Jyoti Meditation

Meditation

  • There are two roads to fulfillment : 1. Prayer and 2.Meditation. 1.Prayer makes you a supplicant at the feet of God. 2.Meditation (dhyana) induces God to come down to you and inspires you to raise yourselves to Him; it tends to make you come together, not place one in a lower level and the other on a higher.
  • Swami told the students that you have to look at any object –flame, idol, or picture for 12 seconds with total concentration and without blinking eyelids. This is concentration (dharana). Twelve dharana concentrations make one meditation (dhyana). This means that meditation should last for 12×12 = 144 seconds. Thus, proper meditation need not last more than 2 minutes 24 secs. Twelve meditations equal one samadhi, which amounts to 12×144 seconds =  28 minutes 48 seconds.
  • Recommended time is before dawn (between 3 and 6 AM, ‘auspicious time is 4:30-5:15 AM’

Sathya Sai Baba on Meditation

  • We always have enough time to talk, visit cinemas etc. There is certainly time for meditation. The power is from God (referring to the feeling of strength after meditation).Early morning is best. Mind is quiet and there is not the pressure of responsibilities. There is difficulty during the day. People are around, and there is work. If meditation is attempted, even work may suffer.Real meditation is getting absorbed in God as the only thought, the only goal. God only, only God. Think God, breathe God, love God. Concentration means, when all senses and desires fall away and there is only God. In between concentration and meditation, like a separation between the two, is contemplation. Concentration to contemplation, then meditation. As long as one thinks “I am meditating” that is the mind and not meditation. As long as one knows he is meditating, he is not meditating. In absorption in God, one puts aside every form and merges into God. In that process the mind naturally stops.
  • Meditation for its proper practice, should be at the same place, at the same time. In that way, it surely will be successful. If one is away from home in travel, in his mind he can go to the accustomed place no matter where he is. Truth is in every place at all times. When away from Swami, by remembering Him doing this or that, the battery is “recharged”. That also is genuine meditation. Meditation is constant inner inquiry as to who am I, what is true, what is ego action, what is loving and what is harsh. Meditation is thinking on spiritual principles, searching out the application to oneself of what Baba says, and the like.

Jyoti Meditation Based On Bhagavan’s Step By Step Direction

Jyothi (flame) Meditation is the foremost spiritual discipline geared towards gaining inner peace.

  1.   We should have a fixed time and place every day where we sit for meditation either in the morning and/or evening.
  2.   We should sit on a thin mattress for this exercise.  The sitting pose or asana should be comfortable both for our mind and body.
  3.   We should then chant Omkar, the Universal Mantra glorified as ‘Nada Brahma’ at least 3 times but preferably 21 times.  The mind under the influence of this divine sound slowly loses momentum and becomes more and more tranquil and steady.
  4.   The next step is to put the breath in rhythm.  The easiest and the most effortless method is to watch the breath, thereby the process becomes normal, that is, longer and calmer.  When we inhale, the breath sounds ‘So’ and when we exhale, it sounds ‘Humm’ which means ‘He’ i.e. “God” and ‘I’ respectively or “God am I”.
  5.   Accordingly, synchronizing with these two breaths, imagine that the flame ‘Jyot’ is within us.  Feel that the light of the flame is in our heart, right in the centre of the Lotus.  Gently move the light to other parts of your body — the stomach, the limbs, the eyes, the ears and the tongue.  Feel that the entire body is illumined thereby. Rejoice that the light is the light of love; it removes hatred; it dispels darkness and doubt; it reveals that all are Divine.
  6.   As the light fills the eyes, you must feel that they have been purified.  They shall no longer seek to look upon evil sights.  When the light lights the tongue with love, decide that there is no more scope for uttering harsh words.  Similarly, once the radiance of the divine light bathes the arms, they can no longer delight in performing harmful deeds while the feet can no longer move into polluting areas and places.
  7.   Now visualize the light as surrounding our physical body and spreading far out to family members, neighbours and even those whom we do not like.  Every object is enveloped in that divine effulgence.  Isavaasyam Idam Sarvam.  All this is illumined by God.  This is the stage of bliss.
  8.   In this manner, the ONE flame on which we concentrate can cleanse our mind and body and spread its light and radiance to include our entire environment.
  9.   Finally, take the Jyot on to the figure of our Ishta Devta or the Deity of you choice and/or fix our vision on the Jyot, and commence meditation or silent sitting for a few minutes, followed by Japa of our chosen Mantra with the full understanding of its meaning and firm faith in its power and benefits.  It should be inter-woven with our breathing process of inhaling and exhaling.

“Practice this meditation as I have advised regularly every day. At other times repeat the name of God (any Name fragrant with any of His many Majesties), always taking care to be conscious of His might, mercy, and munificence.”

– Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Shivarathri, 1979

Click on : Jyoti Meditation Book to download Jyoti Meditation book.

  • Information about the book :
  1. Published by Prashanti Charitable Trust, Sri Sathya Sai Seva Campus, Sri Sathya Sai Marg, Via
    Bhatar Char Rasta, Althan, Surat 395007.
  2. Compiled by Rajiv Gosai and team
  3. Edited by Lalita Giani
  4. Design and layout by Bhavna Bhambhani

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