Four Factors Are Mandatory In Any Meditation Practice

Half the journey becomes complete when we become a seeker. It is important to know the principles as taught by great masters. In this series, we will learn principles taught by masters like Buddha, Shankara, Ramakrishna, Patanjali to become a seeker. The series includes practices in every session.

Transcript

Do you see that what happens to our mind and intellect? That is why the master says, Or the teaching says, We have to listen, Listen, Listen. So now he's a good businessman and the life has changed completely. And many ups and downs. That is what happens in the world. He married first, First wife. She is wonderful. She is a professor in university. And then she left, He left me for a year and he got married again. Yesterday he was saying that now I realize what mistake I did. I was searching for happiness outside. You know, When that knowledge settles in you, You are totally a different person. That is why the teacher talks, Talks, Talks, Talks, Talks. They don't allow you to talk. They allow only you to share your experience. So are you thinking after attending the lessons, Randy, Do you think during the day, Or you are awfully busy like this guy. So if we think then only, You see that Eastern wisdom lays importance in the outer level, You know, Popular style of Eastern wisdom. There are many styles. Our country has created many styles, But no style touches the soul of Eastern wisdom. That how should I change what Eastern wisdom deals? It deals with you, Your nature, Your problem, Your challenges that you face in day to day life. You know, Once that understanding is clear, You're not going to leave it. But if that understanding is not clear, Then forget about this journey. Then we listen, Then we learn and practice. So I'm asking you just see Eastern wisdom, Jerry Hajjain deals with who am I? What is my nature? My problem, My challenges that I face in day to day life, In my relationship, In my profession, In my personal life, With reference to the body, With the mind, With the intellect, With the ego, My impulsive nature. So once I understand this, That as a human being, I should evolve. Means I should become a good person. When I teach kids, I always start with that, How to become a good person. If they don't have any challenges. So now see that because I'm most important to myself, Because I love peace, Because I love happiness, Because I love existence, Hence I must know who am I? Don't tell me, How can you know me? I know myself better than you. What is that better? A constant struggle, Constant conflict, Constant pain. This is what you are? No, That is what the entire world is. I'm not talking of the world, I'm talking of you. Eastern wisdom says focus, Be very clear who you are. When you are 100% clear who you are, Then the life changes. But if we say, My priority is somewhere else. Do you see that? My priority is somewhere else. Where in the world can you give me any object, Any person who is in epitome of peace and happiness in the world of peace, With reference to you. There is no one. And because I love peace, Peace is my nature. So I have to find out how I have to settle in that peace, Happiness, Love and wisdom. You see what is this? When you start thinking in this way, This is known as a blessing and a grace of the existence. You need not to wait, Oh, Close your eyes. You close your eyes, Go to the God, God bless me. God says, God also says, I have also closed your eyes towards you. Understand thinking, The way you start thinking like this, Like this, Along the principles of the Eastern wisdom, Then you have already a grace and a blessing. So when you have that grace and the blessing, That is what the discernment is, That is what the viveka is. I'm trying to make you clear so that you can apply these smaller things in day to day life. What a seeker will get? You get what you want. Can I become a millionaire? That is not the subject matter of Eastern wisdom. Without being a millionaire, I will live a life of peace, Harmony and happiness. Which one you want? That is how we think. So now it does not mean that you don't earn money, You don't make an effort, You should make an effort. As long as we are alive, We should never retire. So now see another grace and the blessing falls on us. What exactly I want? I want freedom. I want freedom from insecurity. I want freedom from fears. I want a sense of self-fulfillment. When? Here and now. Where? In all conditions, Everywhere, In all relationship. That is the goal of Eastern wisdom. So this entire process that I just discussed is known as Tatva Viveka. Tatva means the real self. Viveka means discernment. I separated. I told you, Neighbor's house, My house. What is clarity and understanding? I think you all are clear. What exactly is clarity? Separating, Classifying, That is what we discussed in the last, So how it comes by the fourfold practices and the nine practices. So you follow Viveka, Discernment, And you will see you loosen the knot of one day's anxiety, Likes and dislikes. Likes and dislikes. My master used to say, What I have I want to give, Nobody wants that. So everybody comes, Please bless me so that I'll have a million dollar. Please bless my honey who is crazy. No, Bless yourself. No, Bless yourself. Now see, We are neither machine nor animals. Are we clear? Yes. So why I said this? Until the intellect is convinced, We normally do not do anything. It may be a false notion we are convinced. We cannot do anything. There should be a clarity, Conviction. So that clarity and conviction inspires you. Why? Why? Because we have mind and intellect. Why? Because we cannot be forced. Do you see that? Now, If I want to force the knowledge in your head, You will never accept it. So you see the blessing comes, You know, I'm ready, I want to know who am I? I want to get rid of the fear and the insecurities. I should not put a stamp of security on anything outside. Very good. I'm not getting it. So once we are 100% clear, We are a human being, We have started thinking, We have a blessing and we have a human blessing and the grace. So once that is clear, Now see every moment, Every day you wake up, And you're saying is not every day is a good morning. Yes, You should take my words to your heart so that you should change. You should change. So you see that every day when we wake up, I experience myself and the world around me. I'm not talking of rocket science, I'm talking of very common sense. Eastern wisdom is nothing but a common sense. And seeker always follows common sense. I will not make any reverse statement. So you see that when I wake up, I experience myself and the world around me. So life is a series of experiences. Clear? Now these experiences are bad, Good, With the likes, Dislikes, Hate, Love, Depend on my perception. Isn't it? It depends on my perception. What I like, You dislike, So it depends on my perception. You see that? What you hate, I love, Depends on my perception. Are you clear? So that's why we have a different perception. You like coffee, I dislike coffee, For example. Living with honey for so many years, In the beginning we like it, And gradually we have like is 80%, Dislike is 20%. And if we follow that dislike, It goes on increasing. You already know it. I should not tell you. Isn't it? No, Honey, Maybe a coffee or a tea. Don't go there. Don't start thinking in this. So now I have to see that what is my, This perception. How to understand this knowledge with clarity. Why? Because the moment I dislike or hate something, I have a sense of anxiety in me. I don't want it. And the more I like it, I have an attachment. We are walking in a razor's edge. This side, You fall from this side, Gone. You fall from this side, Gone. So what is the solution? This is what we are understanding. So we have confused. Now you understand that the intellect has a confusion and we need a clarity. Clear? Understanding. Honey, I love you so much. Honey says I hate you. You are disturbed. So I have a confusion that you see, I love you and you hate me. How is that possible? One set of clarity. But the second set of clarity is that where the love is, This is what the Eastern wisdom teaches. The Eastern wisdom teaches. So I already made a statement. Do you love love? Yes, Love is my nature. So can love, If love is my nature, Is present in other beings? My love? No. So I have to find out. So do you understand how the mind puts us in confusion? Not my mind, Your mind, To yourself. Are you clear? Once we are clear, Then examine every experience. Let us do couple of, Examine couple of experiences. First thing to understand that awareness, Perception, Knowledge and experience are one and the same. I become aware that I am stressed. Why? Because of you. I made a statement. So every perception has four aspects. Once you pick up this into your day to day life, At least one thing would be sure that you will recognize the problem. You will recognize the ignorance. You will recognize the delusion. You will recognize the cause of depression and anxiety. And the more you recognize it, You will separate it. I recognize that you will recognize it. I recognize neighbor's house. Done. Finished. Make any statement. No, No, You should not make any statement. Privacy issues, You know, In our country. So take one statement, Any statement, Any thought, Any thought that this mind brings to me comes from my perception, My knowledge, My experience. Am I clear? Any thought. So that is the first thought comes because of perception, Knowledge and experience. And every perception and knowledge has an object. Without object, You cannot have any single thought. Can you speak any thought without an object? Thought is equal to object plus IE. And that IE is consciousness. Thanks God. He is also listening. In front of David and Jerry. Do you see that? Are you clear? My experience, My knowledge, My perception is translated into a thought. Then only I say, I am stressed, I am in love or I fall in love, Whatever you say. Every day experience, You perceive, You know. Perceive means you know. You look at your honey perception. Now you have a thought, I hate. See? So honey is an object. Perception is translated into a thought. Are you clear? Four aspects. Four aspects in every thought. When you examine, When you analyze, You will find you are pure consciousness. You have nothing to do with the thought. You have nothing to do with the perception. You have nothing to do with object. Can you live into that state? That helps you to live in meditation 24 by seven. Any thought? I hate you. So you are an object, Right? Then I have a perception of you. Second part. Then I have a thought that I hate you. But thought has two element. One is the object, We have already clarified, You plus consciousness. If the consciousness is not there, There is no thought, There is no perception, There is no object. So what a big deal in this? You may ask me what a big deal you have already explained to me. What we need to understand here, The object changes, Perception changes, Thought changes, Consciousness remains the same and that consciousness is the real I. That is what I am. I am not the thought, I am not the perception, I am not the object. You all are seekers, So that's why I'm going little deeper. Did you understand that? So when I say I am aware, That is consciousness. How can you say this? That I am consciousness, I am not the thought, I am not the perception, I am not the object. I see you, Right? Or you see me? So when you see me, You do not become me. Am I clear? When I see the card, Card does not become me. When I see the house, House does not become me. You see how these masters have thought of the clarity. So now what is known to me, What is my perception cannot be me, Cannot be real I. And that is translated into thought. Are you getting it? You have to simply become aware here and now. We have two sessions of meditation. Once I'm talking, You are in meditation and then we will practice meditation. That is why the meditation is known as an effortless, Natural, Non-practice. Did you understand that? Are you clear? Now the mind says I am stressed. It is a thought. It is your perception because of an object. You are not stressed. Are you getting it? Did you get it? I am happy because of a person and object. This is a thought. Thought comes from the perception and that has an object behind all the three. I am pure consciousness. I'm not happy because of you. I'm happy because happiness is the nature of my consciousness. I am stressed. Now we normally say you made me stressed. You made me crazy. Is it valid? It is a thought. Thought comes from my perception. Knowledge is an experience. It has an object. I am not an object. I am not a perception. I'm not a thought. I'm pure consciousness. Are you getting it? Little deeper, But not a big deal. Not a big deal. So how these masters proved that when I say I am stressed, The stress is an object of my perception, My knowledge. It translated into thought. I cannot be thought. I cannot be perception. I cannot be an object. Hence, I can never be stressed. Does it appeal to your intellect? Go back. Clarity. What is clarity? You separate. You separate. Perception is knowledge, Experience, And that experience is nothing but comes from an object. Translated into thought. Thought is nothing but an object plus consciousness. You cannot be an object that you see, That you know, That you perceive. What is left is consciousness. You are consciousness. So once we have that clarity, And with that reference, You practice meditation. Now thoughts are coming. That is why I told you in previous sessions, Mine is a salesman. Do you remember? Mine is a salesman. Tick, Tick, Knock the door. No, I don't want this. I have already realized that every thought comes from the perception and the knowledge pertaining to an object. Now see the magic happens and then we will, We will in the next sessions, Couple of sessions, We will understand how to apply this viveka in your daily life. So that will make you a much better person and that will drop all the fear and the insecurities in life. Once you apply this viveka, That viveka leads to dispassion. You see everything, You work, You act, You think, You live, And then internally, You are extraordinary aware, Outwardly you are doing the same thing as others are doing. Internally, You are at peace. When the mind sees I'm stressed, It does not affect you. When the mind sees, Mind conveys it, It expresses I'm happy because of you. But internally, You know, It is the happiness being expressed outside. Last point and then we will do the practice. Pay attention, Listen to it and let this way of thinking should become yours thinking. This is what the master says. If you don't get the result, Stop thinking, Continue to live in stress and anxiety. Both options are there with you. You know, We have that option. So when you start thinking in this way, Now say that what I said, I am stressed. Stress is an object, I perceived it, I experienced it, And then I translate it into a thought. Thought is equal to object plus consciousness, I am consciousness. I cannot be an object. Now another thought. Now another thought. I am real self. What happens? Real self. Why? I already understand that I love peace, Real self. I love happiness, Real self. I love existence. I love to survive happiness. Existence. This is what master proves himself to be. Master proves logically before the practice that we all are sached ananda. Sat, Ched, Ananda. We are absolute existence, Consciousness, Bliss. This is how we go and become the highest level of a seeker. Let us start our journey. Now we will do another practice. This is how we go and become the highest level of a seeker. Let us start our journey. Now we will do another practice. Eyes are closed. Eyes are closed. Body is steady. Not only thought, But before the thought, We have a perception. Now you will understand at the next level of the practice. Are you clear before the thought we have a perception, Experience? Now can I change that perception? Yes. How? Mentally do namaste. Now you see that? The moment you have a perception that you are in namaste mudra both your hands are mentally in namaste mudra before in front of your rib cage and you are aware of the space inside. You have told your mind, I don't want anything except the space within, A sense of nothingness. And the five fingers, One hand represents five sense organs, Five motor organs, That's how we have a thought, Action, Feeling, Etc. If you don't have those senses, How can you have a perception? Based on the perception we act, Motor organs, Mind, Nothingness in this space. I know you all are clear about perception and experience. So now instead of a thought first, We create a perception, Namaste mudra, Being aware of the space. And as we understood, We say that real self is self-existent, Self-evident, Self-luminous. I don't see it. To achieve that, To see, Feel and experience my real nature, My friends, Follow another that is very real, That is very popular shanti mantra. Asatuma sathagamaya Asat falls, Confusion, Delusion, I have to move away from it to the truth. Truth is real self. Now, Reflect on it. What is false, Practically, In daily life? Any anxiety, Fear, Insecurity, Duality, Conflict is nothing but false with reference to my real nature. How can you say the sun is dark? Anytime, Anywhere, Everywhere, All the time. That is another aspect of namaste mudra. In namaste, We bring the humility, Oh, I didn't know, Now I know it, Let me follow. So asatuma sathagamaya, How? Tamaso maha jo teragamaya I need a clarity, I have to remove the ignorance, False perception, Wrong notions and ideas about my real nature. That is moving from ignorance to wisdom. And what is the result? Mrattyurma amretangamaya Freedom from the fear, Insecurities, Leave aside anxiety, Duality, Conflict. They will follow. Yes, I want to introduce a very subtle point here in meditation as taught by our great masters. There are two words, Seeking and searching. The very seeking is this pattern of thinking, Contemplation on the principles of Eastern wisdom. And searching is the actual practice, Both are practice. If they both are not there in any meditation, The meditation will fail. So you have to look, Contemplate and reflect that am I doing both seeking and searching? If your mind says I did not understand, Let us follow the second step, Being comfortable. What you are seeking? You will understand it easily now the time has come. Being comfortable what you are seeking. And then you are searching. So what comes under searching? Look at the neck joint. Feel sensation, Comfort and steadiness, Continue searching. After that there is a space, Then namaste. You have already separated. You look at it, Seeking and searching. You see that if you don't learn it, How would you awaken to this fact? If I'm saying the same step, But there is an insight is there. If I use the right word insight, Let us follow that insight again. Look at the shoulder joints. Object. Other principles also go together, Present seeking and searching. What is seeking? Being comfortable, Searching. Look at the shoulder joints, Be there. So you have a perception. What is that perception? Sensation, Comfort and steadiness. What is deeper than that is the space. The moment you are aware of the space, You have already separated. Where is that separation classified? We wake up. Now we are understanding the very finer threads of the journey of the self-discovery. Awareness of the entire body. Object, Perception, Thought. What is the goal? Being comfortable, Seeking. Now searching, Become aware of, Experience, Sensation, Comfort. I can tell you my friends that no thought can ever disturb you if you know these subtle points. Because the mind moves with the humility that, Yes, There is a confusion and I want to know. So that knowing idea or a thought is nothing but the seeking. And searching is what we are doing, The practice. You may have an extreme, The time comes in the journey, You may have an extreme pain in the body, But if the seeking and searching is together, Pain doesn't disturb you. That is known as the power of meditation. But we will continue because of our past impressions very deep inside the storehouse of memory and they make me impulsive, Instinctive and habitual. So we will continue with our active session. So we'll do the active session today in the same way. Look inside the rib cage in the space or the space in between both the palms, Both are okay. Body remains in the state of sensation, Comfort and steadiness. And with short, Quick and gentle breathing into the rib cage as if you are playing and enjoying with the breath. Continue without break and if it happens without break, The mind doesn't interfere, Then what? You have taken over the mind. What a great joy you will have in that moment when you take over the entire mind. Continue. Good night. Just continue as if you are in a flow. You're not thinking at all. Now everything is clear. The searching is there. Just continue. Continue. Do not stop in the middle. Continue. Continue. And stop it. So you see that while searching if the rate and the rhythm of the breath is equal during the entire six minutes of the practice, What is the takeaway? The takeaway is that the mind which has stored a lot of impressions inside did not return. I was working on the mind. Very subtle point. Changes. Experience the changes my friends. Sensation. Okay. Relaxation. Okay. Stillness. Okay. Flow of the breath. Do you remember? Flow of the breath. Yes. Flow of the breath if it is equal. I am 100% sure that the mind in today's practice will not interfere in the entire journey. I will pick up only one point that we did two weeks ago. You already know it. I will not explain in detail. You'll pick up. Inhale deep silence. Slow in first into the valley then into the ribcage. Release the breath. Look inside the ribcage in the space and just seeking what peace is seated deep inside my heart. I am doing namaste, Namaste, Namaste. Release the breath. Wait. Allow the breath to be normal. In Sanskrit it looks beautiful. I believe, I understand you have a clarity about seeking and the searching. If the seeking is not there, Searching is useless. You see that's why majority of people fail in meditation. You all are seekers. So let us inhale deep silence. Slow. So first we started searching. Continue. Continue. And hold the breath. Now seeking. Peace. Go deep inside the heart. Look at the peace is seated there. That's how we say thank God, Thank God, Thank God. It's okay. Release the breath. Allow the breath to see that. Is it normal the moment you release the breath? The pressure of the mind is not there. Otherwise we have to continue the journey. It's normal but deeper inside you live with an extraordinary awareness. That makes the difference my friends. Yes, Inhale deep silence. Slow. Continue to do it. 10 seconds. Look inside the heart. You may think seeking. Peace is seated inside my heart behind the mind. Namaste, Namaste, Namaste. Release the breath. You may think of it from the previous sessions. Desire is the impurity of prana, Of life force where in the mind. So simply saying you know impurity in the mind does not make sense. We have to again same word clarity. Inhale deep silence and slow. Gently you are enjoying inhaling. Now retain the breath. Go deep inside the heart seated. Who is seated? Peace, Peace, Peace. Namaste, Namaste, Namaste. Release, Release, Release. You understand release the breath. Now do it yourself and see how it works. Couple of times do it yourself. Do it yourself please. I'm not in the picture. Continue. Continue. And this is the last time you're doing it. Once you complete you can leave it. And now look deep inside the heart in the space. Same process that you have done many a times but now you are doing with a clarity, Seeking, Searching. And in this space pick up a point in the space and drop seeking. What is that seeking? Om Shanti. Om is real self. Shanti is peace. So again that awareness or the mind moves deeper inside. It finds the space. Means objectless state of the mind. But still you pick up an object and what is that object? A point in the space. What is seeking? Om Shanti. Continue to move inside. When I gave you an idea of seeking you will find that now mind does not go anywhere. You are extraordinary aware. You are totally absorbed. You have found it. That is for the highest meditative state. So these two words will fill the gap of any wrong notions that the mind still has seeking and the searching. Hold that for a moment. I know you all are of you. Om Shanti Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti Om Bring your mind to the right hand, Your mind on the left hand, Lift your both the palms, Place it on your eyes, Open the eyes inside. Know your experience, Knowing means knowledge, Perception, Experience, What you perceive. To share means to progress. How are you, Grandi? I'm great. I don't know how to describe it but the spaces, The blackness is getting clearer. That's good. That's beautiful. A sense of absorption comes when we see the space is becoming clear. Now you are a yoga teacher, You have heard that knower known and the knowing should become one. Object of meditation, Meditator, They merge together. How are you, David and Jerry? I really enjoyed that. The breathing exercises are finding very cleansing and sort of to Brandi's point I'm finding this new relationship with space. It's just infinite. That's so wonderful. Yes. In that infinite we find as if that I is not there but still awareness is there. That is what I just explained. Beautiful. How are you, Jerry? I'm good. The breathing was, I was kind of watching the breath breathe itself I guess. That's just natural. And then that just reminded me that observing that was kind of like observing that everything we need we already have and so like the message of not searching outward just being in. So it's kind of effortless if we do it. Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, That is good. And another point is seeking. What I am seeking in life all the time is already within me and then see how the mind responds. Then we take over the mind. How are you, Stephen? Good. It was a very, I describe it as using the term literally living within. I was within myself. There was nothing outside. There was no thoughts. It was just me in my heart center with just following along and just in peace and happiness. It was fantastic. Beautiful, Beautiful. Yes, We are progressing. How are you, Christina? You are in front of a big tree there. Yes, I'm at the park. That was so that was wonderful. I have noticed that after the chest breathing, I felt that I was the most sturdiest like little pyramid, And I knew that every point. It was like I had three points that were just holding me up and I knew that that was, You know, My pure self, My happiness, Peace, And it just was holding me all together. After, Like Jerry said, Just letting myself do what's natural and let the breath do it. And I found that I wanted to stay in these meditations for a very long time. And at one point, I actually had a pragmatist climb on my face, Which I didn't know until I felt something crawling in my mouth. And I, You saw me probably swipe it, But I just thought that was interesting and pretty cool that a little thing said hello. And I was able to go right back into it. So yeah. I'm so happy. You are happy. We have seen you changing. What a beauty. How are you Ashok, Sir? Namaste, Sir. I was hesitating doing that breathing practice, But I did it. I was feeling comfortable. I felt very hesitant in doing these breathing practices. Still he did it. Yes, You can do it. And do it regularly and then see what is the result. How are you Barbara? I am very good. It was a wonderful meditation for me. It felt like nothing existed outside of the space. And I didn't want to leave. I wanted to stay there. Yes, This is wonderful. How are you Terry? Oh, We have, Yes. One more left. Yes. This is what is the will. Mind can take over the body. That's what I love about Terry. Yes, That's what I love. Of the things I felt very good. Very, Very, Very great. And I was approaching it and then after that, Mind started bothering me again. Have you ever noticed? Well, I felt like I'm seeking, I thought, You know, I'm seeking to get this power to blow this disease out of me. And then I thought, That's not what you're supposed to be seeking. So maybe that's the wrong thing, You know? Yes, That's a very subtle point you have talked. I need not to worry to get rid of the stress and insecurity. I have to discover peace and happiness with it. Yes, Yes, That's a very subtle point. People start fighting with the stress and they are never going beyond the stress. And that leads to understanding, Clarity. I appreciate. How are you, Sangeeta? Yes, You have a similar experiences. Beautiful. Any question? Understand the two subtle points, Seeking and searching. Seeking has to be a very finer, Subtler thought. And searching is the practice. Does it live with you all the time? 24 by 7. Answer is no. Why no? Because mind has a lot of habits and impulses and instincts. So when the mind gets rid of it, Seeking what? I'm the peace. You are already peace. You need not to do any practice. Did you get it? Where is Jerry? Here she is. I'm peace. Here it is. This is what it is. And that makes the meditation effortless, Natural. Any question? So Terry, Are you coming on this Saturday? And Barbara, She used to join us in New Jersey. She joined a couple of times. Yeah, Barbara also joined. It's a bit far for me. Yeah, Barbara is also in New Jersey. So Terry, Are you. . .