Meditation and the Saadhana of Wakefulness

Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha

“Family members assemble for marriages, birthdays and similar other family events and ceremonies. They also spend time and work jointly for social events or causes. But is it not rare and surprising that a family spends time with a Swami or two for weeks, communing closely with them and with the Creator and His bounties? This indeed is the greatness of Indian culture and civilization. The whole human life is to maturate itself to this level of sensitivity and refinement. The thoughts on God, biographies of Saints, the philosophical probes and spiritual meanderings become more enchanting and nourishing than the scenes and stimulations from the world panorama. How great! I wish people evaluate the merits and profundity involved in this area….”

And this is what I would like to say and feel again and again. One is born in a family. He grows with the expanse which blood-relationship affords and compels. To this comes the need and variety of matrimonial relationship. The erstwhile filial responses are now crowned with parental dimensions. The growth is gradual and great too, though seldom considered in such light.

But, does the ascent stop there? It verily makes a new start. As were one’s blood and matrimonial relationships, so also is the larger world of universal magnitude. It is here that the pivotal linkage with God, the Creator, comes in and helps.

It is really not necessary to bring in God first and then infuse Him into the universe to become ‘universal’ in one’s outlook and responses. It is enough if, looking at the visible world, you can relate your individuality to its own universal net, of which the individual is but one small stretch of thread. But people fail to make such relating in practice. So the causal thought is introduced through ‘God’.

The mind given to expanse becomes light, flexible and subtle. All abilities and responses emerging from such a mind are proportionately greater, displaying a wider harmony and beauty. But mostly devotion and spirituality get constricted variously because of their conventional background and the domestic environments which creep into one’s growth. These constrictions dominate the mind even when it is poised for devotional and spiritual ascent. “Habits die hard”.

For this reason, seekers who display the sincerity and readiness to mend themselves and imbibe the sublime course of growth and expanse, are rare. Just like one’s complexion, the conventional growth and traits refuse to leave mankind. But the possibility for greater and greater sublimation and enrichment cannot be ruled out. At the same time, this process has to be discreetly handled and cultivated.

That is why, an excellent devotee is extolled in the scriptures and described as a rare specimen whom God Himself follows closely and wishes to be befriended by:

Nirapeksham munim shantam nirvairam samadarshanam
Anuvrajaamyaham nityam pooyeyetyanghri-renubhih

(Sreemad Bhagavata XI. 14. 16)

“I closely follow that Muni who is adorned with non-expectation, calmness, non-enmity and equal vision, so that I may be purified by the dust of his feet.” — Says Krishna Himself!

The life of devotion or spiritual wisdom is, in a sense, centred on meditation. But the circumference of the circle you draw around the centre has to be on the surface called activity and interaction. Thus, devotional and spiritual LIFE encompasses more the behaviour and interaction in the objective world than the few hours of lonely and shut-up meditation. I wonder how many come to realize this fact, even among the saints and scholars!

Meditation helps to focus the SOUL and ‘breathe its air’ directly.  But what about the Soul’s orbit, its vast expanse?  World is the same Soul in infinite display.  I agree that such a magnificent Soul is touched and felt in meditation.  But mere meditational communion is far less than what the Soul deserves or affords.  We go to meditation from the wakeful expanse and return from meditation to the same wakeful world.   Meditation is only a short interlude.  Where should our focus then be?

In the plane, I did have a hearty talk with A.  I found A particular about pursuing his ‘Welfare project’ earnestly.  May everything go on well.  To feel gratitude to the Great Source, and to treat this gratitude in the form of a strong and regular commitment, is certainly laudable.  As we bring God and devotion to human levels which pleases the Lord and His devotees, the industrialists too bring God to their ‘Industrial scene and calculations’ and give Him an ‘Industrial benefit treatment.’  That also is equally laudable.

[This is an extract from a correspondence that appeared in December 1991 issue 
of the monthly journal ‘Vicharasetu – The Path of Introspection’ ]

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