Theos-Talk Archives (May 2004 Message tt00248)

May 29, 2004

 

Some thoughts about meditation

 

DTB

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MEDITATION

______________________________________

 
Introductory


The Theosophical approach to the consideration of
medita-tion, introspection, self-analysis can be contrasted with the
methods of investigation employed under Western Psychology, which have
been called the investigation into alternative or altered states of
consciousness.

The approach in the "West" follows the analytical and
ob-servational process (from "particulars" to a search for
"univer-sals"). Sensory deprivation is one of the methods employed.
This changes the environment of the thinking and feeling human, with
the object of examining his reactions in terms of feeling and thought
to a drastic change in physical environment. It is the concept that
the physical state affects and greatly changes the mental. This is
not inaccurate, but is only a small portion of the entire study of
man's psychology from the Oriental point of view.  

When physical sensation is artificially canceled to a
large extent, the reaction of the percipient consciousness is then
observed under a new series of stresses. In some cases, the reaction
to the use of mind-altering drugs is also observed, and impressions
are culled, usually from memory. The nature of the perceiving being
which lives in the physical body of a human is not known, but this
process is designed to discover some of its extended powers of
perception.  

The record of such experiments is entirely interior to the
subject. Objective observations are always made later in terms of
memory. Memory is not always free of bias. Return to "nor-malcy"
does not imply entire accuracy in recollection. Every human has his
or her own set of mental or psycho-emotional filt-ers through which
perception and sensation is recorded "as if" similar to--by analogy
and correspondence--to that which is well-known in the subject's
"normal condition."

Oriental psychology which has records of research
extending back into a great antiquity, and embraces the experiences
and observations of thousands of participants, commences with a
consideration of the basis of knowledge provided by "metaphysical
universals." These standards were established, and repeatedly checked
and verified over many thousands of years by many who have voluntarily
make these observations.  

As a system it traces the psychological physiological,
mental and moral evolution of man-intelligence (as a perceiver), using
the various qualitative components of his nature. For the purpose of
such analysis the oriental psychologist considers in addition to the
normal states (waking, sleeping, dreaming, trance) certain moral
components which bear on man's nature. Seven distinct qualities (or
"principles") in man correspond to those perceived analogetically in
nature. These are seen to link the Perceiver in each human to the
physical vehicle (body and brain) in which he lives and perceives.  

The brain is looked on as a specialized link of refined
substance that enables the inner Thinker to work in and with his
physical body. It is important to note that the assemblage of bodily
components which give competency to any human to reflect not only his
inner nature (character, mentality, sensitivity, personal and
impersonal drives, emotional balance, etc.) but that these are
assembled almost entirely without his direct control from conception
to final dissolution and dispersal in the death of that body. The
marvelous symmetry and sensitivity of the physical body remains
largely a puzzle to the psychologist when the links that exist between
perception, conception, will, intel-ligence and that form are searched
for in the physical form.

In addition, in the Orient, the reason for personal existence
is considered to have a primacy in the realm of psychological
con-sideration and analysis. Man is considered to be a self-moving
"atom," or "unit" of consciousness, distinct from all others, yet
united to every other through the consubstantiality of substance,
objective, and coexistence. A distinction is made between the
evanescent personality of the present life (body, emotion,
ra-tionality, instinct, feeling), and the eternal Individuality
consisting of the Spiritual base, the moral base, and the voli-tional
thinking base, that form the essential and reincarnating human.

At the end of this paper which plunges immediately into
the consideration of mediation from the point of view of oriental
psychology, is attached an essay on the seven links between Perceiver,
and the tool of perception (the body). The mind, intelligence,
consciousness, sensation, feeling, emotion, are assigned in this
system precise origins, inter-relations and dimensions of operation.
Intuition, intelligence, instinct, reason, intellect, meditation,
dream consciousness of various kinds and levels, etc., are all
considered. The terminology employed in Theosophy is largely derived
from that used in the very ancient Eastern development of this
science. A familiarity with that nomenclature and its system of
metaphysics ought to be acquired so that there is greater ease in
following the state-ments made in many of these quotations. Wherever
possible, in square brackets, modern equivalents of the oriental
technical terms have been given. On the other hand, students of
Eastern Psychology do make the effort to understand terms evolved in
Western investigation of the psyche and mental powers, so that they
may offer such links as will serve both systems in under-standing each
other. In the orient, to recapitulate, the student starts with the
universal theory of intelligence, and is shown how the
particularization of this into component "units" occurs. He is
encouraged to verify this in himself through "meditation" (as outlined
in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, for instance). In the west, starting with
many observations of mental and psychological effects, their cause is
sought. Generalizations are framed as the result of experimental
observation.

In the description of oriental psychology the personal
variations in mental action and perception are not limited to the
"brain" or the "nervous system," which in that system are consid-ered
to be the most sensitive material tools--the last link between the
immaterial Perceiver, and the physical material form in which it
lives, observes, thinks and feels at present.  

In the oriental system the Thinker is held to be a
permanent entity consisting of the most tenuous (yet most resilient in
its inherent permanency) aspect of physical substance. And, this is
resident as the Ego-base (the Perceiver--called Atma) in every human
form. It is held to survive the death of the body. The process of
reincarnation and multiple rebirths is held to be valid in the
philosophy of the universe. It considers all ex-perience (including
the human stage) to be similar to the opera-tion and experience to be
had in a vast school, where all beings and pupils are of the same
immortal and eternal essence. Each of these participants is held to
retain, as its own permanent base in capacity and character, in mind
and moral nature, in feeling and intuition, a record of the vast past
of all experiences the Perceiver has been through. This record is
said to be the moral-base (called Buddhi-wisdom of experience). The
observing, learn-ing, thinking base in called Manas, the Thinker, the
Chooser, the conscious, sensitive, feeling individual intelligence of
every human.

The "sensory deprivation" used in the West to focus
atten-tion on the emotional and mental response of subject humans, has
long been mentally induced in the orient through "meditation, fasting
and other ascetic disciplines," which are essentially a mental control
of the perceptual environment. This is made operative through the
will, or volition of the Perceiver within, which in effect isolates
itself for a time from its bodily per-ceptions. The successful
operator of the Oriental method can at any time suitable enter into
the meditative condition and there seek the wisdom available to handle
any situation question or crisis. In order to explain this to others,
his process of self-education has to be made plain.  

For each system to understand the other, an exchange of
concepts is essential. The gap of language and of concepts has to be
bridged. It may also be recognized that all the observa-tions made by
Western or Oriental psychology are a continuation of the verifying of
similar observations made in the framing of the concepts of either
system. Both systems are thus seen to be united as they employ the
human psyche as a basis for experimen-tation and understanding, but
the starting points of the respec-tive systems are at this time almost
polar opposites.  

To put this in historical perspective, during the time of
the "dark ages" ( 4th to 13th Centuries) the West was systemati-cally
deprived by fanatics of those links of knowledge and wisdom which
would have united its progress in discovery with the rest of the
scholarly world in the Orient. Isolated from that source, it has
developed since the Renaissance its own base for scientif-ic analysis
and independent study. Science freed, broke the chains of theocracy
and Aristotelian thought and methods being adopted, replaced dogmas
and creedalism as the Western mind was gradually unchained. This
produced an imbalance as materialism developed, and the physical world
was deemed the only reality. The causative basis for phenomena was
lost sight of. And while phenomena was recognized, the source for
those was not to be found in physical structures.  

In the last two hundred years a knowledge of the rich
mines of example and experience available from ancient oriental texts
has become increasingly available to the psychological sciences. The
contrast between the two systems is clear. In the West the starting
point is the "particular" and the physical. In the East it is the
"universal," and the Mental, and, in addition, a moral component is
added: the consideration of the aims and objectives of the "whole of
manifestation" of which mankind is only a com-ponent.  

Man's existence is to be carefully considered at each
point as integrated with nature and his environment. This
"environ-ment" has reason for existence in itself, and every component
is to be regarded as essential to living as a whole. This
under-scores the concept of Universal Brotherhood as an essential
component of all Life. Mankind represents perhaps the most
intelligent of beings in our world, but it is entirely dependent on
the cooperation and sacrifice of a vast multitude of other "units of
lie," which sustain its form with their lives. Man's intelligence as
a class in located at the point of transition between the
non-self-conscious and the universally self-conscious. In this is
seen an enormous moral responsibility as each human becomes in effect
the conservator, the trustee for the rest of the World.
-- DTB

 

==========

As in most things, concerning which there seems to be little general
knowledge, we ought to seek for the definitions that are around us.
Theosophy has a specific definition, as the meditation technique is
one that a student uses to learn about himself and nature.  

Theosophy considers every human being is a Soul (mind), and is an
"Eternal Pilgrim." The mind principle (called Manas ) is that which
stores the thoughts of all our lives. The total quantity of
life-thoughts makes the stream of our life's meditation -- or that
upon which our heart is set. We do not often have this as a precise
concept, but it can be discovered. It is not outside of us, but an
interior attitude. Our mind links our embodied consciousness (mind)
to the inner Spiritual Root of our nature. In turn, this places us in
a position that we can choose to activate with the Spiritual Principle
of the Universe a portion of which ( a "ray," or, "spark") is in us
and forms the root-base of our existence and gives us a sense of
permanence and of purpose in our existence.

With each one of us is associated a measure of Karma -- the fruit of
our choices and motives for decisions made in earlier lives. This
manifests in our life as character and tendency, as interest and
talent or their lack. We also ought to include in this our interest
in "meditation." Why do we seek to understand and use it? We tend to
place all these things together and call it "our nature." But, we can
also see that "our nature" reaches out to other "natures" and we meet
with such friends or enemies in this life that we may have established
in earlier ones. One cannot understand or practice meditation without
this as a consideration that interlinks us all.

Let us consider what Mme. Blavatsky says in THE KEY TO THEOSOPHY (p.
10):  

 

Meditation ..."is silent and unuttered prayer, or, as Plato expressed
it, "the ardent turning of the soul towards the divine." This
divine is the Higher Self (Atma/Buddhi) or the divine Spirit Wisdom
within each of us.         

There are two possible objectives to Meditation.

One, is directed at enhancing the Personality in its selfish
acquisition of "powers." it is selfish, and it isolates. It
concentrates one's effort on personal results -- if persisted in, it
will produce some limited results and, at death, it leaves nothing for
Devachanic meditation. Anything that "isolates" is selfish and
harmful to the permanent Self, which is the true immortal aspirant and
devotee. 

The other is that which is aimed at understanding the Inner HIGHER
SELF and the potential that it can make available for practical,
universal and righteous action. This kind of meditation leads to
compassion and a real effective care for others. It views us as one
among many. It also considers that as an "immortal" Mind/Soul we have
innately to ourselves a mission that needs the joint cooperative
assistance of others to achieve. We can only reach "Perfection," or
the "Goal" envisaged, by joint work. The whole of humanity, and all
Nature is engaged in this. 

In considering the development of the meditative faculty we need first
to learn and then seek those applications which can be made
compassionate generously and practically. Our perception grows deeper
and more universal as we are able to widen our effectiveness in
helping others to grow themselves. "For others' sake ... " is a good
phrase always to keep always in mind. We grow best when we give away.
But we have to give away with discrimination and that takes sound
preliminary learning. There is the accumulation of facts, then their
arrangement in logical relationships, and, finally, the construction
in our own minds of the structure of a universal verity to which we
will always be able to refer as a basis for understanding what appears
to be "new" concepts.

As to the meaning and practice of meditation: It should never be
conspicuous, or spoken about. And that is because it is the normal
extension of one's study of universal principles. Everyone knows
about study. Everyone has devoted a long time to actual study and
meditation in school life. To study, we place "facts" (or data) in our
minds -- as "memory." To meditate one selects from among our memories
a group or an area of study. The memories are evoked and then
compared with such basic facts as we are already sure of. Therefore,
every time that one studied a subject, or wrote an article, or an
important letter, or prepared for a talk the meditative aspect of
study was invoked.

Even when one is not studying, but only doing one's work, and happen
to think about some subject that is kept "in the back of the mind," it
is evidence of meditation being pursuing as an ongoing process. If
one reflects on this then the process was: selection, gathering
information, adjusting data so that a cohesive picture grew,
identifying areas that were uncertain, and finally looking for
analogous or similar conditions. Anything new has to be adjusted so
that it is seen to agree with basic information already proved to
ones' self. If in the course of meditation one is confronted with
some fact that is not congruent with already proven verities, this
necessitates a most careful review of all our earlier built
conclusions. If we should arbitrarily accept anything without this
checking and verifying process we might be increasing an area of error
in our thinking.

Theosophy shows how the whole Universe is integrated and has a
profound cohesive and logical meaning. Everything fits together, and
invites our scrutiny and testing. There are no secrets as such, nor
any dogmas or beliefs that we should adopt without understanding.
Nothing will ever be expected of us which we cannot understand and
would do willingly once we are sure of the intention, methods and
results.

So our lives are part of the Universal Life, and as we seek to know it
better, we delve deeper into our own being, trying to find out what we
are and what are the powers of our mind and our own Spiritual Self,
that we can use in the "here and now.".

We should discover that this leads to friendliness, brotherhood,
compassion and altruism. And, those should be practiced with
discrimination and care for others all the time. The interior "WE"
is really the HIGHER SELF. It is the Lower self, the Lower mind and
the Personality (which have recognized the existence of the HIGHER
SELF), that are now disciplining themselves so that the HIGHER SELF
may "come through" with greater ease. CONSCIOUSNESS is ONE. It as the
one attribute of the Higher Self. It, alone is able to pierce up and
down the 7 planes of being and retains a clear memory of experiences
on each plane. Our memories on this plane are fragmentary, until by
effort we learn to unify them. The practice of "attention" does this,
but, it has to be attentive to grasping the operations of the One Law
and impersonal in our application of that to our personal selves.

It is the process of digesting, assimilation and thinking about the
matter. By this method, one is inviting the discriminating and Wise
principle -- Buddhi -- to work actively as the "intuition," and for
insights to appear to help -- they come from within, they are the
"points of light" that come from the Higher Self working through the
lower Self (which has to make itself "porous" to them) and then our
lives become illumined by the TRUE, and become friendly to all others,
become just and universal.

MEDITATION is serious and concentrated thought. It is not a ritual,
or a discipline that involves anything of the physical or the psychic.
It should not be advertised or made obvious to others, nor should it
make life more difficult. It is essentially a search for TRUTH. It
is a quiet and unobtrusive mind exercise. It is something that
requires that we be fully awake and totally concentrated in the waking
state -- no "blanking of the mind", and it is to be entirely
self-controlled and self-generated. It is not an exercise that can be
practised with others, even when there are silent moments for the
reason that it is not passivity, but a time of most active mental
effort.

We ought to draw no attention to our practice and if we should be
interrupted, accept it as a kind of test of our equanimity and let
there be no apparent reaction. We are immortal beings and have all
the time we need for our future advance -- so long as we are able to
include everyone else in our progress. That is the real key to
advance - the sharing of ourselves. We should always make time to
assist.

It does not involve trying to get at the meaning of special words and
especially without a truly correct undemanding of what they mean and
are (potentially) able to do -- whether they be pronounced correctly
or not. That is all physical, external and fruitless. The real power
resides in the application of the motive as a carefully controlled and
always beneficent creative power -- in those who aspire to assist
Nature this is never personal, and is always used (only if necessary)
in a harmless, wise and compassionate way with a Mind that is
determined to be a servant and assistant to all Nature and to the
least of beings which approaches it (us) under Karma. We should
consider all those as being, themselves, divine MONADS, and give them
the respect and attention (as our brothers) that they claim or, we
become aware that they need.

Real meditation is a mental determination to live a totally moral and
ethical life, all the time to the extent that one is able to do that.
It is nothing extraordinary except for this one orientation that has
to come from WITHIN. We have to assure ourselves first of all that
our learning is not self-directed at all, but that our motive is "to
better help and teach others."

THE VOICE OF THE SILENCE and its statements ought to be considered as
one of the primary practical sources of inspiration for true
Meditation. We ought, by reading a little every day, to become
familiar with it and the explanations contained in the footnotes
there.

As said before, it is most important to remember that we are the
HIGHER SELF in our inner-most core (and everyone else is so also).
Every being exists because of the essential and ETERNAL MONAD that it
is. That Monad is SPIRIT and MATTER Conjoined, or ATMA/BUDDHI -- and
that is interior to all without any exception. It is the ETERNAL
PILGRIM and it is the "Real You."  

Every human being (and every other type of being is also at root a
Monad ) and in the past our MONAD once occupied a position that is
comparable to that which it now seems to occupy. We only appear to be
separated at present, because we have, each, our own individual path.
In the end (at the end of the Manvantara) all those 'Paths' converge.
So, from that point of view, it is not useful to seek "guidance," or
any "leader" who will prescribe some ritual or formula. Books will
not be able to tell anyone what to do, but they can offer advice. It
is too easy to be misled.  
 
We must remember that the Monad is an immortal. It cannot be "erased"
as Individuality at the end of a Manvantara, for the economy of Nature
demands that all those INDIVIDUALITIES (experienced MONADS) be
employed again, in continuation of their present "advance" at an
appropriate place in a new Manvantara which will be the Karmic child
of the present one. (see HPB Articles III p. 265, ULT Edition)

Everyone has been at this business of self-improvement for aeons --
and it does not begin for the first time in this life. In this life
we are all renewing that age-old study that was ours in the past. If
we could recover the "memory of past lives" the whole process of
advancing would be much easier. If we are now considering the study
of Theosophy, it is that which, if and when applied, will make our
embodied minds (the Lower Self) clearer and porous, so that the Higher
Memories may be accessed.

PATANJALI's YOGA SUTRAS translated by W. Q. Judge, is most valuable
in a study of the nature and procedures of meditation -- especially
the first 3 books. It gives a clue as to what true meditation is. It
is the attempt of the embodied mind (the Lower Manas) to reach up to
and understand the work of the Higher Manas within. And from there to
participate in the work of the HIGHER SELF.

As a beginning, one might at first study, frame questions, then begin
to assemble all that one has learned or has available on a certain
subject that is selected. This assembly gives a review of those
subjects and ideas -- then one ought to put them all together and see
if one can secure a glimpse of the inner reason and meaning for their
being there [ to do this one ought to ask the all-important question:
WHY ? -- that takes the practitioner to basic principles and enables
a clear perception of their inter-relation with others and thus to the
CAUSES ] -- and that is MEDITATION.

========================


SANYAMA "is to be used in proceeding step by step to over-come all
"modifications of the mind," (see Pat. pp. 1, 3 ) from the more
apparent to those most subtle...(after he has overcome the afflictions
and obstructions described in earlier books, there are modifications
of a recondite character suffered by the mind, which are to be got rid
of by Sanyama. When he has reached that stage the difficulties will
reveal themselves to him.)" Pat. p. 38-9


CONCENTRATION

Concentration ... "or Yoga is the hindering of the "modifi-cations of
the thinking principle." (...lack of concentration is due to the
mind--"thinking principle"--being diffused over a multiplicity of
subjects.) So concentration is equivalent to the correction of a
tendency to diffuseness--to obtaining "one-point-edness," or the power
to apply the mind, at any moment to the consideration of a single
point of thought, to the exclusion of all else...the mind is not the
supreme or highest power; it is only a function, and instrument, with
which the soul (the higher mind) works, feels sublunary things, and
experiences...the lower mind has a plane of its own, distinct from the
soul and the brain, and what is to be learned is to use the will,
which is also a distinct power from the mind and brain in such a
way...as a servant at any time, for as long a period as we wish, to
the consideration of whatever we have decided upon.)" Pat. p. 1,2,3.

 
"Real concentration is in fact Union with the Divine. We are to
understand that we are each the Divine. There is no separateness, but
the one Spirit is in each, reflected in each person. "Thou art that
Spirit !" is well understood and felt before concentration can become
possible...study Patanjali [ the philosophy of concentration] The
true source for concentration is selflessness, for as long as we feel
the shackles of the personal self, so long is concentration hindered
in various ways." WQJ - Pract. Occ. p. 275

            
"Real concentration is not acquired by experiments in thought
transference, [for] in those [cases], one of the persons has to be
passive or over-sensitive. Passivity leads at last either to
indifference or to undue and unequal development of psychism, which is
very undesirable...There are two kinds of concentration. First that
of the brain and mere nerves, includ-ing attention, and Second, that
sort which is higher and spiritu-al, pertaining to the ideals of life
and the soul itself. The first is properly cultivated by ordinary
methods of study and attention, especially the latter and which
results in good memo-ry. The second is cultivated by fixing the
aspirations on the highest good for all and on the unity of all
beings; by acting for the good of all; by practicing altruism; by
endeavoring to spread the light of truth to as many persons as
possible, ignor-ing what seems like present advantage to oneself; in
fact, by "right speech, right thought, and right action." All this
second practice results in giving to all the qualities in the being,
to every cell and atom, one single impulse and direction; and when
that is fully established, knowledge flows in on all sides, as it
were, spontaneously. Any other practice deludes us by seeming
agreeable or fascinating, but in fact results only in small special
effects...our real character...is improved or enlarged only by a
spiritualized life and motive."
WQJ Pract. Occ. p. 290-1

 
"Whosoever shall meditate upon the All-Wise which is without
beginning, the Supreme Ruler, the smallest of the small, the Supporter
of all, whose form is incomprehensible, bright as the sun beyond the
darkness; with mind undeviating, united to devo-tion, and by the
power of meditation concentrated at the hour of death...attains to
that Supreme Divine Spirit." Gita p. 59

 
"Some men, by meditation, using contemplation upon the Self, behold
the spirit within..." Gita, p. 97
 

"Part of the power of Karma is the "mysterious power of meditation,"
which exhibits itself according to the particular corporeal body one
has assumed...what its complexion is he does not know. In reassuming
a body (this power) reaches out to numberless affinities engendered in
other lives, and takes hold of all that come in its reach
["life-atoms," Skandhas]...their influence cannot be
calculated...Krishna therefore advises Arjuna to be free from the
influence of the quality, so that he may obtain a complete
release...These effects, divergences, and swayings, are well known to
the occultist...devotion is what is inculcated by the Adepts to their
Chelas. It involves a mental abnegation not agreeable to the modern
mind, but that must be acquired or real progress is impossible...it we
fix desire on accomplishing even a seeming good result, we are bound
by that desire...the wise student...will revolve it (devotion) in his
mind, strive after it, and make it a thing to be attained by him."
G. Notes, p. 66-9
 

"...half an hour [should be selected]...devote it before breakfast to
silent mediation, in which you brood upon all great and high
ideas...another half an hour before you go to bed [also]...The best
and most important teacher is one's seventh Principle [Atma] centered
in the sixth [Buddhi]. The more you divest yourself of the
illusionary sense of personal isolation, and the more you are devoted
to the service of others, the more Maya (illusion) disappears and the
nearer you approach to Divini-ty." WQJ Letters, p. 96 


--------------------------
            
Dallas