From Meditation to Contemplation

As most individuals are slaves of their own minds and their conditioning, meditation entered the world of spirituality as a “panacea” for a “happy mind.”

Many are unaware of the thoughts running through their minds. Many believe that those thoughts are the expression of themselves and many want instant “solutions” to live in peace and happiness.

Meditation was part of that therapy: It can give you a time for yourself, a time of tranquility, a time to “think” something else. That “experience” has been labeled as “peace” by many.

As our observation and awareness increases, we may realize that we cannot have a “solution” unless we get to know the issue within us. That requires observation without judgment. While some have profited out of “methods” to teach someone to meditate, the fact of our own individuality will make us consider how feasible it is to follow a “one size fits all” method.

In Spirituality, we need to reinvent the wheel. There is no other way to know ourselves.

As we leave the mind, we may encounter feelings and emotions. Contemplation is to feel. We could be looking at Nature, as we feel the outside becoming the inside and vice versa. While in meditation there is “I” which is different than everything else, in contemplation, there is unity of all. In this, there are no thoughts or reflections.

The belief in mind control

BK Raja Yoga is the “Yoga of the mind.” What does that mean? It is the link through the mind with the Supreme Soul. The path of Raja Yoga is to “remember our original nature of being a soul and then the realization of God.” Accordingly, this is acquired through the practice of meditation. Basically, we sit down and concentrate in a point of light with the belief that this point is God, not allowing other thoughts. Those who have “practiced” that will need to realize at one moment in their journey that using force, controlling the mind is a short lived path. However; it is said that after awhile, the connection will be “natural” for there will be a pleasurable sensation known as “bliss,” which will be there. Many will take that as the “proof” of connecting.

Observe that pleasure (bliss) becomes a sensation craved by the mind. Observe that love, which is a keyword in that link or connection with God, is not of the mind. Those are the 2 main points to observe.

Am I saying that Raja Yoga as defined by BK is “wrong”?

NO! I am saying that as it is defined, is necessary for beginners who are conditioned to relate with Life only with their minds. It is rare to have there a person who already relates with Life through the heart center or beyond, for otherwise BK will not be a needed experience in their path. However, there may be exceptions as those individuals are needed for “service” within the BK system.

It is very important to observe the mind. As far as I am concerned, that should be the trademark of any religious or scientific path of some ‘spiritual’ value.

The mind complains, the mind agitates our surrounding, the mind wants to control and understand things in a logical way. The mind remembers selectively what has had some importance to us in a “positive” or “negative” way. The mind is extremist, “black or white.” The mind is easily influenced by the surroundings, the collective mind. The center of ego is none other but the mind. The center of conditioning resides there.

The ones who haven’t initiated their “spiritual” journey, identify fully with their minds. Their “I” is in their minds. That is their unawareness, which is the first level of awareness.

No wonder, Brahma Kumaris’ task is to give importance to the mind as a second step in the journey. However, it is for the follower to look deeper than that second hand information given, and beyond the memorization of definitions and beliefs, for there is more.

Beyond the mind, there is no-mind. There, may be the natural link.

What could be no-mind? When there is no difference between the observer and the observed.

Brahma Kumaris Meditation

Out of all the practices that BK teaches, without a doubt, BK meditation is the one that I obtained greater practical benefit and the one that I would recommend.

“The power of vibrations” was only another tall story until I was able to experience that. It is to not only sit in a room and send “peaceful vibrations.” It is the power of BEING which already carries vibrations everywhere we go.
A particular room will have the vibes of those who inhabit it. That principle has helped me into my Life.

What it used to be to sit and “visualize ShivBaba”; now is to sit and think about nothing, except to feel myself, out of that nothingness, something from inside appears. That is to listen to myself.
I had good experiences with “god” or without “him”, which leads me to believe that it just depends how deeply we are into meditation.
Depth is a matter of feeling. Deep feelings means deeper experiences.
“Super sensuous joy” is the expression of a deep feeling. It is also known as the “inner smile.”

Sexuality also produces a similar sensation once the energy rises towards the forehead. That is when sex becomes another meditative state.

Meditation will take our consciousness to a different place, which brings moments of feeling elation, bliss and peace. It is hard to describe through words, what could only be known through our own experience, that is why; two people could use very different words to express yet, a similar experience, which in turn could be confusing for those only listening to the words, the description.

It does not matter how long someone could sit in meditation, if the mind wonders all the time affecting our ability to feel.
Someone could force himself to sit for 3 hours without moving a limb. That is a nice physical feat; however, the value resides in freeing ourselves from the games of the mind and to connect with oneself, Life, God or whoever we believe; through the force of the heart. That in BK is known as “yoga.”
Therefore, there is no yoga of the mind; when yoga; takes place in “no-mind.”