There is no end to meditation,

But you have to learn the art of meditation –

And that is what you are doing here.

The breathing will help you,

And the practice of being witness to all things,

Pleasant, unpleasant,

Whatever they may be,

Likes, dislikes.

You have to develop the power to watch anything and everything.

Meditation, complete meditation cannot happen,

Until such time that you have this power.

 

Breathe in, breathe out,

Keep the rhythm going.

You are on a journey which has no end.

You are on a journey of discovering the reality,

That which is you.

You have to recognize yourself first,

Your personality, your limitations, your weaknesses,

Your strengths, your biases, your prejudices,

Your moods, states,

Your thoughts, your motives,

Your feelings, your emotions.

In that way you will be able to recognize,

The truth about things,

About self and Self,

About the reality.

It is a continuous process.

It is to understand yourself,

It is to understand the content of your consciousness;

It is to see and observe your consciousness –

The immense nature of your consciousness,

And the different levels of your consciousness –

Integral and whole.

 

Breathe in, breathe out,

Keep the rhythm going.

It will bring you to quietness,

Inner quietness,

Settle yourself,

Centre yourself.

And anything that comes up,

Watch over it.

It is the content of your consciousness.

Watch impartially, objectively and impersonally.

When you gain this position,

Then you may personalize as much as you want.

First the being and then the becoming.

 

Breathe in, breathe out.

Stay with the breathing,

Stay with yourself.

 

Stay with the breathing,

Stay with yourself.

If you keep the breathing going,

It will keep you energized,

It will keep you centered,

It will keep you sharp.

Watch anything and everything that comes up.

You have to build the capacity to watch,

The pleasant as well as the unpleasant,

However strong it may be.

To be free is the objective.

Inside.

To be untouched and be free.

Watch all reactions.

Then from that freedom you can personalize.

This is the practice.

Then you are the master unto yourself,

Rather than a slave.

 

Long breath, longer the better.

Deep breath, strong breath,

Strong enough to be able to hear it,

To keep you energized,

To keep you centered.

Long breath makes for quietness.

Being able to watch anything and everything makes for freedom.

So we are working at many levels.

Only then is meditation possible.

 

Arya Vihar Ashram

March 2008