Like asanas and pranayama, concentration and meditation exercises have their own sequence.
The meditation technique through self-knowledge contributes to the development of self-knowledge and self-control, to the development of our personality with the aim of experiencing and realizing the Divine Self (atma) in it. However, we cannot achieve such a high goal overnight. It requires self-discipline, constant practice and guidance from Masters, spiritual teachers.
Self-discovery meditation begins with the question: "What am I?" in order to finally find the answer to the fundamental question of our being: "Who am I?"
In meditation we gain spiritual knowledge (para vidya). Unlike intellectual knowledge (apara vidya), this knowledge is unchanging and eternal. It cannot be acquired by study or taught, it can only be acquired through one's own experiences. It develops within us based on respect and observance of cosmic laws, through mantra practice, as a result of meditation and the blessing of the Master.
In order to know the atma, we must first thoroughly examine and illuminate all levels of consciousness: consciousness, subconsciousness, and unconsciousness. When we understand and purify the contents of these levels of consciousness, which can be done mainly through meditation, the gate to the highest consciousness opens and the Divine Atma appears to us.
During self-knowledge meditation, we first perform exercises to induce complete physical relaxation and mental peace. Then we improve our ability to concentrate through the exercise of visualization and imagination. Finally, we turn to the contents of our own consciousness—our qualities, ideas, and ways of thinking. It is very important to get rid of preconceived opinions and prejudices, to maintain a neutral, unbiased attitude. Only in this way can we gain new perspectives and knowledge.
So let's not stick to the "beaten tracks", let's not repeat old well-known truths and let's not stay drowned in emotions. On the contrary, let us dare to cross the limits of the intellect and dive into the depths of our consciousness.
We often think we know each other well, but if we take a closer look at ourselves, we find that we still don't know a lot about ourselves. We may be surprised at how many beautiful positive qualities we discover in ourselves: compassion, understanding, love, humility, patience, discipline, sincerity, purposefulness, contentment, joy and deep inner bliss. When we realize them, they can become a great support for us, for our spiritual development and for our relationships with others.
However, in many cases, we can also be surprised by negative features. They hinder our spiritual development and create disharmony in us and in our surroundings. So let's examine ourselves honestly. Do we not live in captivity of fear, greed, ambition, envy, jealousy, intolerance, rashness, vanity? Don't we suffer from complexes? Can we forgive? Often we are not even aware of these character traits in ourselves and think that we have already overcome them. Sometimes, however, they can float to the surface again. Unexpectedly. They rest in the subconscious like seeds, waiting only for favorable conditions to germinate.
Our being moves in a space defined by four levels of consciousness:
• unconsciously
• subconsciously
• consciousness
• superconsciousness
The traces of karma from our past incarnations lie in the unconscious. The subconscious contains all the experiences and imprints of our current life, which have been recorded and archived ever since the soul entered the womb. The subconscious contains everything we have ever lived and experienced, all conscious and unconscious sensory perceptions. We could compare it to a tape recorder that records all the sounds transmitted by the microphone. The subconscious also stores everything: nice and pleasant, as well as suppressed problems, conflicting and aggressive feelings, fears, sorrows, hopes and desires.
When we dive deep into ourselves in meditation, we can become aware of these seeds lying in the subconscious. By knowing and analyzing the causes and connections, we can then release them and finally dissolve and eliminate them.
Example: Someone suffers from a fear that is seemingly unreasonable and seeks the help of a psychiatrist. When analyzing his past, it is found that the cause of anxiety lies in certain experiences from his childhood. By knowing the cause, the fear loses its meaning and the sufferer can consciously free himself from it.
Unrecognized and "undigested" remnants of past experiences that lie in the subconscious only harm us as long as we understand the real connections. In the light of knowledge, these shadows disappear immediately.
When practicing self-discovery meditation, we examine our inner world and get to know more closely the psychological function within us, which creates a connection between the subconscious and consciousness, that is, the mind.
The mind is like a mighty river. The river cannot be held back or stopped permanently. If we build a dam without a drainage channel, the water in it will accumulate and one day a disaster will occur. The dam breaks and devastating floods hit the country. If we control the mind too much and completely suppress our desires and feelings, tension is created in the subconscious; when the pressure is too much, an explosion occurs.
So we cannot stop the mind, but we can direct it like we direct a river to prevent uncontrolled flooding and damage. Using Self-Knowledge Meditation we learn to control and regulate the tools of our consciousness—the mind and the senses—without suppressing their activity. But first we have to know ourselves, our inner motivations and learn to understand them. In this way, we will be able to intervene in time and prevent our thoughts from going in a direction that would eventually lead to problems and suffering.
In self-discovery meditation, we learn to understand and forgive ourselves and others, we purify our subconscious and slowly dissolve our inner inhibitions and complexes. Our thinking becomes clearer, it becomes clear, and thus we become able to either avoid many of life's problems or overcome them. Finally, we get to know our true essence and our life purpose and develop our inner self.
Let's examine our own lives. Do we seek only material pleasures or do we strive for knowledge and spiritual wisdom? Eating, drinking, sleeping and procreating fill the lives of animals. If we strive for this and nothing more, we are wasting our human abilities. However, those who are aware of the possibilities offered by the human being will find time for prayer and meditation, no matter what religion they profess. God is everywhere. It is the omnipresent, conscious energy that pervades all created and living things.
Self-awareness meditation
Preparation for meditation practice (about 20 minutes)
• Choose a type of seat in which you can sit comfortably, relaxed and motionless throughout the exercise.
• The trunk is upright. The head, neck and back are in one straight line.
• You can wrap yourself in a meditation shawl.
• The palms lie on the knees or on the thighs in the position of a mudra.
• Close your eyes.
• Relax the muscles on the face, especially the eyelids and forehead.
• Deepen the relaxation of the whole body by consciously relaxing the abdomen, elbows, lower jaw and forehead. When these key areas are relaxed, your sitting position will also be relaxed.
• Stay in this position for approximately 5 minutes. Calm your thoughts and feelings.
• Chant the OM and do the meditation exercise from the given exercise section.
Completion of the meditation exercise
• Chant OM.
• Rub your palms well, put them on your face and warm up the muscles on it.
• Bend forward so that your forehead touches the ground. The hands lie relaxed on the mat next to the head. Feel the blood flow to the muscles in your face. Stay in this forward position for a while to stimulate blood circulation and blood flow to the head after sitting still.
• Undress slowly and open your eyes.
Starting position:
meditation seat
Breathing:
natural breathing
Exercise length:
from the beginning 10-20 minutes,
later 30-60 minutes
