Beauty ＆ Pure 45

Meditation, as a yoga practice almost a parlour game nowadays, was also foremost among the subjects about which questions were put before Ramana Maharshi. His answers point, as usual, to the way already mentioned... how to make it most effective.

The purpose of meditation is known: Quieting the restlessness of the mind, also the method, fixing the attention on one thought only, until finally this thought also vanishes. Ramana Maharshi’s interpretation of meditation is different:

“Meditation is your true state...now. You call it meditation, because there are other thoughts distracting you. When these thoughts are dispelled, you remain alone, i.e., in the state of meditation free from thoughts; and that is your real nature which you are now attempting to gain by keeping away other thoughts. Such keeping away of other thoughts is now called meditation. When the practice becomes firm, the real nature shows itself as the true meditation.” (Talks, 310).
Somebody utters doubt: ‘Meditation is with mind. How can it kill the mind in order to reveal the Self?’