To begin with, the objective of our sitting is to come to a stop in ourselves, to come to a quiet stop. And needless to say, when we sit we begin with the breathing for it helps to bring one to being centered, to bring one to being present. It is a continuous practice, a process.

And therefore I repeat again and again, to remind you, so that you remember even when you are out there in movement, more so, even more so–for you lose yourself so easily to your behaviour patterns; you lose yourself so easily to your reactions, moods; you lose yourself so easily to the play of  prakriti…

It is difficult to be objective when one is ‘in the moods’ so to speak. One is then sure, certain that one’s perception is right, that it is how it is. But when you find yourself in another space, mood, you will see that there is another view, that it was altogether different.

These are the compulsions of prakriti, embodied existence. Therefore it requires continuous watchfulness, remembrance. Especially in the moments of arrogance one has to watch very carefully for one can very rarely be objective in those moments. The vitality is such.

And of course compassion and kindness are out of the picture altogether in those moments. In those moments one is so ‘sure’, so ‘certain’, and in arrogance one ends up losing one’s sense of sacredness, reverence, respect, dignity. Therefore I continue to remind you of this quiet stop in yourself.

Watchfulness is not just watching; watchfulness is altogether different. It means to watch in such a way as to question your own behaviour, your own moods. It is to place yourself in different positions so that you could understand and perceive more at that moment than you normally do. In that is your sincerity, in that is sadhana. And in that you would offer dignity to the other as you would to yourself.

Usually it is not easy at that very moment: the force of the movement is such, the force of vitality is such, the ‘certainty’ is such.  But one can watch over it afterwards. It is all part of the sadhana; is all part of the learning process which is sadhana, which is a growing up.

There are many levels to our consciousness; there are many moods to our being, many seasons, many weathers. When you pass through all of them consciously you can start to understand all of yourself.

And a seeker is always seeking to understand the shift of these moods, the shifts of consciousness, how the expressions repeat, and the behaviours continue. Can we see them objectively, can we understand them? For that one requires this breathing, for it creates space for one to be objective with one’s self, in spite of the compulsions of one’s nature, with its changing moods and seasons. Help yourself so you may help others. Let harmony, compassion, love prevail, and kindness.

Of course kindness is not pampering. Kindness is a genuine feeling of empathy that abides deep in you heart. So through our quiet moment let us see if we can come in contact with it – the compassionate Being, the Buddha in us; the sacred Being, the Shiva in us; the delightful Being, the Krishna in us.

There are many moments when one is so ‘sure’ at a certain level of consciousness, and yet when one shifts out into another, one is no more that certain. Watch the whole play of consciousness; watch the play of your personality in different situations; watch the patterns of behaviour. Stand behind, stand objective.

I would go further as to say: before you question the other, question yourself! The seeker begins in this way. The seeker therefore goes beyond impulses, blind impulses, blind reactions, blind arrogance – blinding energies.

Allow for playfulness so that no resentment abides.

Prayer and meditation—this will bring you to compassion; this will bring you to a sense of sacredness, a sense of oneness.

It is good to spend the last moments of the day when you are by yourself, to go through the whole of the day, as to what you have done, as to what you have not done; as to how you have done, as to how you have not done; as to how you may have offended, as to how you may feel offended. Go beyond, stand in the Being of compassion, so that you begin the new day in a new way; so that the environment grows in compassion grows in harmony, grows in sacredness, grows in reverence.

When you respect the other, when you dignify the other, you dignify yourself. It is only because one experiences the separation which seems so final that one does not see this. Truly when you enter into the enlightened state of Being you will see – when you offend the other, you offend yourself.

In the ego one does not see it – but in the enlightened condition you will see it.

If one is indignified it is because of oneself and if one is dignified it is also because of oneself. And you will see all this as you awaken to your own Self.

It needs to be sought; you have to awaken to What Is. So seek to reach into yourself.

Use the breath to enter into yourself – whenever, wherever, for it will remind you to come to yourself and to those quiet, objective spaces of your Being.

There is reacting to a situation and there is responding to a situation. When one can manage to be objective with a situation one can respond to the situation.

Feel for the quietness in yourself; feel with the whole of your being. Remember, meditation is a process. And to feel for this quietness use the breathing: it brings you to yourself; it brings you in yourself.  From there then you can observe all of your expressions and all of your actions.

To enter into the quiet space you have to stand behind all movements, all compulsions. It is then that you come to a complete stop in yourself – and the breathing helps.

When you are at peace with yourself, that is the beginning of meditation. Until such time you are arriving, and to arrive you have to continue to work with yourself. Be at peace.

Spend quiet moments with yourself to observe your own self, to observe all else, the outside, the interactions, the habits, the behaviours, the moods, the seasons… It is all part of the growing up; it requires repeated working; it is never done at the first instance.

There is much that you need to understand about yourself. So therefore patience with yourself, patience with the other.

Feel for the quiet space in yourself. Take the help of the breathing. It will help you, bring you close to yourself, bring you close to self-awareness. From there enter into the quiet space. Be centered, be stopped in yourself – and pray unto God.                                                                     

Arya Vihar

30 March 2001