Dhyaana Yoga

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Dhyaana Yoga

• Practice of Meditation

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Goals of Meditation

• Train the mind to think deeply about any topic
• Think deeply about any topic based on already
  known information

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Goals of Meditation

• What about these?
• Increase concentration
• Increase memory
• Reduce stress
• Occult powers

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Goals of Meditation
Train the mindto think deeply

• What about these?
• Increase concentration
• Increase memory
• Reduce stress
• Occult powers

Right understandingfollowed by deepthinking
Not worthgoing after
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What is Meditation?

• sajaatiya pratyaya pravaahah
• Flow of related thoughts
• Like the flow of a steady stream of oil

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Types of Meditation

• Value meditation
• Idea meditation
• Mental worship
• Mantra/Naama Japa
• Story meditation
• Self enquiry

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Pre-requisites

• Faith in freewill and law of karma
• Life of values
• Karma yoga
• Planned disciplined life
• Clarity of goal
• Faith in yourself

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Place

• As secluded as possible
• Clean, orderly
• Associated with spiritual thoughts
• Eg. Temple, puja room, sacred rivers

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Time

• Early morning is best
• Any time when mind is not lethargic and not
  extrovert
• Quality is more important than duration

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Seat

• Not very high/low
• Not very hard/soft
• Firm and level
• Comfortable
• Dont share

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Posture

• Seated relaxed
• Steady with wide base
• Back, neck and head should be straight
• Should be able to sit for 20 minutes

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Breathing

• Smooth
• Deep
• Without strain

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Shut Out the Senses

• Close eyes gently
• Withdraw mind from senses
• Be aware of the body head to foot, foot to head
• Be aware of the breathing

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Withdraw the Mind

• Withdraw mind from roles in the world like
  parent, child, employee, etc
• Take up role of spiritual aspirant, disciple,
  devotee, sannyaasi
• Temporarily hand over all worldly
  responsibilities to God

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Obstacles

• Sleep
• Tiredness
• Lack of sleep
• Full stomach
• Lack of interest

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Obstacles

• Wandering mind
• Surrender all past to God
• All experiences were for inner growth
• Have no regrets
• Have no hatred or bitterness towards anything
  or anyone
• Forgive yourself and others
• Surrender all future to God
• Law of karma will take its course
• Pray for strength to bear and learn from whatever
  happens

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Obstacles

• Wandering mind
• Mentally give up all relations in the world
• Spiritual aspirant has only three relationships
• God, Guru, Scriptures

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Stages

• Dhaarana
• Turning the mind away from the world towards the
  object of meditation
• Dhyaana
• Retaining the mind in the focused object
• Whenever the mind slips off, bring it back
• Samaadhi
• Natural absorption in the object of meditation
• Constant flow without struggle

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Types of Meditation

• Value meditation
• Idea meditation
• Mental worship
• Mantra/Naama Japa
• Story meditation
• Self enquiry

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Value Meditation

• Memorize a list of values or slokaas and meditate
  on their meaning
• Yama and Niyama of Patanjalis system
• Gita 161, 2, 3
• Gita 1714, 15, 16
• Saadhana chatustaya

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Idea Meditation

• Take one idea and deeply think about various
  aspects of it
• Law of Karma
• Karma Yoga
• Dhyaana Yoga
• Any enriching idea

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Mental Worship

• Develops a personal relationship and love to God
  in a particular form
• Request deity to sit in a lotus at the center of
  your heart. Form of deity should face same
  direction as worshipper
• Wash feet, give welcome drink, freshen up
• Offer new clothes, tilak, flowers, incense,
  aarati
• Offer food, fruits, sweets, water, massage, fan
• Request to permanently be in your heart

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Mantra or Naama Japa

• Usually done after mental worship
• Repeat the mantra or name of deity
• Loving remembrance of the deity
• Optionally, counting on fingers or japa maala
• Done as an offering of love to the deity

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Story Meditation

• Run through the sequence of events in the life of
  a deity or saint
• Raamayana, Bhaagavata
• Story of Gajendra, Prahlaada, Dhruva
• Incidents in the life of Swami Vivekanandaa

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Self Enquiry

• Special kind of idea meditation
• Meditation on Who am I?
• Based on the ideas of the scriptures as taught by
  the Guru
• Ultimate purpose of meditation

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Questions and Answers
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