Concentration to Meditation
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Sushila Sharma - Posted on
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A guide to the journey within
Meditation is a state where relaxation, focus, and awareness are aligned, the mind becomes observant without adding any opinion to the object of observation – ground zero in a thought Universe.
According to Patanjali’s Yog Sutras, there are many hurdles on the way that one needs to overcome when one initiates a meditative journey. Read about how to overcome these obstacles here.
Once you overcome these distractions of the Chitta and sustain the practice of concentration, you slowly realize its depth and the various levels. Let’s learn more about these stages.
CONCENTRATION: THE FIRST STEP
One is said to be concentrating when they tend to focus on a medium like a source of light, a figurine or a statue, an image or a color, etc. to centralize their thoughts. This focus can also be internal; like chakras that reside within us, or celestial bodies like the Sun and the Moon.
This is all concentration, but as it runs deeper and deeper, it automatically enters the stage of thoughtlessness and that stage is meditation. The transformation occurs in just a moment, without any extra effort or a different approach.
Meditation isn’t something you can pursue as an exercise,
it’s a state that you get into, effortlessly.
However, the most important detail is to keep your focus in a single direction. The undivided attention creates a flow, undisturbed by diversions, allowing concentration to intensify, paving the way to a meditative state.
The intent is not to underestimate the importance of concentration, as it is the first step to achieving a meditative state. Constant practice is the only way to strengthen your concentration.
THE OBJECTIVE OF MEDITATION
The purpose of meditating is to achieve a state where you learn, become oblivious to any virtues or limitations of the manas (mind) rather than dwell on them. It is imperative to surrender these aspects and attain mental closure.
Once this is achieved, only the pure consciousness remains. This state of the solitude of the conscious is profoundly termed meditation.
No matter which process one adapts to acquire concentration, regular practice is a must. As the famous saying goes, “Practice makes perfect”. This perfection is the state of meditation.
As the famous saying goes, “Practice makes perfect”. This perfection is the state of meditation.
