I have been practicing meditation for quite sometime (almost 2 to 3 years) now and am able to sit for 1 hour with ease. As a practice, I try to meditate almost everyday. Now, I want to ask the following question: It looks like I am addicted to meditation. I feel deep sensations/tingling in my brow chakra and it compels me to remain in the meditative state. I would appreciate it if you could tell me if I am heading in the right direction. Thanks!!!
—Ankit, India
Dear Ankit,
Yogananda discussed the “desireless desire” of the soul for union with God. We find this union within ourselves through spiritual practice.
In this divine union we may experience infinite bliss, love, wisdom, peace, calmness and many other aspects of God. This desire is not addictive in the worldly sense. In fact it is when our longing for God becomes so strong that it permeates our every thought and feeling that we reach this goal. Our ego distorts this desire, seeking outside of itself for worldly fulfillment.
It is in worldly desires that we find the problem of addiction. Fulfilling a worldly desire only satisfies for a short time and then we are back to craving more. We look for fulfillment in the wrong places, always seeking to acquire more; be it possessions, worldly approval or love or power or bodily pleasures such as food, sex or drug-altered states.
A definition of addiction is “compulsive substance abuse with harmful consequences.” Our addiction to worldly fulfillment always finally results in harmful consequences because it prevents us from seeking God and weaves the web of delusion around us even more densely.
Your meditation practice as you describe it sounds strong and you are receiving some divine encouragement in the form of sensations at the spiritual eye or ajna chakra at the point between the eyebrows and a desire to remain in the meditative state.
I encourage you to learn more about the spiritual path and meditation. There are many steps on the path to union or Self-realization including not only meditation but learning to integrate spirituality into your daily life. We become free when we are in union with God in every moment of our day including when meditating or serving or being with family or just relaxing.
At Ananda India we have extensive support for your spiritual practice. I encourage you to take at our meditation courses in India.
Many Blessings,
Nayaswami Mukti
