{"id":3733,"date":"2013-07-13T01:50:48","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:50:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=3733"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:50:48","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:50:48","slug":"13-concentration-and-meditation-vol-04-fourth-series-1951","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/01-works-of-sri-aurobindo\/02-other-editions\/letters-of-sri-aurobindo\/04-fourth-series-1951\/13-concentration-and-meditation-vol-04-fourth-series-1951","title":{"rendered":"-13_CONCENTRATION AND MEDITATION.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
\n

\nSECTION NINE<\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/font><\/p>\n

\nCONCENTRATION AND MEDITATION <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n
\nTwo<\/i> Main Centres For Concentration<\/i><\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/font><\/p>\n

\nMOST people associate consciousness with the  brain or mind because that is the centre
\nfor intellectual thought and mental vision, but consciousness is not limited to that kind of thought or
\nvision. It is everywhere in the system and there are several centres of it,
\ne.g., the centre for inner concentration is not in the brain but in the heart,\u2014the
\noriginating centre of vital desire is still lower
\ndown. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nThe two main places where one can centre the
\nconsciousness for Yoga are in the head and in the
\nheart\u2014the mind-centre and the soul-centre.<\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/font><\/p>\n

\n11-8-1934 <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-249 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n<\/a>Postures for Concentration<\/i> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n

\nTHE sitting motionless posture is the natural posture for concentrated meditation\u2014walking and standing  are active conditions. It is only when one has gained
\nthe enduring rest and passivity of the consciousness
\nthat it is easy to concentrate and receive when
\nwalking or doing anything. A fundamental passive condition of the consciousness
\ngathered into itself is
\nthe proper poise for concentration and a seated
\ngathered immobility in the body is the best position
\nfor that. It can be done also lying down, but that
\nposition is too passive, tending to be inert rather
\nthan gathered. This is the reason why Yogis always
\nsit in an āsana.<\/i> One can accustom oneself to meditate
\nwalking, standing, lying but sitting is the first natural
\nposition.<\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/font><\/p>\n

\n13-3-1937 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n<\/a>Concentration and <\/b>Quiet<\/i><\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/font><\/p>\n

\nIT is better to make the deeper concentration when
\nyou are alone or quiet. Outward sounds ought
\nnot to disturb you.<\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/font><\/p>\n

\n1933 <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-250 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n
\n<\/a>Straining and Concentration<\/i><\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/font><\/p>\n

\nSTRAINING and concentration are not the same things.
\nStraining implies an over-eagerness and violence
\nof effort, while concentration is in its nature quiet
\nand steady. If there is restlessness or over-eagerness,
\nthen that is not concentration.<\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/font><\/p>\n

\n8-8-1936 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n<\/a>Best Way to Still the Mind<\/i><\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/font><\/p>\n

\nTHE more the psychic spreads in the outer being,
\nthe more all these things (mechanical activity of the subconscious mind) fall
\nquiet. That is the
\nbest way. Direct efforts to still the mind are a
\ndifficult method.<\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/font><\/p>\n

\n8-11-1934 <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-251 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n
\n<\/a>Silencing the Physical Mind\u2014Dynamic Realisation<\/i> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n

\nFOR the buzz of the physical mind, reject it
\nquietly,
\nwithout getting disturbed, till it feels discouraged  and retires shaking its head and saying, "This
\nfellow is too calm and strong for me." There are
\nalways two things that can rise up and assail the
\nsilence, \u2014 vital suggestions, the physical mind’s
\nmechanical recurrences. Calm rejection for both
\nis the cure. There is a Purusha within who can
\ndictate to the nature what it shall admit or exclude, but its will is a strong,
\nquiet will; if one gets perturbed or agitated over the difficulties, then the
\nwill of the Purusha cannot act effectively as it would
\notherwise. <\/font><\/p>\n

\nThe dynamic realisation will probably take place
\nwhen the higher consciousness comes fully down
\ninto the vital. When it comes into the mental it
\nbrings the peace of the Purusha and liberation and
\nit may bring also knowledge. It is when it comes
\ninto the vital that the dynamic realisation becomes
\npresent and living.<\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/font><\/p>\n

\n27-10-1938 <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-252 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n
\n<\/a>Meditation and Divided Consciousness<\/i><\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/font><\/p>\n

\nTHAT is not called meditation\u2014it is a divided state
\nof consciousness; unless the consciousness is really  engrossed and the surface thoughts are only things that come across and touch and pass, it can hardly be called meditation (dhyana).<\/i> I don’t see how the
\ninner being can be engrossed while whole thoughts
\nand imaginations of another kind are rambling
\nabout in the surface consciousness. One can remain
\nseparate and see the thoughts and imaginations
\npass without being affected, but that is not being
\nplunged or engrossed in meditation.<\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/font><\/p>\n

\n4-2-1937 <\/font><\/p>\n

\n<\/a>Meditation and Dullness<\/i><\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/font><\/p>\n

\nIF higher meditation or being above keeps one
\ndull and without any kind of satisfaction or peace
\nin sadhana, these are the only two reasons\u2014ego or
\ninertia\u2014I can think of.<\/font><\/p>\n

\n <\/font><\/p>\n

\n27-5-1936 <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage-253<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SECTION NINE   CONCENTRATION AND MEDITATION   Two Main Centres For Concentration   MOST people associate consciousness with the  brain or mind because that is…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[97],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3733","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-04-fourth-series-1951","wpcat-97-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3733","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3733"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3733\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3733"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3733"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3733"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}