Discover how the age-old concept of 'rhythm' isn't just a musical term but a fundamental cosmic principle that weaves through the fabric of existence, bringing order and harmony to the universe. Our latest dialogue traverses the metaphor of the spinning wheel, revealing the stillness at its heart, the 'Hridayam', and the profound inner tranquility, 'Param Shanti', that awaits those who seek it. As the Swami eloquently explains, meditation is not just a practice but a journey toward the center of balance within us, a powerful force against life's relentless chaos.
Learn practical techniques to enhance your meditation, from the optimal times to align with the universe's natural calm to strategies that ward off the lull of drowsiness. The Swami shares how discipline and the art of embracing serenity amidst the dynamic dance of life can not only deepen your meditation experience but also sustain you through the ebb and flow of daily challenges. With each word, let the wisdom of a venerable tradition inspire you, helping you harness the energy that reverberates from the eternal connection of past spiritual masters to the present.
Discover how the age-old concept of 'rhythm' isn't just a musical term but a fundamental cosmic principle that weaves through the fabric of existence, bringing order and harmony to the universe. Our latest dialogue traverses the metaphor of the spinning wheel, revealing the stillness at its heart, the 'Hridayam', and the profound inner tranquility, 'Param Shanti', that awaits those who seek it. As the Swami eloquently explains, meditation is not just a practice but a journey toward the center of balance within us, a powerful force against life's relentless chaos.
Learn practical techniques to enhance your meditation, from the optimal times to align with the universe's natural calm to strategies that ward off the lull of drowsiness. The Swami shares how discipline and the art of embracing serenity amidst the dynamic dance of life can not only deepen your meditation experience but also sustain you through the ebb and flow of daily challenges. With each word, let the wisdom of a venerable tradition inspire you, helping you harness the energy that reverberates from the eternal connection of past spiritual masters to the present.
Welcome to Rhythm, a podcast on being in balance through conversations with the Swami Namaste Rhythm listeners. My name is Sunil. I am with Swami Tadananda from Laramakrishna Vedanta Centre of Auckland, new Zealand. How are you, swamiji?
Speaker 1:
I am very good, Sunil, Thank you. How are you? I am good, Thank you. In the last episode, we talked about the different elements of the guided meditation. I found that quite informative. Today, I think we should continue to explore this, and maybe it is a good time to talk about the name of the podcast itself Rhythm Swamiji. What does rhythm mean?
Speaker 2:
Rhythm is a very profound Vedic word that we come across in the Vedas. It is used to represent, or represents, the principle, cosmic principle, that is responsible for maintaining balance, order, harmony behind the whole universe, which prevents things falling into chaos, so to say. And when things are in that beautiful rhythm, then there is peace, there is contentment. And when things drift off from that balance, then it is a little frustrating, a little stress, and sometimes you are having difficulty recovering that balance. That is when things go out of control. So we chose that word with a lot of thought, and the idea behind it is to maintain ourselves in that beautiful rhythm. Let's explore the importance of it. For example, look at nature. When the cycles are running very nicely, this rain comes in the particular season, everything is beautiful and simple things, like even the sun in the moon.
Speaker 2:
Everything runs in beautiful cycles, the reproductive cycles, how the crops form. Everything is so beautifully balanced around that A little difference in that will throw things out of order. For example, a global warming, a few degrees, a part of a degree for temperature, suddenly is creating huge chaos. Floods, cyclones, fires, all those things are there. So everything is very finely balanced. Whether it's in a family, all the members are in a rhythm, then there is peace and order in the family.
Speaker 2:
But if one goes off, the balance, you see, creates confusion in an organization, in a country, around the world, with ourselves, in humanity, or with nature and what is outside in the macrocosm. The same principles apply internally. So when there is disorder, internal conflicts within our own minds, then you'll find the mind goes out of chaos. So it's a very beautiful concept, idea that talks about that balance and we have chosen that word rhythm to say that meditation is a process that will help us regain we are all in this world because we have lost a little bit of balance To move towards that center. That's where the perfect balance and poise is there and that center is the Hridayam, the heart, the center, the core, our being. You see, the wheel is moving very fast If you are away from the center. The further you are away from the center, the greater the tangential velocity is there. But as you come, if you go further out, you spin faster. You move inwards to the center, everything begins to calm down a little bit. And when we reach the center, well, you are perfectly in balance. Yet the world around you can be in chaos. So this whole universe is created like that. This jagat means change. It's the spinning part. That means off the center. The further you are away, the more troublesome is. The spin makes you dizzy.
Speaker 2:
And when we learn that lesson, which way to go? Shall I go away from the center Pravritti, or I should go towards the center Nivritti? Where is the peace? Where should I look for peace? Is it out in the world Money, all these type of things that people run for or it's within us? So life will teach us that lesson, that's, it's within us. And then we learn the technique of going to the center. And where is In the center? That's where we'll find that what is called Param Shanti, peace, that sapasat, all understanding, is taught in the Bible. That center is present in each and every one of us, and meditation is a constant effort, a conscious effort, to move to that point, and when you reach the point, it's all done. So that's why we picked the word rhythm, and let's try to be in rhythm with that divine being within us. Excellent, it's really good.
Speaker 1:
In the last episode, you talked about having the discipline, so is there any other ways we can support these people in the sense of not to lose hope, keep coming back at it. How do we reinforce that message?
Speaker 2:
Well, I think knowledge is very powerful. When you understand what you're doing and why you're doing and how it should be done. It is much better than just doing it without understanding. Correct, yes, okay. So while we have started by giving people a taste of meditation by actually doing it and we expect them to put that into practice for a while enough to get a little taste of it, but at some point we should educate ourselves about why we do what we do during meditation, what's the science behind it, what are the principles behind it. And once that conviction comes, that understanding comes, then it will support that practice. And when they might come, you might not have a very good meditation, but you'll understand why it did not happen, because you have the knowledge of things.
Speaker 2:
So the world means that centrifugal force dragging the mind outwards, and it could be whatever is demanding your attention. The moment you get up, I have to attend to my family, cook the food, drive to work, go to work. So many things, meetings and all, all of them sort of drain the mind away, deplete the energy, and by the time you leave work, you know mentally you're exhausted, physically exhausted also. So you know that you need to. You cannot carry on like this for two, three days. The body needs to recharge. Okay, so you come home, have some food lie down. It's like a charger phone is being connected to the power point. You connect yourself to something deeper. In the morning you wake up refreshed and the body is able to roll forwards. Also, ford also.
Speaker 2:
But mind is also the subtle body. And just how we take good care of the physical body by exercising, feeding, resting it, all that the same attention and care should be given to the mind also. Okay, so meditation is that process by which we connect to that deeper source of energy within us. Okay, the whole, everything is about energy. The body is also energy, but in a physical form. It needs energy to run. Food is the energy, breathing, metabolism and everything. When you don't supply that, it becomes tired, it's not able to maintain its form, becomes sick.
Speaker 2:
Mind is also something like that and it's constantly being fed certain energies From the people, environment we are associating with. And not all the energy is good energy, positive energy, refreshing energy, just like not all food is good for you. If you eat food that is old and stale and all that, you'll fall sick. We know that very well. Well, if we expose ourselves to the energies that are negative, not very good, it is going to have that effect on the mind. Yes, okay, and you'll feel the tangibly.
Speaker 2:
Today, you know, I just that company dragged my mind down. You might say Other people, the conversation with them, the company will lift you up and that's when you should seek. So that's the external support that might be available. Might not be available around you, but that's not the only source of that energy. Your own higher self is a very powerful source of that energy, but that's an internal source and that's why, in meditation, what we do is we turn the mind around.
Speaker 2:
The extroverted mind is now turned inwards, introverted, and we direct that mind to that center of our being and the light that we visualize. So the divine form that we visualize is just a prop that we are using to anchor the mind there. We want to eventually go beyond all the forms, beyond the light, to that core of our being from which we feel that eye consciousness. And that's a gradual process and therefore a lot of practice is necessary, but the more the mind gets concentrated, more and more focused. But the direction has to be right. It should not be outwards, it needs to be inside. Yeah.
Speaker 2:
So if somebody might ask a question, can I meditate and concentrate on some external object? Would that be meditation? No, that would be good concentration of mind. Meditation is differentiated from that type of concentration. In meditation we give a spiritual object for concentration and that's always your inner higher self. You might take any support of any form, according to any spiritual tradition, but if you don't have something like that, I'm an atheist, I'm a Muslim and I don't believe in any forms of God. That's fine. But you believe on that light or consciousness, that's fine. It's your own thing. It's our own divine, spiritual higher self. We're not meditating on some other being. This being or this, whatever we're trying to objectify as a divinity is our own higher self, really. But we need some physical form to prop it up. Hold it there.
Speaker 1:
So so suppose a question now is like right now, while we're recording this podcast, it's the Christmas holidays and everyone takes a good break two weeks, three weeks and they go and recharge themselves, and that happens once a year. So you know, a lot of people take a good break over this time, whether it's a holiday home or outside the country visiting friends and family. So it's a good way to stop working and recharge and refresh. But what you're saying is we are able to do this without doing all of these things.
Speaker 2:
Well, would you say that really recharging or just stopping the discharge In a normal working day? Every day, you are draining out energy, giving energy work. For the time being, you have stopped that. Okay, it's not really recharging, you just slow down the discharge, Alright, and it's already a feeling good, rested.
Speaker 2:
Okay, feeling good Because when you took a holiday, what did you do? You just changed your lifestyle. You went to some nice place where it's not doing much, relaxing, not engaged like in your office and things, eating good food, resting out. Physically. You're getting recharged, yes, but meditation is not just like I'm not thinking about work and therefore I'm getting recharged type of thing. Meditation is a positive, conscious effort to connect the same mind to the higher source within you, so that the mind is now fed from within, like you're connecting yourself to the power point. Yeah, okay, so that energy begins to draw into yourself, right?
Speaker 1:
But this energy source is, instead of external power, it's internal power.
Speaker 2:
It's internal power, and so at least during the hour of meditation, for 10-15 minutes, you plug yourself into your higher self. That gives you some charge. But if you could maintain some degree of connection throughout the day through practice, how wonderful would that be. Are you saying to?
Speaker 1:
meditate multiple times in a day. No, no, no.
Speaker 2:
What I'm saying is, as you go deep into meditation, you will feel some power within you, some deep source Okay, and during the day you maintain a sense of presence and awareness of that source within you and knowing that I'm constantly drawing that energy, I'm seeking that inspiration, I am, or my body and my mind is only an instrument through which that energy flows. That would be the ideal state to be all the time. Okay, so the ordinary man is like a battery that you buy off the shop. After sometime it feels to be drained out Okay, then you charge the rechargeable battery again. At the end of the day it has drained out again.
Speaker 2:
But through meditation we can be connected continuously to the Pahov point all the time, and you can draw as much as you want. These are the great spiritual teachers Buddha, christ and when they blast the message to the world, 20 centuries down the line, still people worship him, get inspired by them. That power comes not from that human personality, it comes from the divine source. But we all are waves in that same ocean. Some of us are drawing more out of it, some less. Meditation means strengthening that connection so that we can draw much more, and that's what will do the magic in our lives.
Speaker 1:
Right, okay, that's very powerful indeed. Thank you for that. I've got some. Some of you have got some questions now from the listeners on the actual meditation that we did some time ago. One of the questions is is there a good time to do the meditation?
Speaker 2:
during the day. So the question is is there a conducive time where meditation might be easier? And the best time is the junction of the day and night, and you'll notice that when night is turning into day and day into night, the dawn and the dusk you'll see outside, nature becomes calm at that time and since we are part of that nature, naturally our own inner self also becomes calm. At that junction is the best time. Actually, in our Indian tradition they say one muhurta, 48 minutes before the sunrise. It's a very good time, it's a very auspicious time to meditate, and so serious spiritual seekers are mindful of that. They go to bed early, they make sure they have rested well and they get up early in the morning and the world is still sleeping in that silence and quietness, without any noise and things happening around. Mind is fresh and rested, so it will not tend to go to sleep or something, because it's now fully rested. So that's a very good time to do. And the other time is in the evening, dusk, sandhya.
Speaker 2:
These are the natural times, but a serious meditation, sikha, will always be watchful. When is my mind calm? Maybe during the day, sometimes it happens, and at that time he will drop things, put them aside, whatever he's doing, and take advantage of that naturally calm state. I let me just do even five minutes, ten minutes. Among the yogis, they understand that the breath flow in the two nostrils Okay. When there is a calmness, there is an even flow. In the daytime, during the activity, you will find one is more than the other, the two nerve currents, ida and Pingala, and one of them would be more active than the other. But the moment that balance comes, at that time the mind will naturally become very calm and that is the time to take advantage. So the real answer to your question is be watchful whenever your mind is calm, take advantage.
Speaker 1:
But there is nothing that is prescribed as such, so it can be done anytime.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, but at least some discipline has to be maintained and the morning and evening must, whether you like it or not, where your mind is agreeable. It's like a wild horse. You have to break it, tame it. You know, in the sense, after sometime it will like it. But it has to get a taste of it.
Speaker 1:
Thank you so much. And second question is what if I'm feeling drowsy or sleepy and tired? What should I do then?
Speaker 2:
Well, couple of things you should check. If you have seated for meditation and drowsiness comes, check your posture and most probably you will find that you have lost your particular upright posture. Either you have now head has drooped forward, leaning on the chest, or you are beginning to lean forward. Your chest is not expanding and contracting fully. There's a very shallow breathing, the intake of oxygen is not sufficient and therefore your body is depleted of that and now it's beginning to go to sleep, just like you see some people when they are about to go to sleep, all the symptoms. If that begins to happen, your head bends forward, your chest then basically you are inviting. So what we need to do is regain that posture. Make sure that you get your posture back right and pose your repetition of the mantra and focusing on the divine, get back to that rhythm of that breathing. We start the breathing, we start breathing. We just do 10, 12, deep slow, breathing deep slow, until you find the mind becomes alert, sharpness comes. So sometimes it happens some devotees come and say you know, I had a very good meditation. I sat down for 20 minutes. It just time went. I did not know how it went. When I got up it was feeling good, but really what happened in the 20 minutes? I am not aware of it. And they think this is a good meditation.
Speaker 2:
Technically that was not meditation. There's a word for that in our yogas, in the scriptures, where in the mind actually, rather than being intensely alert, that's what should be happening in meditation. It sort of drifted away into a sort of sleep type thing Okay, it's called laya, and when that happens that means you spend 20 minutes. You felt good afterwards but you did not know what happened during that period. Do not continue that, because you'll get into that habit of drifting into that layer state and mistake it for meditation. What one has to do? That at that time say I just drifted off, I should get up, maybe go and take a glass of water. Okay, take some fresh air. The windows are not open, you know. Do some deep breathing, you know. Wash your eyes, wake up. But try to maintain that alertness of mind during meditation. Meditation is a heightened conscious alertness, awareness of the object of meditation in the mantra and what's happening in the mind space. If that alertness is not there, then it's not meditation.
Speaker 1:
Okay, so thank you, and one last one for today. Are there other levels of meditation? So we've gone through the very basic meditation. Are there other levels? We're not going to go through very detailed description, just just a question.
Speaker 2:
So, Sunil, normally these type of instructions are not given in a broadcast podcast way in the traditional system. When some person comes to so Swami, or somebody asks for some help, then we try to get a better understanding of the person, the lifestyle, where they come from. It's like you try to find a student, whether it's in primary school or secondary school or university, then you start teaching meds at that particular level. So then it's relevant to that person, it's useful to that person and he will be benefited of it. But since we are trying to reach out to as many people as possible, trying to help them manage their own mind, their own well-being, so we've given a very basic level of guided meditation. In a general way, we can start the people off and as they become sincere, at some point they will personally begin to connect with us and then it's when we can help them out on an individual basis.
Speaker 1:
Okay, thank you, swamiji. That was good. We'll leave it now Again. Any last words for listening, swamiji.
Speaker 2:
The proof of the KK is in eating it. The proof of meditation is not listening to me and understanding it. Intellectually, it is something that we learn by doing, not by instruction. So the instructions guide you. At the end of the day, you do it regularly. You don't get your muscles in one week, two weeks in the gymnasium, Okay. So be practical in that here we're dealing with the mind and it's your own mind. We have to take care of it. It's like a Kamdenu the Milch cow. We take care of it. It gives you beautiful things. If you don't take care of it, it becomes a source of problem. So it's almost essential that we learn the technique of recharging our mind, feeding it with the positive energy that's possible, available already within us, and be empowered. This is about empowering ourselves, but from within ourselves, and that's the best way to be. That's practice, practice, practice.
Speaker 1:
Thank you, samanji, welcome. Thank you for listening, being in balance rhythm. For more information, please visit wwwvedantanz.