by Senora Bartels
Vedic Meditation is the effortless way to relieve stress, capture bliss
and discover clarity of thought that comes with the experience of
Being. But what is Vedic Meditation? Veda means knowledge in Sanskrit.
The Veda is knowledge that initially was passed down orally and then
finally written and divided into four sections. The Vedas are the
source of yoga, ayurvedic medicine and meditation (which Prince
Siddhartha [Buddha] drew from and practiced).
The meditation technique for householders (secular citizens) was
brought out of "cold storage" by Swami Brahmananda Saraswati, (known as
Guru Dev). Here's a quick history - several thousand years ago,
surrounded by ocean and cut off by the Himalayas to the north, India
was impervious to invasion. Then armies discovered the Khyber Pass and
invasions and subsequent occupations began. An eminent teacher of the
time, Sukadeva, knew that with occupation came erasure of culture so he
ensured that important knowledge was hidden away in monasteries in the
northeast Himalayas. Difficult to reach and without wealth, the
monasteries were left alone during the several ensuing centuries of
occupation. Rumor has it that Sukadeva instructed the yogis to act
crazy and go without clothing to further discourage visitors. Thus, for
several centuries, the householder meditation technique was lost. Guru
Dev, during his lifetime (1870-1953) saw India achieve independence
(1947) and, as one of the greatest spiritual leaders in India, was the
single most influential force in recovering the householder meditation technique.
This householder's technique uses a bija mantra (bija =
seed). (There
is a set of bija mantras specifically for the householder - Aum or Om
is a seed mantra for the yogi and will awaken a desire to retreat into
seclusion.) A bija mantra has no value on the level of meaning. It is
not a noun, verb, adjective, or adverb. It cannot lead the mind to
action. In the Vedic view, Action is at the top layer of the gross
conscious world ("gross" meaning "most expressed"), Thought lies
underneath Action, thus Thought leads to Action. Underneath both of
these is the state of Being. The mantra acts as a vehicle for the mind
and through repetition, the meaningless sound becomes fainter and more
charming. Mind follows until the mantra becomes so faint it disappears
and one arrives at the level of Being. Being or Pure Consciousness is
the fountainhead of creativity, and a place of supreme inner
contentedness. We experience something like this feeling of
contentedness just before sleep. We stop thinking but are still aware
of the room. It is the "sweet spot" just before we drop into sleep -
but sleep comes and we're unable to maintain that alert contentment.
With Vedic Meditation you experience contentment, an alert relaxed,
blissful state and there are no special skills required. Given a
choice, mind will move in the direction of greater charm or happiness
and its choice is the mantra. In this practice, if you can think, you
can meditate. I realize "if you can think you can meditate" goes
against some of your ideas about what meditation is "supposed to be"
but it is exactly the main difference between Vedic Meditation and
other practices. Some meditation practices require concentration with a
request to "empty the mind"; others rely on visualization. These
practices don't allow for transcendence (diving to Being). When
meditators attempt to empty the mind, they are pulled to the level of
Action "don't think"; and with visualization, the mind remains at the
surface layer of meaning.
When we're learning to dive into a pool, we have to angle the body and
then let go - allow the body to enter the water. It is the same with
Vedic Meditation. The mantra points toward the pool of Being and then
gracefully lets go, allowing mind to enter Pure Consciousness.
With Vedic Meditation we sit comfortably: twenty minutes, twice a day.
There is no need for a special meditation room because noise is no
barrier. I have meditated in my car parked on a busy street. Vedic
Meditation is completely portable and effortless.
To begin your practice, receive the correct mantra from a Vedic
Meditation teacher and attend a three-day follow-up course to your
initial session of learning the technique. There are several teachersof
Vedic Meditation. If you can't find one in your area, most will travel
(myself included) in order to answer worthy inquiry.
How do you connect with the divine or center yourself?
source
Related Articles:
3rd
Eye Meditation
Contacting Your Spirit
Guides
Guided Clearing Meditation
Melatonin
Supplement to Open Pineal Gland
5
Reasons Why Meditation is A Habit You Can't Afford Not To Develop
Violet
Flame Meditation to clear your karma and to release the ego
