How to deepen meditation | Thus Spake Babaji #77

Babaji explains how to deepen your meditation practice.

Thus Spake Babaji, online Q&A #77, recorded on 8 January 2022 with worldwide participants.

0:06 I meditate everyday but don't feel like I am progressing, am I doing something wrong?
5:24 As a young boy did Babaji's mind naturally go quiet in meditation?
7:01 When the mind is too busy to go into meditation is it ok to chant or listen to spiritual music until the mind calms down?
8:16 Should a fear of nothingness and non-existence in meditation happen?
11:08 Does watching exciting or violent films make meditation difficult?
13:21 Should we share our experiences in meditation with others?
14:52 Is there a reason why meditating in a group is better?
15:34 Are certain days more auspicious for meditation?
17:26 Is it better to concentrate on improving our meditation technique or extending the time in meditation?
18:49 Why do we concentrate on the brow chakra?  Is there a stage when we move to the crown chakra?
22:14 When meditation deepens, should attention between eyebrows fade into awareness?
23:43 How was the nature of the mind revealed to Babaji in deep meditation?
27:45 What are the signposts that we can recognise as we go deeper in meditation?
28:56 What is the difference between the tendencies in the brain and imprints in the mind?
35:52 Is there an electricity or a vibration to thoughts?
37:16 what is the difference between impressions and tendencies?

If you are interested in joining the live online meditation classes with Babaji please visit https://www.shivarudrabalayogi.org/en/online-satsang 

___
Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6YHFKcPK_XT96VO7xuk6RQ

Website: http://www.srby.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shivarudrabalayogi
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SRBYmission
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shivarudrabalayogi/

Register your free place for the live online meditation and Q&A with Babaji: https://www.shivarudrabalayogi.org/en/online-satsang

Website: http://www.srby.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shivarudrabalayogi
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SRBYmission
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shivarudrabalayogi/

Transcript

How to Deepen Meditation Thus Spake Babaji, online Q&A #77

8 January 2022, Worldwide Participants, 41:04

Questioner:

The first question asks, 'I've been meditating almost every day for an hour, sometimes longer, but I feel I'm not progressing. I sit still, but my mind doesn't go quiet. I've been doing this for the past five years. Am I doing something wrong?'

Babaji:

Yeah. Understanding the technique and applying your mind for that is very important. Like, if you are doing the same technique that we teach - 'Watch' means, you have to understand, when you have to watch, mentally you have to watch and not do anything. 

Because mind has two aspects. One is it is able to watch. Another, it is able to imagine, or be creative. So through that imagination or creativeness only, it recognizes any other existence or whatever it has imagined and then it analyses. Then it makes a judgment. These things happen in very quick succession, fraction of a moment or a second, like that. It recognizes, then analyzes, 'What is this’. If everybody is calling it mango, it also accepts, 'Yeah, this is mango because everybody is calling it mango.' 

So, the space. Yes, almost everybody whom we come across who have studied academically, they call it as space so we also accept it as space. So once we have accepted, then the mind makes a judgment, 'This is space’, so that sits in the mind. So then afterwards mind never bothers whether this was actually space or something else or we have simply imagined or the world has imagined. So like that we never bother. 

So these are the things which sit in the subconscious state making a person habitual, what I call as 'acquired habits of the mind.' This is the reason which troubles the mind and it doesn't allow the mind to remain quiet. So that's when you are likely to feel that you are not progressing. However, one positive thing you must know, every time you sit, some amount of purification does definitely happen, some progress is there. But depending on your lifestyle, unknown to you might be absorbing more impressions, imprints from this world. 

So that is one advice or suggestion - you try to be in this world minimum that is required for you. Means suppose you have to earn a livelihood, you have to work, deal with people, professionally or for reasons needed. Stick to only that much. Do not go into any extra curricular things like gossiping or social gatherings, avoid all these things as much as possible if it is not necessary for you. And do it only when it is very much necessary. Then your mind absorbs less imprints.

So then remember just to watch when you sit down. When you are sitting down, remain relaxed, don't be in a rush, don't get agitated or irritated quickly - have patience. So that's why remember my mantras of dedication, discipline and patience. 

So you have to remember, having patience is extremely important because mind has gone out of control since time immemorial. That's why it will take time - it will be stubborn. You are an underdog, now it has the upper hand because it has been already spoiled substantially, sufficiently. Now you have to bring it back from that. But have patience. You can do it - with discipline and dedication, ah? You do it - priority set. And then always remember you don't have to do anything mentally, you don't have to bother, just have to watch. 

When thoughts come, visions come, mind forgets, 'This thought and a vision is there because of my own imagination.' Instead, mind gets involved with that thought or a vision as if that thought was a fundamental reality - which it is not at all - it is simply there because you have imagined by your own habit. 

So you will be able to do it. Have faith in yourself and feel confident and exercise some good will power - you can do that.

Same Questioner:

Thank you, Babaji. Actually on that, when You were younger and sitting in the temples meditating, did You automatically do this, did your mind naturally go still, or was this something you were taught?

Babaji:

You see at that time, just before I had met... the one technique I was using was Ramana Maharishi's, that 'Who am I', just observe from where the 'I' is coming. So I had understood, observe means you just observe and don't bother for anything, don't think about anything. This thing had come to the mind. Though the thoughts were coming, and mind was not absolutely quiet for all the time, it was there, but lot of patience also was there that we were developing. 

Compared to probably another ordinary person of this world, probably the thoughts or visions that were coming were less, because I was very less exposed to the world. And luckily we didn't have any modernized gadgets and exposure, social media, this, that, so many things were not there. So all the things... most of the time even if visions came it was all about some Gods or Goddesses, something like that mostly. So that was bit easier for me, there was determination.

Same Questioner:

Thank You Babaji. So the next question, sometimes my mind is so busy, I can't meditate. I sit and it goes crazy. When that happens I replace meditation with chanting or listening to spiritual music. Is this the right way to deal with it or should I try and keep meditating, even though it's failing to calm my mind?

Babaji:

You see, listening to devotional music or some chanting for a couple of minutes is alright, so that you can bring down the restlessness of the mind. Or you can even take help of a long inhale and exhale of the breath also, for a few minutes, two to three minutes, not longer, do not get involved -  you have to come back to meditation and silently watch. So like that you take help for a while. 

If necessary, if nothing works out, get up for one minute and wash your face, again come back and sit, relaxed, take a long inhale and exhale and then again try to meditate. Then you will be able to continue better. 

Same Questioner:

Thank You. Last year I did more intense meditation, but I went deeper and experienced nothingness, that I did not exist. It scared me a bit to be honest and put me off. Did you experience this in Your Tapas, and can you explain that experience please?

Babaji:  

Until the actual Samadhi doesn't happen, you don't experience as if you do not exist. The 'consciousness of existence' is always there, minus any other experience of existence - like the surroundings or about this world, all can become silent, quiet - but your consciousness of existence is there. 

But along with that, enormous amount of blissfulness or peace, that comes. When that comes there is no place for any fear at all, the imagination of fear doesn't occur at all when you enjoy. Even if there is peace, if it is nothingness, you will enjoy. 'My own existence itself seems to be the problem, if I don't exist that's it, fine, no problem.' [laughs] Means that attitude comes at least. It's another thing - you always exist, the 'I' is there definitely. 

But if it is simply unconscious, or the imagination of the world, or ourselves in our body/personalities, then this fear occurs - that we should not die, we should not lose ourselves - the mind doesn't want to come to an end. Then only this fear occurs. 

Take care for this that you should not imagine anything else. For a while if it happens then remember the Divine, remember the Self that you are Eternal Existence you are always there, and try to focus your concentration where that 'I' is there. In other words I always use the sentence of 'consciousness of existence' for the same 'I'. Like that if you practice, you will be able to overcome. Assure yourself - you are always there. 

For this purpose only this ignorance about the Self has happened. In separation only you can experience your own existence as Eternal, you will be assured that your existence is Eternal. You are not going to become extinct in any way.

Same Questioner:

Might watching exciting or violent films or media or reading similar material make increasing one's meditation difficult, or can one just dismiss it?

Babaji:

Anything if it is disturbing for you, avoid watching such things, you do not go for that. Anything - that must not sit in your mind, and must not keep playing in your mind - the mind must not absorb any imprint thinking it to be a reality. 

If your mind can firmly be aware that it's only a movie and nothing really exists, ‘things did not happen like that, it was only an imagined story’ - then only you watch. But if it's going to be troublesome, that means your mind is taking it seriously, and it is taking the imprint as if that is a reality and your mind starts bothering. So then this fear, this trouble, all these occur - then avoid watching such things. Avoid reading any such books. 

That's why the more that is possible for you, you must read devotional, spiritually highly evolved books about Self. So many books, so many great teachers. Adi Shankara's and Ramana Maharshi's teachings and we also have published so many books; my commentaries on Viveka Choodamani, Guru Gita. 

All these things are very beautiful always, it will not create any fear, it has no violence at all, totally it is nonviolent, and the peace is always there, and about the truth about the Self we have spoken always. Try to read these books, and try to watch these type of videos only, any talks, question and answers, or any devotional things. That which is soothing to your mind is very important. You must take care of this.

Same Questioner:

Thank You. People sometimes talk about their experiences in meditation, they see this, or they feel that. Is it a good idea to share one's experiences with others or should we avoid that?

Babaji: 

You see, if you have friends who are like minded, then there is no harm in sharing. If others can appreciate or understand, and they also share their own experiences which should not be mentally disturbing - so then it is fine. Generally, it is recommended not to share, for some reasons that if you have friends who are not spiritual and who cannot understand your experiences and who might ridicule, or make fun or criticize, any such thing - that could be in return disturbing to your consciousness - then you do not share. That's why these things are advised. 

But if you have good friends who are spiritual, who are also on this line, like-minded people, then if you want to share experiences it is no problem. But while sharing, just share the experience as it has happened. Either way don't get into either of any ego or any such imaginations or any such depressions, nothing else, no further imagination must come. You just share for sake of sharing, that's all.

Same Questioner:

Somebody asked that they've noticed when they meditate in a group the meditation seems to be better. Is there a reason for this?

Babaji:

The mind accepting a certain atmosphere is the primary reason. So you have to watch. If your mind has the tendency to accept then that is good for you, a group meditation in the midst of people. So if they are like-minded people it can be inspiring, and positive vibrations can be emerging out. So all these things can be very helpful, then you can do it. 

Same Questioner:

Are certain days more auspicious for meditation, and will they help us to go deeper?

Babaji:

Any atmosphere which can give some peace and tranquility to mind is the positive, conducive atmosphere that we can tell. The rest is all your imagination. Every moment can be auspicious when you want to meditate, when you feel inspired, any moment. 

So generally in ancient times different timings also have been recommended like early morning hours or just evening as the day is coming to an end, just the sun is setting down. Surroundings are peaceful, everybody is either retiring or not yet up or just quietly they are coming out, there is not much noise. For that reason only these things are recommended as Brahmamuhurtha, the Divine auspicious moments, auspicious days.

So if people are busy in the world as householders or professionals or so many other things, at least if one day we recommend it as this is the Birthday of Lord Krishna, Birthday of appearance of Lord Shiva and like that, auspicious day, so that day they would like to take a holiday and take out some time and do more sadhana. 

So instead often people end up eating and gossiping more when they have a holiday. But only if they take up sadhana - so any day, any moment you take up sadhana seriously is the most auspicious - that you must know finally.

Same Questioner:

Someone asks, ‘I'm struggling to build up my meditation up to one hour. Should I concentrate on improving my meditation technique, or on making the meditation longer? Which is more important?’

Babaji:  

Meditation technique working is much more important. Like you are trying to sit for one hour or 45 minutes - in that 45 minutes or 30 minutes, how many minutes that you were able to remain quiet and just watch is definitely much more important. 

So as you try to increase the time, you must purify the technique also is important. Otherwise you will simply sit down and go to a musical concert and you don't know anything about music, and you just listen to that just for sake of some prestige, and that you can claim, "I went to that pilgrimage, I went to that music concert, I went to this, I went for a talk from such and such monk," but hardly you would have absorbed anything, just for sake of show you would have done all these things. So instead of this, technique is definitely more important.

Same Questioner:

Why do we focus the attention on the brow chakra when the crown chakra is the highest? Is there a stage when we move to using the crown chakra and if so, when?

Babaji:

You see, these chakras are all finally imaginations. Anywhere that you can remain focused and quietly watching or observing - that is the most important thing. On any chakra you can do it, simply it is recommended. 

While teaching ancient teachers have used such terminologies to give an understanding that the imaginations that come in the mind of a person - based on that they have explained the chakras. 

Like 'muladhara.' So one imagination about yourself for you that comes, whether you are a man, you are a woman, you are a businessman, you are this, you are that - like that, about your own personality that sits firmly, that is the base camp like we can try to understand - that's what muladhara is. 'Mula' means the base or the first primary that which has made you to forget about yourself, and has put you into a different identity. So you have to rise from that slowly. 

So like that, the mind has to give up all these things, finally it has to give up chakras also. It has to practice the concentration, concentration. Like, in between eyebrows is the commanding, that is the agna chakra it is said. That's probably because it is closer to the brain. When you can gather the mind here one-hundred percent, everything comes back [gestures between eyebrows] and single-pointedly you are able to hold on to that, then you are the commander of your mind. 

Soon after that the mind gets detached from the brain's clutches, and a seeker feels as if one is here [gestures with hand on top of head]. So this they tried to explain as 'sahasrara kamala' - 'thousand petals lotus’. There is no lotus there, no thousand petals, but just to tell, when it is here [gestures on top of head] it is totally purified. Here now onwards it is known as 'consciousness' and not mind any more. That means the mind is blossomed into Pure Consciousness. Just like a thousand petals lotus it is blossomed, and ready to go towards Samadhi, means final merger and settling down in the Self. That's what Samadhi means. 

So this has to happen from anywhere, anything. So you just have to bother that your mind gives up imaginations - just learns to observe, and keep observing, keep watching, that means. Both are same, observing or watching or meditating, all are same - different terminologies, the meaning is same. Without doing anything in the mind you just remain focused, that is the meaning. That's what you have to practice.

Same Questioner:

Slightly longer question here. When I'm meditating, focused between the eyebrows, my general awareness seems to be monitoring thoughts, my body and the surroundings. When meditation deepens, I tend to be less focused between my eyebrows, the attention fades, and all that is left is awareness. Should attention be between the eyebrows constantly, or does it fade into awareness?

Babaji:

If it fades into awareness is good, your attention has to be on the awareness. That's what automatically happens when you are watching in between eyebrows, as slowly all thoughts and visions all disappear - they will all dissolve - then the mind, automatically its attention goes to itself, that's what you're talking of the awareness. So then it won't even notice that there is anything in between eyebrows or you are trying to watch in between eyebrows. All these disappear and your attention settles on to the awareness, that's what has to happen. 

And then you continue further to make it natural and effortlessly the attention is there. That's what abiding in the Self has to happen eventually.

Same Questioner:

Sometimes Babaji has said the true nature of the mind was revealed in deep meditation. Can Babaji talk a little bit about this experience of the nature of the mind being revealed in deep meditation?

Babaji:  

A simple clue that you need to have. Like I have told, when you imagine, a thought appears in your mind, and watching that thought mind forgets that this thought is there because of my imagination, and it is not a real existence. But instead, mind starts considering, recognizing, analyzing, judging, like this it gets involved with that thought as if that thought is a fundamental reality in separation of your own existence. That is how the entire world, universe, the creation has happened. 

Depending on the potency of your own consciousness thinking, these things are revealed widely, amazingly. How the mind fools itself, how you are fooling yourself, how you had become an enemy of yourself - how you can be and you need to be a friend to yourself by becoming positive and understanding all these things. And then everything dissolves. So that's how you learn, in a workshop-like practicalities. Whatever resolutions, imaginations there - first it is imagination, then a mental projection happens as more focus, more concentration of your mind happens. Then you will experience as if some existence is there, next to you, beyond you, whatever you would have resolved. Then you would experience the manifestation also. 

Manifestation, mental projection, when I use these terminologies the strength pixel of the picture increases tremendously. Manifestation is as physical as you see this world. That's what I mean - to that strength. Like even if a Divine figure or anything that appears, it's only a manifestation - but not a hundred percent true, not a separation - it has come out of you only. But if you were or a devotional person, if you had resolved, imagined, any such thing - not necessary that such a thing has to happen, such a thing might happen, a manifestation. 

So like this, secrets of consciousness, mind, slowly gets revealed, you understand. It appears, then you realize, "This is only an appearance, because it is disappearing." So then, mental projection - then you will realize, "Oh, this is only a mental projection only, nothing really existed." Then finally manifestation if necessary, or not necessary. Then finally when merger, finally everything settles down, then you realize this is the Self, and you are there simply abiding in that Self. One single Self that exists, that's what the Oneness you experience. 

So like this, things get revealed. But I am talking in a clue, in a shorter brief way, not to make it very longer. When you experience, that experience is totally different - don't try to imagine based on my terminologies of what I am talking. You experience the Truth to yourself, then you will know what it is.

Same Questioner:

Thank You. Another question has just come in. You've said that we will know that we are deepening our meditation when we're quiet for an hour, and also when our body disappears. Are there other signposts we can recognize?

Babaji:

One important thing, more peace descends, your mental agitations all decrease - and you would not bother much about this world - at least in meditation. You will learn, just by worrying you cannot help anybody. Like this. These are the real symptoms that your mind and your meditation is progressively going towards the Self, or towards quietening. So this is what happens. 

Minds quietness increases, it remains quiet, and quiet, more and more quiet. So just your consciousness of existence you will experience. That means you are now straight trying to observe yourself.

Questioner:

Pranam Babaji. 

Babaji:

Yeah, blessings. 

Same Questioner:

I would like to follow up on a question from Henry from last week. He brought up a point that has confused me in Your teaching for some time. And that is when You're saying that when you pass away that all the memories, all the karmas, just dissolve because there in the brain. And Henry, correct my understanding, pointed out that there seems to be two types of impressions here. 

One type of impression are the impressions that are in the brain that disappear, and the other type of impressions are the karmas, the sanchita or whatever they're called, the tendencies that carry on from this lifetime into the future lifetimes. So could you please clarify those two types of impressions, the one that is with the brain, and the one that then you carry on as tendencies?

Babaji:  

Yeah, yeah. Why I would have told like that is, you see, through the brain you as the soul or mind is in touch with the world, with the universe. That is one thing. The brain is in touch with the Universe and it receives messages through the nervous system, sensory organs and in that process it sends and it receives. So in that process it reflects any thought or a vision. Mind gets to watch that. 

Watching that, mind absorbs an imprint, considering that to be a reality. Now, in which way the mind is going to take that reflection, it matters from person to person. That's what generally we call understanding capacity, observation capacity, can differ from person to person. Thing is the same. Like my teaching is always the same - but one person understanding in a different way, another person understanding in a different way - it depends on his observation capacity, remaining focused or paying attention. So these things are the difference. 

Based on this only, tendencies are picked up by different minds. It is the same world - ten people, hundred people watching this world may pick up different, different tendencies - and they would carry those tendencies and go into next incarnation. 

So that was what I was trying to explain. So tendencies that are reflected by the brain. Brain does like a computer, it mechanically does whatever it reflects. How you are going to take it, understand, is your wisdom. So that's what happens. I was trying to tell.

Same Questioner:

Okay, so are there actually two types, or does the brain have any kind of... I don't want to use the term reality because it's all just impressions, but is there a separate kind of karma or impressions in the brain, is there some Sanskrit term that's used for that, like the prarabhda, sanchita, is there anything like that referring to the brain?

Babaji: 

Actually a karma or prarabdha builds up whatever is absorbed as an imprint by the mind. So that's what carried as a karma into the next incarnation also. The brain simply reflects, and once the brain dies, it disappears. But the mind is indestructible, it is the infinite existence of the Pure Consciousness, what is also known as Soul, or Atman. So that absorbs the imprints. Whatever imprints it absorbs is the prarabdha or sanchita karma or the karma, whatever you want to call, that's what it is. 

Because how this karma forms, whatever it absorbs it will get to see in the same way in the next life. It will see the same type of world what it visualizes, same type of people, same type of life, same type of body that it is going to get. Whatever body you have got, it is your own visualization in the previous lives. So that is how the karma builds up.

Same Questioner:

But if I understood correctly, You said in the future, people aren't remembering their past lives. Or are they? 

Babaji: 

Yeah, no, no, you are right. I have told they won't remember past life means the mind has picked up tendencies but it won't remember what happened, exactly the location, all these things. That's what I have tried to differentiate. Though there is reincarnation, if somebody comes and tells, "Oh Krishna, you were Gopal in your previous life, you were born in this place," don't believe such things. You cannot remember. Nobody can remember. Once the brain of the previous lives body dies the actual memory is lost. So that brain is what is carrying the memory exactly. 

Like as long as you have the brain in your body now, you can remember your childhood, your youth, what happened, like these things. But once this body is gone, you will forget, you won't remember. That is also considered a boon, blessings of the Divinity. Because in one life itself to control, manage emotions is so troublesome, so many relationships, this, that, if for fifty lives if you remember all relationships, all the things that happen you will go mad. In fact Ashtavakra says this; "The vismriti, the forgetfulness of the previous lives, the previous things is the Divines Grace”, He says.[laughs]

Same Questioner:

So there's no akashic record or anything that keeps a record of these past lives, or anything like that?

Babaji:  

No, no, nothing, it's all lost. It's all speculations and beliefs only.

Questioner:

Hello Babaji. When I'm meditating and watching sometimes it seems the thoughts, if they don't take a more solid form, that they’re kind of electrical? I'm just wondering if there's an electricity or vibration to thoughts?

Babaji:

So slowly it is trying to dissolve in itself. So probably that is what you are experiencing. The actual formation of the thoughts -in science in a different way they might be explaining but this was to my experience I can tell - it is the electronic waves, and they form thoughts and visions, that's what it appears. Like the photography of the megapixels and that's how they all gather, you know in computers, and if the transmission is not proper sometimes the picture doesn't come properly. So like that as it is dissolving, that's what probably you are able to see or experience. 

So just go on watching without bothering further what it is and why it is - it will have to disappear totally.

Same Questioner:

Thank you Babaji. 

Babaji:

Usha it's yours to unmute.

Same Questioner:

Namaste Babaji. Question is more along the lines of what Krishna was talking. What is the difference between impressions and tendencies? I'm thinking that impressions have to do with your reactions, or you're dwelling on a thought constantly, and the tendencies a habit?

Babaji: 

Yes. Impressions are absorbed by which tendencies are picked up. So you can call tendencies or habits of the mind, attitude that it forms - this has happened due to the impressions it has absorbed. Like that you can tell.

Same Questioner:

So, does impression also have to do with how you interpret? It can be a bad impression?

Babaji:

Yes, yes, exactly, you are right. How you interpret. That's what I was trying to tell, your understanding capacity, your observation capacity differs, that's what - how do you interpret. It depends.

Same Questioner:

So is it better not to interpret as good or bad?

Babaji: 

Yeah, that is the highest recommended finally. Like I have told, if you call this world as very good also mentally you get involved. If you call this world as very bad also mentally you get involved. You have to rise above this level - not to react, not to define in any way, neither good nor bad - then there is Divinity, that is the Ultimate Self.

Same Questioner:

How do we not react?

Babaji:

This long practice of meditation only helps. That outside in your body, through your body you may have to react, many places, you may have to get into an annoyance or no mood, these type of things. But the mind will not absorb any such habits or imprints. It's like writing on a white paper and it instantly gets erased. This can come only through long practice of dhyana, meditation. Tapas only can help the mind - it will delink the mind from the body mechanical actions.

Same Questioner:

So during waking hours it's better to keep the mind empty?

Babaji:  

As much as possible, either empty or positively engaged. Just like I was trying to tell the first question, don't read violent, don't watch violent movies if it is going to disturb you, like that. You try to keep it quiet or positively engaged into smooth and non-violent good things that which will not be disturbing for you.

Same Questioner:

Thank you.

Questioner:

Thank You very much Babaji, all questions done.

Babaji:

Wonderful. I deeply appreciate all of you for participating in a beautiful meditation, and also some wonderful questions that came up, giving me an opportunity to share my experiences, whatever I learned from my Guru Shivabalayogi. All my love and blessings.

40:55