MAHAPRANA YOGA: MEDITATION
Meditation is the ultimate purpose of Asana practice. To reach the higher, more subtle realms of Yoga practice, meditation is essential. Meditation is the deliberate attempt to penetrate into higher states of consciousness. The goal of meditation is to cultivate sattvic qualities such as a pure heart and a clean mind while eliminating rajasic and tamasic qualities such as restlessness and laziness. Ultimately, Sattva should become the dominant nature of the mind. Consciously or unconsciously we are all seeking the peace that meditation brings.
Meditation is the process by which the practitioner turns away from external objects and directs the energy of attention within. This involves turning the mind towards the source of its own light. Through meditation you can come to real understanding of who you are. Just as Asanas have the capacity to bake the body and burn away its impurities, the fire of intensive meditation can remove the distortions and impurities of the mind.
•“The greatest help to spiritual life is meditation. In meditation we divest ourselves of all material conditions and feel our divine nature. We do not depend on any external help in meditation. Know that you are the spirit and not the body.” -Swami Vivekananda
•“There must be meditation. Meditation is the one thing. Meditate! The greatest thing is meditation. It is the nearest approach to spiritual life – the mind meditating.” – Swami Vivekananda
•“Self-inquiry is the one infallible means, the only direct one, to realize the unconditioned, absolute being that you really are.” –Ramana Maharshi
•“Long cultivated tendencies are to be eradicated only by long continued meditation.”
•“We know the outer world of sensations and actions, but of our inner world of thoughts and feelings we know very little. The primary purpose of meditation is to become conscious of, and familiar with, our inner life. The ultimate purpose is to reach the source of life and consciousness.” Sri Nisargadatta
