation and at strengthening intelle"tual balan"e# %ther(ise it may do harm as (ell
as good#
$3$
E+en the large range of possible meditations upon spiritual prin"iples' mental ideas'
imagined pi"tures and physi"al ob2e"ts does not e)haust the list# ,e may use his o(n
body' too# !he ga0e may be "on"entrated bet(een the eyebro(s' do(n the nose' or upon
the na+el# !he pro"ess of breathing may be "losely (at"hed#
$33
!he instru"tions and dire"tions (hi"h are of first importan"e must be separated from
those (hi"h are merely se"ond in importan"e' or "onfusion (ill result#
$34
6is"ussion of the methods of meditation' and "riti"al s"rutiny of its nature and results
"an only be of +alue' if not of interest' to the handful of initiates (ho ha+e pra"tised one
of the methods and e)perien"ed some of the results# 4ll others (ill be dependent on
(hat they ha+e heard or read about meditation# !o them su"h dis"ussion and su"h
s"rutiny (ill be either in"omprehensible or unprofitable or be(ildering#
$3/
4 "ontinuous ringing of large hea+y old "hur"h bells' if intently "on"entrated upon' may
produ"e in a person appre"iati+e of the musi" in them' a suitable starting point for
intro+erting attention#
$33
!he methods used to indu"e this absorbed tran"e.like state ha+e been as many as they
are +aried' from the loud bull.like roars of the Pasupata yogis to the aestheti" (hirlings
of the Me+le+i der+ishes#
$35
!he (it"h.do"tor (ho' or (hose assistant' beats out a rhythm on his drum a""omplishes
a "on"entration of mind..a lulling of the senses and a re"ession from the (orld for his
hearers' to a farther e)tent than they (ould ha+e been able to a""omplish for themsel+es
alone#
$37
!here are e)er"ises (hi"h lead to this higher "ons"iousness# By the po(er of (ill they
"on"entrate attention= by pursuing an ele+ated topi" they bring the latter to meditation=
by patiently and perse+erantly dropping the (ill (hi"h ser+ed so (ell' they attain the
stillness of "ontemplation#
$38
>ome of these te"hni-ues make the mind numb and thus arrest thinking: they are not
only +ery elementary but also inferior# But for numbers of people they are the easiest
(ays and the most resultful# !hey ha+e to be used by su"h persons as stepping.stones'
not as permanent homes#
$4<
!here are +arious (ays used by +arious seekers of putting the "ons"ious mind out of
ordinary a"tion# !he (ay of those der+ishes (ho t(irl around on their feet and' at the
same time' spin around in a larger "ir"le' is one of them# !hey e+entually get +ertigo and
fall to the ground# !hey s(oon' and thereafter may get a glimpse#
$4
!he true inner use of the koan is "orre"t and laudable# !he mistake is to make its
pra"ti"e a "ause of an)iety and stress# No# &t should de+elop smoothly' thinking
harmoniously and e+en logi"ally' and thus rea"h the ine+itable re"ognition that intelle"t
"an go no further# >o the intelle"t stops (orking' resigns itself' and lo' acts no more @:u
:ei..ina"tionA# !he man then (aits patiently and pea"efully and a""eptantly# !he result
is no longer in his hands# &t must be no( entrusted to higher po(er#
$4$
:here meditation uses thoughts or images..logi"al se-uential thoughts' or symboli"al
or realisti" images..it is still the (ork of the man himself and therefore (ithin the ego#
$43
4s to (hether meditation should begin (ith mental "on"entration or mental stillness'
ea"h pra"ti"e is ad+isable at different times or during different phases of one1s
de+elopment# &n the "ourse of a year' the student may de+ote his (ork during some
months to beginning (ith the first and during other months (ith the se"ond# &t is not
possible to generali0e about (hi"h one is better during any parti"ular period= this
depends entirely on indi+idual "ir"umstan"es# !he best (ay to find out is to make an
impersonal self.e)amination' and then follo( one1s o(n intuition#
$44
!he "reator of the %rder of :hirling 6er+ishes used the gyratory mo+ements and dan"e
"on"entrations' (ith reed.pipe musi"al a""ompaniments' to bring them into the mysti"al
e)perien"e# !his is possible be"ause body and mind rea"t upon ea"h other# !o a lesser
e)tent but in a different (ay' the same prin"iple is used in hatha yoga# Both methods are
intended to rea"h and a(aken people (ho (ould find the solely mental' physi"ally
immobile meditation too diffi"ult#
$4/
!hey "omplain about the noise outside their meditation room but the noise of their ego
inside it is louder# !heir te"hni-ues are useful and preparatory but unless a""ompanied
or follo(ed by dis"rimination' kno(ledge' understanding' they fail to root out the ego'
only lulling it and tying them to the espoused system' dogma' or "redo#
$43
!he different yogas are transitory phases (hi"h the seeker must de+elop and then
outgro(#
$45
!hose (ho feel the need of out(ard ritual and sa"ramental ser+i"e should satisfy it' but
those (ho find simple meditation (ith nothing added more attra"ti+e may progress in
their o(n (ay#
$47
&f some of the dis"iplines are no longer pra"ti"al under the "onditions of present.day
li+ing' others are still useful#
$48
!he (ell.kno(n helps to "on"entration su"h as rosaries' mandalas' geometri"al
diagrams' "andle flames in the darkness' and' most popular of all' a mantram may be
used by beginners but they are not ne"essary to fairly ad+an"ed students#
$/<
!e"hni-ue should suit temperament#
$/
!here is a+ailable for us all a te"hni"al method in (hi"h may be found the means to
a"hie+e the refulgent moods of mysti"al inspiration#
$/$
&t is neither right or (rong to try to suppress thoughts in meditation e)er"ises: (hat
matters is to fit (hat is attempted to the parti"ular ob2e"t of the parti"ular e)er"ise# >o
there are times to let thoughts mo+e and times to rein them in#
$/3
!he pra"ti"e of tratak J"ontinuous ga0ingK is intended to make the yogi blind to e)ternal
s"enes by attending to a single ob2e"t= the pra"ti"e of shabda yoga is intended to render
him deaf to e)ternal sounds by attending to a single sound= and (ith sights and sounds
"ut off' he is (ell nigh "ut off from the (hole e)ternal (orld# !hus these systems of
yoga are no other than te"hni-ues for indu"ing a "on"entrated in(ard.turned state#
$/4
6alai Cama on !ibetan tantra: B*ou push up For"e through spine then lean ba"k(ard
mentally to meet it#B
$//
!o the alternati+es of thinking (ith the head and thinking (ith the heart' the Hapanese
Len master offers a third "hoi"e: B!hink (ith the abdomen'B he ad+ises the pra"tiser of
koan meditation e)er"ises# !he !ibetan !antrik masters offer e+en a fourth "hoi"e:
B!hink (ith the generati+e organ and sublimate its feelings#B !he 4d+aita Eedantins go
still farther# B!hink -uite abstra"tly' not of the body at all'B they "ounsel# >hould all this
not sho( that no method is of e)"lusi+e importan"e;
$/3
!he Eastern Chur"h used' among other ,esy"hasti" methods of making meditation
more su""essful' the pressing of the "hin against the "hest#
$/5
%n"e a professor at leading &ndian uni+ersities' and then on attainment of independen"e
a minister in the &ndian go+ernment' the late Gadhakumud Muker2ee (as a "o.dis"iple
of the same guru (ho sent *ogananda' founder of >#G#F#' to 4meri"a9 %n"e (hen (e
meditated together' Muker2ee s(ayed as he sat' mo+ing head and shoulders from left to
right in a "ir"ular fashion# 4t first this rotation (as -uite slo(' but it pi"ked up a little
speed as it (ent on#
$/7
Eoodoo musi"ians and 4fri"an (it"hdo"tors use the rhythmi" beating of drums to
indu"e either the tran"e state or emotional "res"endos#
$/8
!he desert fathers' the Egyptian eremites' ha+e their &ndian e-ui+alents# Meditation
(ithout philosophy' (ithout instru"tion' (ithout kno(ledge' produ"es (idely and
strangely different results in different people#
$3<
>ome of these old yogas (ere "urious' some alluring' and others horrible# !hus one
re-uired him to let his body enter regularly into se)ual inter"ourse but to think all the
time about the a"t1s animal ugliness and e+il "onse-uen"es# ,e (as to do this until the
sight of a naked female body aroused re+ulsion' its (hite gleaming limbs seemed more
hideous than attra"ti+e' and its in+itation to "oitus filled him (ith disgust# 4nother
method re-uired him to sit on a fresh "orpse in the pit"h darkness of a "emetery at
midnight and think solely of the -uality of fearlessness# !hese apparently (ere &ndian
+ersions of the attempt to take the kingdom of hea+en by +iolen"e# &n Bengal and !ibet
they are still pra"tised by some fanati"s# *et more aspirants are likely to fail (ith them
than su""eed# &n the one yoga' su"h failures (ould result in greater sensuality than
before and in the other in greater fear than before# Ne+ertheless their effe"ti+eness may
be granted# But' (e ask' is it not better for "i+ili0ed modern seekers to use more refined
and less drasti" methods;
The &otebooks are "opyright M 874.878' !he Paul Brunton Philosophi" Foundation#