Summary: Explains that techniques and watching must be accompanied by a longing for the Divine for them to have depth. Speaks of the eventual inner opening in sadhana that leads to a feeling of worship in each act; concludes with the comparison of intensity in a soul to deep and calm water.

We have always said combine the two: the vigorous breathing – energising – reaching to lightness and then followed up by the rhythmic breathing – the deep and long breathing to harmonise. These two kinds of breathing are very effective as a help.

K.: In the past during the day my whole approach was more about being aware… In the Buddhist meditation they also do not stay with the breath during the day; during the day they stay with the actions. So when your hand moves…

Watch the action or watch the breath or move between the two. It is not about this meditation or that meditation. It is all about whatever is good for your sadhana at any given time as long as sadhana is being done, whatever the technique being employed. Obviously if you are working with something you would need to watch what you are doing!

K.: So forget about the breath, they say. That is basically during the sitting, but during the day you are conscious while you’re acting.

Yes, of course. Be conscious of and in whatever you do. That would sum it up.

K.: And then I thought maybe even during the day one can stay with the breath…

You can work alternately: you can work with the breath, then move to observing the movement – then come back to the breath. The breath can be the basis from where you can move to observing your movements and actions every time and even vice versa.

K.: The constant remembering, that is the most important thing, and that of course is not there all the time. So how to increase this remembering?

Yes, that is important. Keep reminding yourself to remember. When you remember more and more, then from that remembrance the awareness can develop. So when it becomes a constant remembrance it is a very important development, obviously. And then if it comes with the inclusion of feelings, the remembrance of the Divine, of God, a certain longing with it, that makes the entire practice much more dynamic and complete. Otherwise watching your breath, watching your movements can be dry and mechanical: you are aware, but it is still on the surface. When it starts to have depth, which comes with the feeling – feeling for the Divine, this kind of deeper feeling from the Heart – then it has substance, it has depth. There is a kind of fulfilment with it, in being aware also. So this is the thing – to be able to develop the Heart – being aware, but to also have the Heart.

K.: This heart space is not so strong these days. Sometimes, when I’m working, I remember that I’m not doing it for myself. The rest of the time is either breathing or being aware of the movement, the action, or a very general self-awareness.

All techniques and rituals may seem empty to begin with, but it is when they start to happen from within and deeply, when the feelings come, then they come alive and are of the soul. As I have said, it depends on how much you can put yourself into it – that is when it starts to come alive. Otherwise they are just techniques, and you remain a technician, and you can be good at that – but this is how it is to be done if you want to go further.

When something starts to happen from within then it has substance and it empowers you to keep yourself there and to further the feeling, the depth and the realisation. So it is with doing japa: initially there may be moments when it is mechanical, but the more you put yourself into it the more it grows. Progressively, in this way your sadhana, whatever its form, becomes a living thing. Your achievements in sadhana from past lives will also power you forward.

Any and every act can be seen as sadhana that needs to be consciously done, so then the call to sadhana becomes very real – we are there. Even reading a newspaper, if you are just there present with the words and your act of reading, with self-awareness, it can bring you to yourself and the grasp is so much more. It is you that needs to be found, and that can be – and that is – all the time there. So the more you are aware of that, the more you are with it.

So also eating and even sleeping to be consciously done – no act to be left undone in this way. To remember when you fall asleep, consciously and with awareness to go into sleep, and then it starts to happen during sleep. And even in dream, while the dream is happening, you are aware of you dreaming, watching the dream – this awareness is there, but it is distinct from the dreamer – the dream being objectively watched. That way you become every moment – twenty-four hours – conscious, and then you start building on that. And of course we continue to pursue the awakening of the force.

So when we have those quiet moments, quiet spaces, while we watch – we can watch the belly, or we can watch the breath, or we can watch the thoughts, thoughts coming and going – watching, and therefore becoming aware of the witness, the watcher. And then in that witness you can be turned within, concentrated within, or turn your concentration above the head or turn to other locations for your sadhana. Or you can follow a feeling of devotion and then be fulfilled in your heart, turned deeply into the heart with that feeling, seeking after the Divine. All this is part of the development, of this discovery of what is the Reality, what is one’s Self. It really is the greatest adventure, an exploration of all Reality. And getting established more and more in your being and seeing the comings and goings and the whole movement of becoming – seeing the becoming of the feeling, becoming of the urge and the sanctioning of it, and that the being is there that can be free of these urges and feelings and yet it can take to one or the other and live them – all this, this whole play can be seen.

As a result of sadhana the more the opening happens within, the freer you become. And to deal with one’s nature becomes much easier, even in terms of changing it. Otherwise it holds you in its grip for you are bound tight to it. Then there comes this feeling of worship in every act, this feeling of sacredness – all this starts to come. And you start to perceive the Reality – one Reality – in all things, whatever activity you do. Therefore it requires a special kind of patience with the intensity, to continue ahead – and then there will be an inborn natural urge to become more intense, especially when you start to get an increasing feeling of fulfilment. Then it becomes a real push forward, but in a manner which is more settled and sustained. There is depth now and unshakeable persistence in the sadhana. And that is very important for this spiritual journey; it is certainly one of the most important, primary requirements before we can then seek great heights. Outwardly you may not show much. You know, usually in the world what is given importance is the show outside, on the surface. But really a person of depth – like a lake that is deep – is very calm on the surface and it is his depth that is his measure. Shallow waters show lot of movement on the surface while calm waters run deep.

And there can be tremendous discoveries happening but outside there will be total calm. Look at the face of the Buddha – it is so. And yet when the deep lake moves – like the ocean when it gets into tide – huge tidal waves can happen; so much power there is. Shallow waters – they move only on the surface and there is not much power. So meditation must bring that, it is a sign of maturity. Initially one may have to be very active, then as the deepening happens there is more and more quietness and silence experienced. Then the action also gets transformed, it takes a different form and shape. And with very little movement you can manifest a lot of power.

Arya Vihar

10 Dec 1998