Wikipedia defines meditation as:
"A practice where an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state. Scholars have found meditation difficult to define, as practices vary both between traditions and within them."
Hordes of scientific research conclusively prove the effectiveness of Yogic practices on mind and body. One article proclaims 76 benefits of practicing meditation and mindfulness (https:// liveanddare.com/benefits-of-meditation). There is no doubt that yoga is beneficial-this is well documented by the medical and scientific communities. Why then hasn't America taken to the ancient and respected science of Yoga in a bigger way?
I am an American Hindu who has been practicing meditation and mantra chanting for almost 20 years. In addition to my own daily puja practice, I have taken in-depth courses in the Vedic scriptures from a Hindu monastery, have read scores of books and articles on the practice of Yoga, and have been an online student and devotee of America's most popular Indian Guru, Sadhguru. In that time, I've learned many lessons (the hard way) about Hinduism and the practice of Yoga. I say the hard way because there are very few authentic Hindu gurus who have a Yogic program that the average American can easily assimilate and understand, so I learned much of it on my own. I'd like to share what I've learned from exhaustive study and practice in hopes that you will be willing to give meditation, mantra chanting, and the other accouterments of Yoga, another try.
In a nutshell, the Hindu Yogic system is just that: a comprehensive and wide-ranging spiritual system leading to Self-realization. Yoga is a far-reaching set of practices that include expanded consciousness and greater health for the whole being. Ancient Hindu scriptures, some that stretch back 5,000 BC or more, combined with the mysterious practices of the Indian ascetic is exactly what has confounded American seekers and kept them from discovering it. I found the topic of Yoga to be like looking out at the vast and roaring ocean, having learned only the basics of swimming, and being asked to dive in and survive. You might play in the waves for a little while, but how do you make it your home when all you've been taught were the basics of swimming? You won't last very long-and this is essentially the problem for Americans whose only experience with meditation has been brief, or unsuccessful: it has been too complex and confusing to grasp.
The average American has no doubt heard of Yoga, and many have experienced a Yoga class, or attempted meditation. When I ask what their experience has been with it, I usually get this response: "I've tried meditating, it didn't work for me, I couldn't keep my mind from wandering." Or, not wanting to look like a novice, people will say: "Oh ya, I meditate." Sure, you do. You see, I know that whether you tried it and failed, or sit for 10 minutes a night as your mind wanders, you are struggling with it-because everybody struggles with it. It's just that some people are willing to admit that they struggle with sitting still and getting to a thoughtless state, while others aren't. The people who will be successful at meditation will be the ones who can admit that it is harder than it looks, and who understand that developing a rich and rewarding spiritual life is going to require more of them than they first bargained for. Kind of like learning to navigate the ocean: it looks easy until you get out there lost in the depths of it. All alone, you can't tell which way is up.
Let's de-mystify meditation, because unlike the Hindu yogis, swamis and gurus, one does not need to take the oath of a sadhu (holy man or woman) to enjoy the many wonderful benefits that yoga offers. However, one must be willing to agree to 5 guiding principles of this system:
Rule #1: Be willing to give it another try. So, you've tried it before with minimum benefit. So what? Your next experience may be decidedly different. Be willing to give yoga a fresh look.
Rule #2: Be willing to admit that it's harder than it looks. You will need to invest some time learning about the system and science of Yoga.
Rule #3: Find a person who has already traversed the Yogic system and make him or her your sherpa. I'm switching analogies from the ocean to the mountains, but you wouldn't climb Mount Everest without an experienced guide, would you? If you traverse yoga alone like I did, the mountain will teach you its lessons the hard way. If you want to get the top of the mountain intact (the mountain being the goal of Self-realization), it will require a sherpa. Word of caution: there are many false gurus and cults out there and well-meaning people who offer classes without the benefit of having achieved authentic spirituality. There are thousands of 'em-so look for the sherpa who has one defining characteristic: THEY ARE HUMBLE. They are supremely humble, because climbing the mountain has humbled them. If they are not supremely humble, it's hard to say where you will end up and how much you will wind up paying them to end up there.
Rule #4: Stick to time-tested methods and be willing to try techniques you've never used before. Hinduism is the most ancient spiritual path on earth. It dates back some 10,000 years BC-that's ancient! Despite Hinduism's longevity, today's yogis and gurus are still utilizing the majority of what Adiyogi, the first yogi, and the ancient Rishis taught their disciples. If the science of Yoga is still being transmitted using the same time-worn methods, there's a reason the Yogic masters are still using these methods.
Rule #5: Regardless of what Yogic method use or what guru you follow, Self-realization has everything to do with the heart, and nothing to do with the head. Be willing to suspend your logic when you enter the meditation room. If you think you can think your way through this one, you're dead wrong. You won't get close to swimming in the endless ocean of love or climbing the peaks of enlightenment if your heart is not in it. It is better to have a willing heart than a brilliant head on this journey to the Absolute.
Where to begin? Begin by reading about yoga and meditation, about Hinduism, or the Hindu saints. That's where I started. The first book I read was a biography of one of India's most beloved saints, Sri Ramakrishna. I fell in love with him and read all I could find about the hundreds of other saints that practiced Yoga. I quickly realized there are two types of Yoga: mental yoga, using meditation and chant to achieve a transcendent state, and physical yoga. Because I'm a senior, physical yoga did not appeal to me. But if you can read, anyone can learn the Yogic system.
Next, I took a class from an Indian Hindu monastery online that taught me the basics of Hinduism. I found an Indian guru who has ashrams both in India and America and watched all the Youtubes on him I could find. I enrolled in his online classes. I started practicing meditation and taught myself 25 popular Indian Sanskrit chants which I added to my meditation practice.
I formally converted to Hinduism a few years ago and per tradition, I was given a Hindu name by my guru. My advice to you is that, for Americans anyway, Hinduism is a do-it-yourself course. Do not wait for someone to come along and lead you by the hand. If you are interested in meditation or Hinduism, start digging into YouTube and the internet and become informed about it. As the Christ the Yogi said: "He (or she) who seeks shall find."
(Luke 11:10).