The Whys & Wherefores Of Meditation

INTRODUCTION

END OF SUFFERING

The simple answer to this question is ultimately to end one’s suffering. Perhaps that sounds a little too dramatic but that’s the reality. People who meditate do it to feel free from the various binds that this world presents.

Sage Patanjali tells us in his Yoga Sutras that it is that gulf between reality and your own thoughts that causes suffering. It is a mismatch between the way things actually are and one’s expectations that results in dukkha (sadness). kleshas (afflictions) and vrittis (disturbances). These problems are universal. No-one escapes ignorance, clinging, apathy and attachment.

CULTIVATING INSIGHT

What is required, says Patanjali, is a process of cultivation and rigour. Yoga is that process of cultivation, it is a process of self-refining. To discover one’s true nature a ‘sanskrita’ (a skilled or educated person who has shaped themselves) must develop ‘in-sight’. To achieve this state, one must use vairagya (dispassion/detachment) where the mind does not fall into sensual desires or mental grooves but stays present to what is going on, as it is. The ability to watch without judging allows the individual to put aside unnecessary things and focus on the task of cultivating insight.

The promise of being able to see life as it is and having more clarity and peace, is the true seduction of meditation. But how far must we believe that the waking world is unreal to experience it? The ancient Yogis were not simply athletic philosophers. They were also, among many other things, mystics. While some ideas may seem outlandish (many beliefs they held then require yoga enthusiasts today to suspend theirs) they are not disproven. It is clear from the scriptures that the foundation of Yogic thought is based on the premise that our inner worlds are more real than perhaps we give them credit for. In order develop this ability of compassionate detachment, the key skill a meditator must hone, say the forefathers, is to surrender the belief in oneself as primarily a physical being and as an individuated life but rather a part of something much greater.

DEEPENING WISDOM

Today, we are not at a loss for opinions on how to lead your life. Everyone is an orator or an influencer and it seems all are awakened or in the process of awakening too often with little or no reference to Yoga, neither in lineage nor discipline. After all if anything is going to be appropriated and potentially misinterpreted, it’s likely to be from a philosophy which claims no one specific author. But referencing is a pretty helpful tool when it comes to learning a skill.

The ancient Yogic scientists through self-observation compiled a philosophy and methodology for self-transformation and it is this philosophy which all modern self help philosophies are built. This includes Yoga asana (postures) and pranayama (breathing techniques), bhakti (devotional ritual and jnana (study of the scriptures). The key prescription they gave, was meditation (which can be divided into three parts dharana concentration, dhyana, meditation and samadhi, bliss). Over time, the practitioner develops viveka (discernment/discretion), where simply put, you become profoundly observant – and yet in a state of sleepfulness to the material world.

So then, how did the Yogis say we should meditate? What should we watch out for and how do we prepare?

UNDERSTANDING DISTRACTIONS: THE FIRST STEP

SEEKERS NOT SINNERS

From the moment a person is aware that they are an an individual, every human being experiences disturbances. In Abrahamic religions succumbing to disturbances is a matter of morality. The 10 do’s and don’t of The Ten Commandments are undebatable. From a Yogic perspective these disturbances are considered to be distractions or obstacles to enlightenment. Yogic science dissects the human personality and while we come up wanting, we are not so much identified as sinners but rather as seekers. 

One key characteristic shared between Yogic and Monotheistic traditions, is the human habit of differentiating and listing the qualities of things. In the Yogic tradition there are five kleshas (afflictions) and there are 9 antarayas (obstacles) and while there are remedies and perspectives that counter each one, there is really only one simple solution contained within the Yoga Sutras: meditation.

The understanding here is that distractions are par for the course, and that rather than forbidding oneself from one’s actions or intentions, the greatest act of self-discipline is to pay attention. One might think that simply identifying one’s mistakes wouldn’t be enough to stop you doing them again but, as a part of a long process of self-development, observation provides the foundation from which transformation can happen. In this respect modern psychology resembles Yogic analysis. When the patient observes their behaviour effectively they can begin to transform.

ITS ALL AN ILLUSION

Before we explore further, it may be helpful to be aware of a key concept in Yogic theory. You could say the cornerstone of Yogic philosophy! It is the view of manifested life as Maya (illusion): Everything you can touch see, hear, smell, taste and all of our material existence is considered to be essentially unreal. The suggestion here is that if everything in this world is an illusion, there is such a thing as unmanifested life, which is real. In Yogic terminology unmanifested existence, (spirit, love, consciousness) is called purusha. When you meditate you are turning away from the world of sensual experience to access the real universe of your consciousness.

Knowledge of purusha is accessed purely via samadhi (bliss of meditation and death). In other wordstrue insight is only possible through meditation, which is only truly possible when the kleshas are removed. But the only way to remove the kleshas is to observe them. It is only through profound awareness of the sensual world that we can reduce itsimpact.

IGNORANCE

The principle klesha, or affliction, us worldly beings suffer, says the Yoga Sutras is avidya, ignorance. This is not the ignorance of chauvinism or prejudice. It can be understood as an obliviousness to the nature of things. Ignorance is born with the belief of oneself as entirely individuated, and as separate from others, from nature and the light of consciousness. It is an ignorance of our true nature as well as the true nature of the cosmos as a whole. 

The remedy of avidya is vidya, skillfullness. Skillfullness is required for spiritual enlightement – a state in which you are able to perceive, absorb and ultimately become this subtle reality, described above as purusha. Patanjali and his contributors say Yoga awakens the awareness which is innate, which reveals that we are in fact, infinitely connected. And the most advanced Yogic practice is meditation.

EGOISM

Let’s return to the moment an individual comes to realise they exist as separate from other beings and the world – when a child develops ‘I-consciousness. This separation could be thought of as our first enlightenment. It is also considered to be the source of our suffering, asmita (egoism/ I-consciousness). Asmita is the manifestation of our misguided sense of separation.

As babies we don’t even know we exist. Amidst the nappies and distress there is a certain blissful all-knowing ignorance in a baby’s eyes. As we grow up and becomes conscious human beings, our self-identity becomes increasingly connected to our own body, actions and thoughts. With each passing year as we acquire knowledge and become clearer about who we are as individuals we lose wisdom. According to Yogic scriptures, individuated life isn’t even a fraction of the vastness that makes up who we are.

ATTACHMENT & AVERSION

Raga meaning attachment is the third in Patanjali’s checklist of humanity’s afflictions, while dvesha (aversion)is the fourth. Besides our habit for differentiation, humans have a habit of coveting pleasant experiences and avoiding unpleasant ones. While our desires do make us self-improvers, they can also cause us misery. Obsessions and cravings throw us off course. Avoidance and criticism make it impossible for us to start. By letting-go of ambition on the one hand and challenging ourselves to face uncomfortable situations on the other, we discover the joy that comes from growth; and that ultimately joy comes from inside.

FEAR OF DEATH

The last cause of suffering is fear of death abhinivesha. Clinging to life can not only inhibit our ability to experience spiritual advancement  but also the simple joy of living. Fear of death is a natural force. It is a fear of impermanence and causes inertia and it is as much a part of nature as movement. But, like too much movement, it can cause a person to become fragmented and alienated from themselves. 

The suggestion is to pursue a state of not knowing daily. Once again we return to the idea of dying to this world, and to your self(*). To access the wisdom of a true observer, one must let go of insisting things stay the same, dreading death or indeed life; and discover the freedom of accepting the unknown, as unknown, impermanence as impermanent.

THE NINE OBSTACLES

Briefly then, the nine obstacles! These can be understood as external factors that could divert you from committing to the practice of meditation. The kleshas can be understood the reality of the ordinary human psyche, the antarayas (obstacles) are seemingly learnt barriers we might allow to stand in the way of ‘the path’.

The obstacles to one’s practice and spiritual advancement are identified as the following: illness, lethargy or inertia, lingering self-doubt, carelessness (which is essentially acting without reflection or concentration), fatigue (this could be from illness or having an unhealthy lifestyle for example), indulgence, being deluded about yourself (such as having an inferiority/superiority complex), lack of direction or tenacity, inability to maintain progress, which knocks one’s confidence and can lead to any of the other obstacles. You can see here there is a cause and effect relationship between each obstacle yet each obstacle can arise independently from the others.

There are salves that soothe the suffering and they are multifarious. You could cultivate compassion, joy or tenacity for example, but the suggestion is to choose one technique or focus on one quality at a time, to avoid confusion. In the next installation of the ‘Why’s and Wherefores of Meditation’ we will explore a range of Pranayamas, and methods of meditation. Essentially these are exercises that prepare you for meditation. Many of us will only ever get this far, which is in itself an achievement.

• As mentioned in The wisdom of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras by Ravi Ravindra, p64

METHODS & TECHNIQUES: HOW DO YOU DO IT?

The key to meditation, says Patanjali is to choose ‘one essential principle/practice’. Do not try to use a variety of ways to improve the stability of your mind, it may only make you feel more unstable. Listed below are some commonly known methods and techniques for the preparatory practices for meditation drawn from the Hatha Yoga Pradipika & The Yoga Sutras.

So if you choose to meditate on friendliness, make this your primary way to steady your mind, or if it is on detachment – choose that, or if you want to use Pranayama, focus on mastering your breathing techniques. Give your full attention to the practice you’ve chosen and choose the practice that is appropriate to you – know why you are doing it, not just beforehand but throughout the period of time you are doing it. In other words stay single-minded.

OBSERVATION

Body-scanning allows us to become more sensitive to what we are hearing, seeing or feeling and less distracted, which can allow us to become clearer about whatever is going on around us in our everyday life. You can start at the toes or at the top of the head and work your way up or down, you can lie down or sit upright on a chair or the floor. You may choose a guided meditation or Yoga Nidra both of which tends to include body scanning or you can go it alone giving yourself all the time you need to feel into each body part before moving to the next. Remember you are not trying to change anything but merely notice how things are. Eventually you become aware of the act of sensing itself.

EMOTION & DETACHMENT

One of the most famous sutras is Chapter 1, Sutra 33 which states, “cultivate friendliness in the presence of happiness, active compassion in the presence of unhappiness, joy in the presence of virtue, and indifference towards error”. Each one of these ‘four attitudes’ is a meditation in itself, where the practitioner purifies the mind by actively cultivating favourable attitudes towards the challenges we face in our relationships with others. 

Another common theme tackled within the Yoga Sutras is the responsibility we have for the thoughts that run through our minds and how it is possible to neutralise our thoughts so they can no longer cause distraction. Attachment is understood as a natural habit of mind and this tendency can actually be used to reign in the mind. 

These various attachments and the illusions we hold as truth, is described as ‘coloured’ in the Sutras. By noticing the thought patterns as ‘coloured’, understanding their nature, perhaps even labelling them, we can increasingly become a witness to the process of thinking, and little by little, become free to experience the spiritual insights available in meditation.

This technique for steadying the mind helps us detach from our activities and patterns of thinking, leaving the mind free to turn attention inward. By not identifying with action the realisation is that Prakriti (manifested life) only exists for the experience of Purusha (unmanifested life). This experience reveals there is nothing to gain, nor is there anything to lose.

PERCEPTION – THE LIGHT WITHIN

You can literally focus on the light within. You may see daylight streaming through the eyelids and this can be used as a tool to sense the experience of your consciousness.  Or you may perceive light at the heart space or at the head space. 

It does not matter what other thoughts, images, impressions or memories might arise in the mind. Do not let these disturb or distract you. Fix your attention on the sense of your glowing inner luminosity, or the light of your existence.

One technique which is connected to the four attitudes is the practice of gratitude – it can be understood as the simple realisation that what you have is precious. This too can be experienced as a light within.

BREATHING
The conscious regulation of your breath is an incredibly powerful tool to quieten the mind and is a principle practice of Yoga. Regular pranayama practise increases the concentration of vital energy (Prana) in the system and reduces stress on the body and the mind.  That can be specific breathing techniques such as Kapalabhati or Nadi Shodhana (Pranayama ought to be learnt from a competent instructor) or it could simply be consciously breathing in and out. You may count your breaths, count the pauses in between the breaths, repeat a mantra with every in and out breath or not at all.

CONNECTION – SEEKING COUNSEL FROM OTHERS OR DREAMSTATE

The suggestion is that we become drawn to calm and tranquil people who are also on the path towards enlightenment. This may be through reading books by people alive or dead who have learnt great lessons or by meeting them in person. Likewise learning to witness the flow of your own dreamstate (not necessarily sleeping or actually dreaming) can reveal a lot about the contents of your mind. So taking note of what arises when you are in a state of deep relaxation can reveal your own patterns of thinking, these may be profoundly intuitive or may highlight unhelpful habits, which are held in the deeper recesses of the mind.

INTELLECTUAL

The final sutra in this section of the Sutras is Chapter 1, Sutra 39 where Patanjali suggests that any object which holds your attention can be used to focus the mind. It could be just holding the thought of your pet in your mind for a long period. This will give the mind direction and reduce doubt and negativity. Some interpretations of the Sutras have gone so far as to say that even watching TV could fulfil this task but that as the mind becomes subtler you will choose more refined objects to stabilise the mind for meditation such as mantra, or an image of an object that represents something peaceful or soothing for you.

AND NOW MEDITATE…

These are examples of ways in which to prepare for the subtler meditations. A by-product of regular practice of these mental exercises, is that we are better able to refocus the mind when we face obstacles in our daily life. But these techniques, above, were meant merely as preparatory practices, a means of stabilising the mind for meditation. To experience Samadhi (bliss), the advice is that we must detach from the external world of things and all compulsive habits (that includes the internal world of circular thoughts) before one embarks on the deeper practice of meditation.

In the final chapter in this series on the ‘Why’s & Wherefores of Meditation’, we dive into the unknown, an attempt to summarise something the author (that’s me, Sara) has never, and may never fully experience…and that’s OK.

BEYOND MATERIAL: NO STEPS

THE STORY SO FAR

We would need many conscious lifetimes of learning to understand the meaning contained within the six schools of Indian Philosophy let alone the handful of Yogic texts referred to in this series of articles. Yet the beauty of the Yogic journey is that from just a kernel of information immense positive change can come. Simply identifying one’s attachments (awareness of the Kleshas or afflictions – see Part 1 & 2) is powerful in itself. 

Scientifically speaking, meditation is known to increase an experienced practitioner’s tolerance to pain. When faced with painful situations the meditator’s brain can actually bypass the amygdala (the part of the brain which triggers the stress response). Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) also shows an increased function of the anterior cingulate (emotion regulation) and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (responsible for attention control) in regular meditators. Meditation as a path in itself and as an exercise, is at the heart of the Yogic solution to suffering. It leads to the practice of Viveka (discrimination), where we choose behaviours and attributes relevant to the task at hand, and is in itself the act of Vairagya (detachment), whichprovides the Yogi with the tools needed to manage life, andeven face death.

In particular acquiring these skills requires the study of the 8 limbs, which are listed briefly here. 

The 8 limbs are: 

1. Yama (how to treat others), 
2. Niyamas (how to treat ourselves), 
3. Asana (posture), 
4. Pranayama (breath control), 
5. Pratyahara (turning attention inwards), 
6. Dharana (concentration), 
7. Dhyana (meditation) & 
8. Samadhi (bliss). 

The 8 limbs are often described as rungs on a ladder and therefore could be said to represent a step by step process. Each spoke on the wheel could also stand alone, and could be tackled in any order. We have so far covered some of the techniques associated with Dharana in Part 3 and here in Part 4 we will attempt to deconstruct Dhyana & Samadhi, wherein there are less rules. At some point on the journey towards mastery of any discipline, the practitioner must look beyond the rules and come to use one’s own intuition.

REDUCING COMPULSION TO A SEED

It ought to be noted that is entirely normal and expected for one’s attention to come and go. The distractions of this material world have a tremendous pull and it will take a lot of practice to overcome them. The reason for practicing the eight limbs of Yoga is to develop attention and change your relationship with yourself and your circumstances.

First, the mind is stabilised through the understanding of what is good for us (the Yamas and Niyamas). At that point our mental biases are reduced. We become aware we no longer feel compelled by our addictions and fetishes and in fact that we are separated from these addictions. However, the attachments are still present until it is only present in the most subtle form – when it is as small as a seed. This is how the Kleshas move through four stages: 

1: Active

2: Separated

3. Attenuated, or reduced

4: Seed – the seed is parched, so as to not be able to grow again.

THE FINER STATES

A refined attention span allows for deeper concentration, which leads to meditation. After attaining a highly sophisticated ability to meditate it is possible, say the Yogic texts, to experience Samadhi. There is no exact translation of Samadhi in English but it could be translated as ‘bliss’ or ‘surrender’. 

Neither is there a direct translation for Samyama – but it could be interpreted as ‘integration’. It is a three-part process which combines concentration (Dharana) meditation (Dhyana) and Samadhi, the last three rungs of the eight limbs. Mastery of Samyama, is said brings greater depth of experience, insight, and realisation and to bestow upon the practitioner ‘higher consciousness’ (Prajna). It may come as flashes of insight or perhaps as an epiphany.

However, even when Prajna is attained, we can not say we have reached the end of practice. 

Prajna is a tool – a means of reaching the ever subtler levels of non-attachment. Essentially even attainment of the experience of Samadhi is really a beginning of sorts. As finer states come forward, they are explored with the razor-sharp attention of Samyama and are each seen to not be the truth. There comes a point where discrimination has so thoroughly set aside all which is not Self that even the interest in omniscience is seen as attachment.

Many of us will be satisfied with just a glimpse of Prajna and there is room for us too. Any level of refinement of one’s skills or personality will bring its benefits. The practitioner discovers how to separate the inner seer from the seen. It is described as recognition of the ‘true Self’ (your infinite self) as opposed to the ‘non-Self’  (your finite personality, stories and traumas). 

Purusha, or pure consciousness, can stand alone, in its true, eternal Self without the colourings of the Kleshas.

CLICHE OR CREDIBLE?

Many Yogic philosophies have become modern cliches such as ‘it’s all connected!’ or ‘follow your heart!’, but do they have any scientific credibility? Certainly the intimation in the unified field theory, as in Yogic theory, is that the universe of matter is only one side of the coin. The Higgs field theory is an effort to understand the glue that holds the universe together and in the last decade has been proven to be true. It is apparent that there are vacuums in space where no mass particles exist and scientists now believe this nothingness is the very ‘thing’ that binds matter. Another way to understand this is to think of electromagnetism. We know that the field, in which electromagnetic particles exist, can be switched on or off but this is not so with the Higgs Field which is omniprescent.

In Yogic terminology we have on the one hand, the Gunas, or the qualities/elements of ‘manifested life’, which is known as Prakriti; and Purusha, pure consciousness, on the other. The three Gunas are Tamas (darkness & chaos) earth and water, Rajas (activity & passion) fire, and Sattva (beingness & harmony) air and ether. The moment there is choice or preference, desire or thought of future or past  – any mental activity at all – the Gunas are at play, and essentially there will be a lack of joy and peace. But when the Gunas resolve themselves back into that out of which they emerged, there is liberation. In scientific terms, this is ‘the nothingness’ which makes up 99% of every atom.

Another example of a popular platitude, which comes from the Yogic understanding of the body’s Chakras (wheels of energy), what may seem at first glance to be banal, is the claim of being able to tap into the frequency of the heart. The heart, containing 40,000 neurons (there are 100 billion in the brain), is described by modern science as a ‘mini-brain’ with an immense capability to process and regulate information. The brain may top the heart in terms of number of neurons  but the heart has an electro magnetic field 60 times larger in amplitude, 5000 times more intense than that of the brain. Scientists now agree, your thoughts can communicate to the heart and visa versa.

CONCLUSION

So do I have to believe in ‘divinity’ to practice meditation?

Certainly Yoga ought not to be seen as the opposite of science. There are developments in science which give credibility to the key pillars of Yogic wisdom. For example, that paying attention is a powerful healer, that we must reduce the power of our sensations to reduce suffering and that our material existence is, perhaps, superimposed on a unified field. A truly scientific approach is to realise the fluidity of truth rather than rigidly adhere to a belief system. 

The Yogic system is so versatile you can remove the belief in divinity and the practice still stands up. There is not one path or one way of doing things and no ‘sign’ which will allow the practitioner to know they have ‘arrived’. Besides there are mental and physical benefits to the small act of paying attention – so it’s never a waste of time.

By Sara Newman

REFERENCES

Available on request