The exponential growth of science and technology has bestowed us with great comfortsand conveniences which certain years ago, one couldn’t have even dreamt of. Globally, people are getting busier, distances getting shorter, frontiers wider. Still, unhappiness and dissatisfaction prevails among people of all classes from the poorest manual labourer to the richest CEO. The objects people crave for – money, education, work, gadgets, luxury, home, cars, nothing seems to give us eternal satisfaction or peace. This makes many of us think about the meaning of all

this, makes them look back upon oneself. This self examination and realisation may be the start of a path which can lead us through a parallel road, still in this busy, advanced and overwhelming world, but not pressurised or disturbed by the speeding main lane traffic. What is important is that this parallel path can lead us to our destinations faster, make us complete our tasks more efficiently and lead a happier life. Meditation is an important step one should take to step into and continue through this alternate path.

All the advancements in our world are for better, not intended to create misery because it is us humans’ goodwill and intelligence which creates the change. Changes for the better understanding of the universe, for better cure of diseases, for better communication, against oppressing laws and tyranny etc. So we can understand that our desperation is not the problem of the external world, but is the problem our inner selves. We have lost the mastery over ourselves and thus are not able to utilize these advancements or take in what is good and discard what is bad. We live in this external world prompted by our inner selves. The self is influenced by the external world. So we have to control and decide how we are influenced to make over existence better for ourselves and the community. Also we have to control and regulate the production and flow of our thoughts which in turn decide our actions.

What surrounds us is not our choice. We are engulfed in a constant flow of events, voices, scenes, information and motion. Some of those pleases us, some irritates us. Keeping a focus in the midst of this flow is important to be peaceful and to complete our responsibilities and tasks. This focus is what meditation gives us. Sometimes, we also fail to enjoy the most pleasing of the circumstances, the most melodious of music or a very delicious meal if we are disturbed in body or mind. To live in the present and take in what each moment presents you, and be immune to the negatives is another key to a successful and peaceful life. Mediation can help us with this too. Meditation helps us to grasp things comprehensively, process it more efficiently and respond effectively. Enhancing the mind is what meditation does.

All of us havegone through the feeling of ultimate joy in some fleeting moments – at times of professional oreducational success, achieving something, when seeing our child’s first step or while just listening to a beautiful piece of music. During those few seconds, we feel only joy and are oblivious to anything else like the worldly tensions or sorrows. But we are neither able to make this happiness last forever nor to reproduce that state of mind at will. A thorough practitioner of meditation can be in that state of bliss, whatever the world throws at him. By training in meditation, we create an inner space and clarity that enables us to control our mind regardless of the external circumstances. Gradually we develop mental equilibrium, a balanced mind that is happy all the time, rather than an unbalanced mind that oscillates between the extremes of excitement and despondency.

The ultimate aim of meditation is peace and bliss. It can be explained as a mental condition experienced as absolute sorrow less silence. Meditation helps to silence our mind and thoughts. The calls, noises and seductions of the world which creates the umpteen desires in us are muted. If we are able to do so, we will be able to concentrate and focus and be more efficient.

All these are easy to say, not so easy to follow. In classical yoga, meditation or “dhyanam’ is described as the seventh step, just before attaining the eternal bliss. The previous steps begins from modulating one’s lifestyle in a positive way and be honest and kind, proper education, exercise through yoga postures, pranayama or breathing exercise and control, withdrawing mind from desires, concentration or focusing the mind and then comes dhyanam or meditation. In meditation your mind should be like a candle flame in a closed room – not fluttering, constant. For that you need to fend off the wind – the noises of external world and its stresses, and you need to have a firm base which is a healthy physique. That is why all these life modulation, exercises and breathing are pre requisite for meditation.

There are meditation courses and meditation techniques which teaches us how to meditate, how to sit in silence, how to maintain an erect posture, how to control breathing and how to concentrate. All those may be correct, all they teach could be techniques to do the process. But meditation is not about the process alone. Sitting in a posture and concentrating by controlled breathing is the right method, but that alone may not give you all the benefits mentioned above or you might fail to experience the ‘bliss’ and get bored.

Meditation, as said in the classical yoga texts, is an extension of a focused lifestyle. Only by adjusting one’s lifestyle and accepting changes and then adding meditation as a routine of the new lifestyle, you can achieve the complete benefits. For that we should commit ourselves to a positive lifestyle. We must remind ourselves about the virtues we already have in us, but have forgotten because of life’s stress and demands – the virtues like empathy, kindness, sincerity, absolute honesty – andenforce ourselves to act ourselves according to those scruples and standards which we set for ourselves.

This is called ‘yama’ in classical yoga texts. As the next step we should be keen to learn. Unless we learn and understand the spiritual texts, yoga and philosophy, we might not be able to have a clear picture about where are we headed and might not have a focus. This learning process is called ‘Niyama’ in yoga. The next step is making the body healthier through yoga postures. This prevents physical ailments from disturbing us and also gives us more efficiency. It is called ‘asana’. Then comes modulating breathingand breathing exercises called ‘pranayama’. After practicing pranayama, one should train to withdraw one’s mind and senses from the external world. This shall not essentially be going to a mountain orjungle but not letting the stress of the world overwhelm you, and not letting the temptations derail your focus. This is called ‘pratyahara’. The previous steps will enable us for this seemingly difficult task. ‘Dhyanam’ or meditation is the next step. When we analyse it becomes clear that only these step by step learning and practice will enable us for a successful meditation.The state of mind for meditation can begin with self analysis. We have to detach from ourselves and our ego, watch ourselves in a criticizing way and analysie our behaviour. Also we should learn how our mind responds to various external stimulus and think of ways to make that response better. This can be done as an end of the day exercise, just before sleep, like keeping a personal diary of the mind. We should make our mind ready for remodeling. This acceptance is important.The next and most important realization is the realization of oneness of everything in the universe. We view everybody and everything separated by nationality, race, religion, gender and finally family and individuality. But Indian philosophy, on which mediation is based, teaches us the concept of ‘atma’ , that is to view everything in the universe as an extension of each other, or everything as one. This oneness is the central thought we should meditate about.

The posture for meditation shall be any yoga posture or just an erect and comfortable sitting posture. In the beginning of your routine mediation, examine your body with your mind beginning from the head. Relax your body scanning it inch by inch by your mind. Afterwards, we can do pranayama and begin meditation.

Mind should be trained to be silent. When the conscious mind becomes silent, the subconscious can float up and it can be examined and cleaned. By meditation, we will be able to recharge our mind with freshness and awareness about the world and more importantly, ourselves. As a habit which makes us more efficient, productive, calm and peaceful, meditation makes the world a better place to live.

Footnote: This text is largely based on the teachings of ‘swami’ Chinmayananda, vedanta guru and founder of

‘Chinmaya Foundation’.

Dr. R Rajeevkumar (M.D),

Chief Physician,

Sree Rudra Vilasam Ayurveda Hospital,

Tripunithura, Kerala, India