Hi my name is Peter. I have being trying to meditate but it’s being hard for me because I am finding it hard to concetrate, sometimes I can keep concentration but nothing happens, I don’t see anything, no light, no image. How can my spiritual eyes open in meditation to be able to get into these realms mentioned
—Peter, South Africa
Dear Peter,
Many years ago when Swami Kriyananda was new to meditation and living with Paramhansa Yogananda, Kriyananda complained to his guru that he didn’t think he was getting anywhere with meditation. Yogananda replied that “You are trying to hard!” Relaxation is the key!
Another obstacle to success in meditation are expectations of inner experiences. It is appropriate and helpful to learn about these things from books, teachers, or classes but “when the bird and the book disagree, believe the bird!”
Don’t be concerned therefore about what you think is supposed to happen. Make your focus, rather, learning to relax the body and the mind and to open the heart to receiving. Swamiji describes meditation as “upward relaxation into superconsciousness.” He also describes meditation as “listening.”
A good meditation practice utilizes basic tools whereby the body and mind complement each other. Some standing stretches, simple breath control exercises, creative visualization, chanting and affirmation all, when used wisely and consciously, can relax the body and calm the mind.
Ultimately, however, we must sincerely want to meditate: “to be still and know that I AM God.” There must be a desire to meditate and to be still; a desire, to receive God’s grace and presence.
Whether you relate to higher consciousness as your own Self or as God, Divine Mother, guru etc is a matter of “taste,” so to speak. But it is helpful to understand that meditation is not an ESCAPE FROM REALITY, but an escape TO REALITY.
Thus our purpose is to align our consciousness to a higher consciousness and level of vibration. This, whatever you call it, exists independently of our awareness of it. Otherwise, meditation becomes merely projection of our imagination.
If you haven’t studied meditation techniques from Ananda or from other qualified teacher, I highly advise you to do so. The techniques, while not a substitute for either grace or heart-felt sincere desire for superconsciousness, are essential to successful and consistent meditation.
So, relax, get calm and enjoy the quietness that steals over you, refreshing and bathing your body-mind in the weightless waterfall of inner, soul-nourishing peace!
Blessings,
Nayaswami Hriman
