Mind, Body & Soul: ‘Meditation is essential to recreate a new life’

Compromise, because today anything and everything done with the eyes closed is known as mediation. It is a cliché for any activity that’s relaxing. And unfortunately, the word mediation has lost its significance. 

People often tell me that they meditate for two, four or even seven hours. When I ask them how they simply answer, “I listen to a meditation CD for two hours”. Please understand that any activity done with your eyes closed with the aid of a tool like a CD is not meditation at all. It’s just your mind, which you’ve trained to hold for two hours with your eyes closed until the content of the CD is over. Meditation demands complete stillness of the body and senses. Because in reality meditation or dhyana is not closing your external eyes, it is the opening of your inner-eyes and awakening your inner power. This will empower you to effortlessly connect with your real self, the inner-self or the divine self. 

A common question I’m asked is, “Guruji, why should I meditate?” The answer is simple and direct; ‘Because we are human, and humans alone can meditate and humans alone need to meditate’. Let me explain why. The external world we experience is nothing but the exact reflection of our inner-world. Like you cannot expect the mirror to laugh when you cry or cry when you laugh; if you want to see the image in the mirror change, the change needs to happen in you. It’s impossible for the mirror-image to change by itself. It has to and will reflect exactly your real image without fail and delay. Similarly, if you want to see the changes you desire in your life, this can only happen by changing your inner-self. Because as I’ve said, your external world is nothing but the exact reflection of your inner-world and the only way to change your inner-world is through dhyana. 

Practically, what can meditation do for you? Even though you might not immediately feel your life flourish with divinity, you will instantly and effortlessly let go of your vanity and insanity. The truth is, meditation is essential not to levitate but to re-create a new life, a new beginning free of stress and failure and full of peace, success and happiness!! Aham Brahmasmi!! 

—Shri Aasaanji Shri Aasaanji is a non-religious, contemporary Spiritual Master and the founder of the Atmayoga Foundation (Institute for Inner-Science and Self Transformation) www.atmayoga.in