Inner Silence ~ Episode 3

When we talk about Inner Silence, do we always need some sort of crises to experience it in our lives? Or can we create this inner silence at will? Do we have any control over when and how inner silence can be created?

The answer is that inner silence can be created, at will. We have that power within us. It’s possible for us to do it.

Inner silence occurs in a state of true meditation

Now, those of us who are practicing meditation daily may not have, as yet, had this gift of inner silence. And that is because our meditation has not become meditation yet. We may call it meditation, but it hasn’t really become meditation. We are still thinking about God.

Now, thinking about God is good. It’s important, but thinking about God is not meditation. Thinking about God, is thinking about God!

And we know that when we think about God, we make an effort. In fact, it needs continuous effort. We know that, we experience so many distractions, when we try to think about God, the mind runs here and there. It is so difficult. So, there is a lot of effort involved in our daily practice of prayer and meditation. So even though we call it meditation, it hasn’t truly become meditation yet. We are on the way.

If our practice has to be honoured with the name meditation, it has to become effortless. So let’s put it this way.

As long as I am making effort in my prayer and meditation, I am on my way, to a meditative state. So, we cannot really meditate. Meditation is something that happens when we make an effort to focus our mind on that higher reality, on to one single thing ~ on to one single point.That sigle point could be in the region of Agnya Chakra, between the eyebrows on a single flame or a small dot of light or a ball of light?

In the beginning there is a lot of effort; and at some point that effort stops. And it becomes effortless. The example our Masters often give is, when you are learning something new, or learning a new musical instrument or a new game for instance, in the beginning we know there is so much effort involved. But we also know that when we become experts at it, it becomes very effortless.

So, thinking is an activity that needs effort. Meditation really is not thinking about God, meditation really means seeing God. And that’s why when we meditate, we try, as far as it is possible, to shut our senses. Meditation is using the force and power of concentration to know God.

So when people meditate, they sit in a quiet room so that they would be out of the reach of all external sounds. We still have to deal with the inner sounds. But as far as it is practicable, we try to keep the external sensory data shut by trying to sit in a quiet room. We close our eyes, by shutting out all the visual data, that external world may put at us. Most people don’t eat or drink, while they are meditating; so that the data that comes through food or the taste of drink would be kept out. It is also a helpful practice to wear generally, loose clothing, so that, as far as possible, you can eliminate the sense of touch.

At some point, our thinking stops and seeing begins. That is meditation. When, let’s say, “You have your brother/ sister or a friend from a far of country. And you are here”. And let’s say, “You don’t use Skype or you don’t do any video chat, face time or any of that. You can only do, is you can only think about your friend. You can’t really see your friend.” But, when your friend comes to see you, and you are sitting across the table and drinking a cup of tea, then you don’t say, “Let’s close our eyes and think about each other; you see and smile and talk to each other.

Now, similarly if we say, “I must meditate on God in my heart.”

We must then meditate on God in our heart, because we believe that God is in our heart. It’s pointless meditating in our heart, if there is nobody there. If God is there, why do we have to think about God? We have to see God.

There is nothing closer to us, than God. And yet, we feel the need to think about God, because we don’t see God. And meditation doesn’t mean thinking, it means seeing, experiencing.

But, at some point, our thinking will become so intense, so deep, so concentrated, that it will stop. And we start seeing God. Then it becomes meditation. And in that state of meditation, we have achieved inner silence, inner space. We Experience that inner space, by ourselves, without waiting for any external crises or external calamity to occur in our lives. In order for this kind of state to occur in our lives, we need some preparation.

(To be continued in 3 more episodes)

Bibliography:

  • Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda ~ God Talks With Arjuna ~~ Bhagavad Gita ~ Published By Yogoda Satsanga Society of India.
  • Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda ~ Inner Silence ~~ Inner Peace ~ Published By Yogoda Satsanga Society of India
  • Swami Tyagananda ~ Monk of Ramakrishna Order ~ Ramakrishna Vedanta Society, Boston, USA
  • Swami Adiswarananda ~ Meditation & Its Practices ~ Published By Advaita Ashrama
  • Swami Vivekananda ~ Voice of Freedom ~ Published By Advaita Ashrama
  • Inner Voice & Reflection, as Guided By Divine Mother Through Robbin Ghosh

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