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Meditation
Brings Clarity of Mind
by
Bharath Madhavan
Thoughts are present as seeds within the inner depths of the mind
and they come to the surface when the right environment is present.
This is very similar to seeds in soil, which grow into plants
when the appropriate environment of water, minerals and fertilizers
are provided. When a thought arises, it goes through layers of
filters in the mind, which give it shape and form. In seed form,
all thoughts are pure, but the filters shape these thoughts. A
nice analogy to this is a person seeing the outside world through
a red filter. He sees everything as red. To see the world as it
is, all he has to do is to remove the filter. Similarly, the trick
to clear thinking is to remove all the filters and allow the thought
in seed form to express itself as it is.
How do filters form? A filter is nothing but the residue of a
past thought impressed in the mind. Consider a very simple example.
Let us say I get a chance to drive the new Mercedes Benz and I
begin to like it. Now, the next time I see any Benz car on the
road, I will judge that car based on the previous encounter I
had. This need not be true since that car could be a beaten-up
one but my previously acquired filter has colored my judgment.
In reality, these filters could be extremely complex and highly
confusing. A scientific study shows that an average person thinks
approximately 65,000 thoughts per day and about 95% of them are
exactly the same thoughts as that of the previous day. With so
many thoughts, there are a lot of possibilities of impressing
the mind with filters and further strengthening them too.
These filters can be removed by practicing a set of mental exercises,
which are mainly meditational. Given the nature of the beast,
this is a slow process, which can be accomplished only by a steady
practice. The set of practice must offer the following solutions.
• Remove the filters that exist currently.
• Regulate the mind to think only when necessary and think
what is relevant.
• Explore a way of life that minimizes the accumulation of
further mental filters.
About four years ago, I got introduced to a system of spiritual
practice called the 'Natural Path Meditation.' Like any
spiritual practice, its purpose is one of Merger or Union of the
Individual Mind with the Universal Consciousness. The system combines
a morning practice of heart-centered meditation and a evening
practice called 'Cleaning' which is unique to this system.
Meditation is a mental exercise aimed to get a regulatory control
over the mind. With a steady monthly practice of meditation, one
is able to 'not think too much.' In Natural Path, we meditate
on a thought, which is 'Divine Light in the Heart.' At
the beginning of meditation, we suggest this thought in a subtle
way and try to rest the mind on this thought. If the mind wanders,
we do not fight with the thoughts but try to ignore them. With
a steady practice, we are soon able to observe that the other
thoughts tend to leave us un-disturbed and we are able to rest
the mind on our object of meditation more easily. This gives us
a feeling of diving deep into ourselves, filled with peace and
calmness.
As part of daily practice, cleaning is done in the evening. Every
day we have accumulated several filters and impressions on the
mind. Cleaning uses the concept of 'Auto Suggestion' and
removes these impressions that one has accumulated during the
day. It is a simple practice where the individual uses his/her
will power and imagines that all the impressions, filters, etc.,
that were accumulated during the day are leaving the body. I tried
it and could see its effect quite early in my practice and felt
a very definite lightness once the cleaning is done. After a while,
I was even able to 'clean off my headaches!'
The teacher of Natural Path Meditation, Shri. P. Rajagopalachari,
using a process called transmission is able to transmit his life
force into the heart of the practitioner; thereby transforming
the practitioner's way of life. My experience is that through
this process, we become Simple and in tune with Nature.
The practice of Natural Path Meditation has made a very definite
impact in my life. I am no longer the person of emotions and eccentricity,
but am trying to lead a balanced life. At my work place, my efficiency
in getting the job done has increased tremendously. When I work
on a problem, instead of worrying about it or fighting it, I allow
the problem to rest in my mind and after a while, the solution
pops up all by itself. I attribute this to the cleaning process
of the system, which is a highly effective process in removing
the impressions covering the mind, thus allowing the mind to think
freely. Above all, the practice has given me a sense of purpose.
This has enabled me to forget the past and look to a brighter
future.
Bharath
Madhavan is a member of Shri Ram Chandra Mission, a non-profit
spiritual organization that teaches Sahaj Marg (The Natural Path).
Please call 770-495-7706 or e-mail to path_natural@yahoo.com
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Thought