Spiritual practice and meditation
by Atman Nityananda
All spiritual practices (and the spiritual life in general) are intended to prepare our minds for deep and unceasing meditation.
Deep meditation is only possible for a pure sattvic mind. A pure-sattvic mind, free from rajas and tamas qualities (gunas), pride, desire and lust (for pleasure, power, acquisition, fame and recognition), anger, fear, greed, attachments and other selfish tendencies, is luminous, clear, sharp, serene, steady detached and focused.
The above qualities enable the mind to meditate deeply and realize its identity with its source, the divine Consciousness, (the silent living presence within us).
So the whole spiritual process is a systematic and continuous effort to overcome, one by one, all the obstacles (which are egoic tendencies, and the gunas of rajas and tamas) that prevent us from meditating and realizing that we are the silent living presence that is pure, eternal and infinite Consciousness, and to establish ourselves in it.
Practice meditation daily. Overcome obstacles one by one and deepen more and more into meditation.
Meditation is the steady fixation and absorption of mind and attention on our essence the deepest part of our being, the eternally present silent living presence within us.
One way to meditate is to repeat and feel the following phrases with awareness of the inner silence (silent living presence). It is important to feel what we are saying and not to mechanically repeat the phrases. Feel, sense that you are, that you exist as you repeat the phrases and the Om.
Ooommm…, Ooommm…, Ooommm…, Ooommm…
I am pure Consciousness, always free and blissful, Ooommm…
I am the silent void, full, luminous and peaceful, Ooommm…
I am the deep silence, always peaceful, complete and blissful, Ooommm…
I am the deep silence, full of peace, love and light, Ooommm…
I am eternal peace, love and bliss, Ooommm…
I am Atman, infinite and eternal Consciousness, Ooommm…
I am Atman, the immortal, indestructible Consciousness, Ooommm…
Ooommm… Atman, Ooommm… Atman, Ooommm… Atman
Ooommm… peace, Ooommm… light, Ooommm… Love,
Ooommm…, Ooommm…, Ooommm…, Ooommm…
We repeat these phrases for several minutes according to our ability.
You can choose only a few of these truth-phrases if you wish, the ones that are most vibrant and closest to your experience.
As we calmly repeat these phrases, (we do so with interest and without trying to concentrate), our mind and attention will become more and more focused on them, and gradually our mind will become more and more calm, clear and steady, At the same time, the background of the mind, the silent living presence (the inner silence) will become more and more apparent.
When the mind becomes calm and steady and the inner silence becomes intensely manifest we abandon repetition of the above phrase-truths and all mental activity and remain aware of the inner silence, deepening into it.
In Greek: Η πνευματική άσκηση και ο διαλογισμός December 25, 2022