By practicing each of the practices of
Meditation, Contemplation, Prayer, and Mantra,
these four converge into a unified force of
clarity, will, focus, and surrender.
Meditation
Contemplation
Prayer
Mantra
Converging the practices
Choose the better of two approaches: Some spiritual
traditions or individual teachers may deal with only one or two of the four
types of practices. Others, such as the path of Yoga meditation, take a more
holistic approach and suggest that one integrate and balance all four of the
practices.
Two Approaches to these Four Practices
|
Practice one OR the other:
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Practice one AND the other:
|
- Meditation
- OR Contemplation
- OR Prayer
- OR Mantra
|
- Meditation
- AND Contemplation
- AND Prayer
- AND Mantra
|
Do
all of the practices: Yoga meditation suggests training all
of the levels of our being (senses, body, breath, mind), and utilizes a variety
of methods, physical and breathing practices as a foundation. It also teaches
one that there is great benefit from doing not only one, but all of the
practices of Meditation, Contemplation, Prayer, and Mantra.
Follow
your predisposition: However, these are not "one size
fits all" recommendations; we need to recognize the predisposition,
culture, and religion of individuals. These personal traits are the guidelines
by which one chooses the objects of focus for Meditation, the nature of the
Contemplations, the emphasis of Prayer, and the specific Mantras.
Seek
the true meaning of Yoga: Yoga means "union," to
re-integrate all of the aspects of our being that were never really divided in
the first place. Thus, it is quite beneficial to work with all levels of our
being, and to utilize the full range of practices, adapted to individual needs.
To deal with all levels, through such a full range of practices is the true
meaning of Yoga.
These
four work as a team: As these practices of Meditation,
Contemplation, Prayer, and Mantra progress to their subtler stages, they become
increasingly powerful as a team, moving one to the height of spiritual
awakening.
Meditation
evolves: Meditation evolves in stages, regardless of what
object of focus is used, such as breath, a visualized image, an internal point
of focus, or a religious symbol. There are several categories or stages in Yoga
meditation.
Gross
objects: Yoga meditation may start with concentration on
identifiable objects or words,
Subtle
objects: Then shift to their non-objective form, such as
the light or sound which constructs the object,
Bliss:
Then lead to the subtler, joy-producing essence or meaning of the object, or
I-ness:
Move still deeper into being-ness or existence itself.
Meditation
moves inward: Yoga meditation is systematic, moving
inward from gross to subtle, to subtler, and to most-subtle. Attention moves
progressively inward, from the most external to the very core of our being. As
attention follows the object inward, the awareness of the grosser aspects of
the object fall away, as if being shed, while the deeper essence reveals
itself.
Mental
stance is following: The mental stance of Meditation is one
of following the object of meditation, like a bird following a flying insect
with unwavering concentration. It is as if the object arose from a deep place,
and that by focusing on that object, our attention can follow it back to the
source from which it arose.
Words
used interchangeably: It is important to note that different
traditions use the words "Meditation" and "Contemplation"
interchangeably. If we are aware of this, then we can easily see the context of
the way the words are being used in different ways. With that understanding, we
do not become confused by the terminology. Here, we are using the two words
from the approach of Yoga and Vedanta.
Contemplation
evolves: Contemplation also evolves through stages, whether
it is a reflection on a universal principle such as, "Truth is in
Oneness," an inner question such as, "Who am I?" or on an
inspiring verse from the sacred texts of one's religion.
Mental
way is of inviting: The mental way of Contemplation is
like when we have lost some personal object, such as a key or a pair of
glasses. We look and think, look and think, but do not find. Finally, we come
to stillness, while our eyes quit roaming, and our mind quits thinking. There
is a mental stance of openness, of invitation for the memory to simply arise,
as if you were inviting it by saying, "Come...". It is the way of
stillness after the invitation that is Contemplation.
Prayer
evolves: Prayer also evolves through stages, although the
specific words and focus of the Prayers might be different for people of
different cultures and religions.
Repetition:
Prayer may start by being repetitive and standardized in a traditional
way,
Relationship: Then shift more to a verbal and
spontaneous inner relationship,
Feeling:
Then develop to a deeper, non-verbal feeling of love and devotion, and
Communion:
Then transform into a still deeper communion.
Prayer
moves inward: Prayer moves from gross, to subtle, to
subtler, and to subtle-most. Prayer moves progressively inward, it moves from
the most external to the very core of our being, such as Prayers for strength,
or help with going inward, or for spiritual awakening; they will gradually come
to fruition.
Mental
stance is of anticipation: The mental stance of Prayer is
one of anticipation. There is a "Me" and an "Other," and
there is a draw, a longing for them to come into presence together. There is a
calling forward, an appeal between the heart and the beloved.
Mantra
evolves: Mantra also evolves through stages, whether the
Mantra is of a particular religious significance, such as a short phrase, is of
a spiritual language such as Sanskrit, or is a seed syllable not of any
particular religion or language. Mantra usage deepens with practice:
Spoken:
At first it may be spoken externally or internally,
Heard:
Later heard or attended to internally,
Feeling:
Still later experienced as a syllable-less feeling, or
Pervasive
awareness: Finally experienced as a pervasive awareness that
leads to its source.
Manta
moves inward: Mantra moves from gross, to subtle, to
subtler, and to most-subtle. Mantra moves progressively inward, from the most
external to the very core of our being.
Mental
stance is of following: The higher mental stance of
Mantra is one of following, as if by aligning attention to the Mantra, it will
lead one into the Silence from which it arose. The stance is somewhat like
listening to the sound of faint, distant music in a forest, where we become
physically still, as we strain our attention to identify with the source of the
sound.
Integrate
the four: As each of the practices deepen in their own
special ways, Meditation, Contemplation, Prayer, and Mantra integrate with one
another in a dance of the heart and an orchestra of their individuality and
synergy.
In
meditation objects are experienced more in their essence
rather than being seen or thought of in gross, material ways.
Contemplation
brings intuition that is non-verbal, non-visual, and non-auditory. It is pure
knowing that begins to come.
Prayer
moves from repeating standardized, oral Prayers, past verbal dialogue with the
Divine, to silent communion.
Mantra
transitions from speaking syllables, to listening, to feeling, to constant
awareness, to soundless sound.
The
four begin to merge: The practices of Meditation,
Contemplation, Prayer, and Mantra begin to merge into one another. What at
first seemed like very different practices, are now seen as being only subtly
different.
Two
forces work together: The two stances of experience coming
forward (the coming forward of intuition in Contemplation and of divinity in
Prayer), and of attention following inward (the following inward of Meditation
and Mantra) combine in their intensity. Together, the practices form two
synergistic forces:
1) a powerful magnetism that pulls one further
inward towards the Absolute Reality, as 2) the Absolute Reality seems to come
forward at the same time.
The
four converge into one: Finally, as Meditation,
Contemplation, Prayer, and Mantra each reach their subtler stages, they
converge into one laser like force-field of concentrated awareness, which then
pierces the final barrier into the Realization of the Self, the Absolute
Reality.
The state of deep, inner Silence from which the
higher knowledge begins to come, is in a trance. It is the final stage, or
jumping off place for the direct experience of the Absolute Reality.
