0:00 Introduction from Babaji
1:44 “If you say that meditation is hard, it is hard, if you say it is easy, it is easy.”
10:13 Why do more and more thoughts seems to come in meditation?
17:32 Is it a normal part of the process at the beginning, for thoughts to come in meditation?
21:20 “Every time we sit to meditate, there is some progress.”
24:24 Babaji’s mantra of ‘dedication, discipline and patience’.
35:38 What is Babaji’s advice for those who find meditation difficult?
39:12 Babaji comments on an extract from the Bhagavad Gita.
41:33 When going to the temple, practice of meditation declines.
42:42 If meditation is going well, should one not be able to hear the alarm?
44:01 Pain in the eyes when lifted up to concentrate in meditation.
45:45 Is it almost like watching nostrils or tip of the nose?
46:09 Is it necessary to use a mudra?
46:34 How to let go of problem solving during meditation?
47:19 Meditation has become deep so for the rest of the day the mind is quiet, which is unnerving.
50:05 Something is pulling me deeper, should I hold on to the professional life?
50:59 When surrounded by angry people, how to stay quiet amidst this disturbance?
52:32 After meditating for a year, thoughts still come up – how to know if I am progressing?
54:27 It is always a struggle in meditation, am I really progressing?
55:16 Should I do mantra japa meditation or continue with Jangama Dhyana?
56:21 I have a fear that Self Realization leads to termination of the physical body.
58:21 When someone becomes Self-Realized, what happens in terms of mind and body?
1:00:33 Will meditation allow me think creatively?
1:04:30 How much pranayama to do?
1:05:11 Many teachers and scriptures talk of the breath stopping in deep meditation, does this happen?
1:06:40 Is it ok to meditate lying down with eyes closed?
1:07:27 Is there any specific diet or discipline to follow?

Discourse: In Quest of Truth – online Q&A no.197
Meditation is Easy
Recorded: 05 October 2024

Start of Session
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Babaji Maharaj Commences.

   If there are any newcomers who are here for the first time in our Zoom class or meditation classes and who might like to get initiated, or keep asking many times on our emails, when I give instructions for you all to sit down into meditation, you can consider that as the initiation.  The rest, your own faith, your devotion, your reverence and what you consider will make all the difference for you.  In our Guru‘s lineage, my Guru also used to tell, “We initiate a person to the path of meditation, spirituality and devotion just like a friend.”  Means we don’t try to impose ourselves as the only Gurus on anybody.  You can even consider a friend if you want to know anything from us, if you want us to guide you, inspire you, be a touch bearer, and it is up to you if you want to consider us as a Guru, we are there to help you, to guide you always.  So that is the important thing.  So, what you consider makes it for you.  Your choice always.

Start of Questions and Answers
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Question:   Baba, this evening again we wanted to discuss the technique of meditation itself.  Babaji has often said, “If you say that meditation is hard, then it is hard.  If you say it’s easy, then it’s easy.”  Would Babaji please discuss that statement?

Babaji Maharaj:   It’s your attitude, every participant’s attitude is what makes the difference.  If you think positively, “We can do it”, you can do it.  We have always told, “Though it is a bit difficult, it is not an impossible thing”.  So, for that you have to think when you get into it, “I can do it and it’s not very difficult to do it.”  Thinking positively is much better.  The old story also we used to hear from Swamiji sometimes – two people were doing tapas.  Sage Narada was going to meet Lord Vishnu.  He comes and enquires “Is there anything I can do for both you tapaswins?”  So, both tell “We have been doing this deeper meditation of tapas for quite a long time.  When will it be fruitful?  Can you ask God?”  So, after some time, Narada comes back again from the Lord and tells the one person, “As many leaves that are in the tree under which you are sitting, after that many years, your tapas will be fruitful, and you will get Self-realization.”  He’s very happy, he’s so positive.  He tells “At least the Self-realization is guaranteed in this very life.”  And to the other one also he tells, “This many years”, so he becomes very depressed.  “O God, so many years, still I have to do.  I wonder whether I’ll be able to do it at all.”  

So, the moral of the story is, attitude, attitude of a person.  One person who had more long years to go, still he was very positive and was happy, that at least it’s going to happen.  So, like that you have to think till the last breath of life you are going to put an effort.  Every day when you sit down, slowly it becomes easy for you.  I have told that anything you want to achieve or learn, in the beginning it could be a bit difficult.  Whether you are trying to bake bread or make any flat bread or any cooking or any other job, you might be a software engineer, you might be police, you might be an administrative officer, business person, the beginning, first day it could be quite awful.  But as you progress and as you go on learning the things and practice it will become awesome, and you will start enjoying – what the usual western things of understanding the secrets of the trade.  So, like that. 

So, that is what is needed here also.  The first day or in the beginning, it would appear quite difficult because mind will have an upper hand; it has gone out of control since time immemorial.  So many lives would have passed by, and the mind has acquired habits since childhood also.  Many times, many people till the middle age would never have bothered about this mind, the necessity to control and undertake any such exercises.  Like whereas the chants or remembering the Divinity all came very naturally for us.  Sitting next to our mother as small kids we learnt and we found it very peaceful.  When we visited a temple also it used to be very peaceful for the mind and some self-confidence used to come; “There is a Divinity.  A God is there.”  So, like that we went on learning and meditation became so easy and simple.  Just you have to be watching; that is all.  We thought “Yes”, we went on watching.  And Swamiji also used to tell me, at the age of fourteen He was so determined, and His attitude was so positive, always courageous.  Within a moment He would be ready to take up any challenge.  He had no spiritual background, nobody to train Him, no Godfather, mother was there for Him to train spiritually.  But He had the inborn qualities of courage and facing the challenges.  So, He used to say “A Jangama Sage made me to sit and asked me to close the eyes.  As I closed the eyes, He was touching me in between my eyebrows and went on telling; this is what I heard, “Keep the eyes closed and concentrating your mind and sight, just keep watching in between eyebrows.  Keep your mind focused there.  Just watch and do not repeat anything”, He said.”  And Swamiji used to say “I did not repeat anything.  I just went on watching.  He told also “Don’t imagine about anything.”  “I didn’t imagine why this thought is there or anything.  I just went on watching and samadhi came.”  So simple the way He used to tell. 

Indeed, it was so simple for Him because He had followed the methods properly.  He was determined, He had that courage.  So, this is what is required.  Like every time we come on the Zoom class we issue instructions, “This is how you have to do.”  You just have to listen, that concentrated focus when I am teaching and then do it.  That’s it and you will get the samadhi, it’s possible.  If the mind doesn’t listen that means it is spoiled.  However, you must not lose hope or heart.  Put it.  You can do it.  If I have achieved, you all can definitely achieve.  You should understand, you know, the meditation is done to silence the mind.  The silencing means… the mind itself, you understand, it is the combination of consciousness and energy.  If it becomes silent, that is the pure consciousness.  If it is into chatterbox, then the same thing comes to be known as mind.  It is the same entity.  Thoughts can go, but mind will not go anywhere.  It is always there.  From that only – that is the source of your consciousness of existence that is coming; all the time you are feeling that you exist.  Then just remain focused.  When you achieve this silence, your stress will be released, you will enjoy the supreme peace.  Eventually, if you practice, you can know yourself as the eternal entity of the soul that we talk; “Atman, atman”, all the time. 

This should be the life’s purpose.  You can live any way of life and everywhere you will see you will be very successful in remaining focused in any work, in any job, in any play, anywhere.  Your mind will be so composed, at peace.  You will not be confused at all.  You will never be nervous.  You will just go on doing your things in life.  You will see your personality changing; to such a matured human being you will become.  Your thinking will also get enhanced.  You will be able to consider about a larger cause.  Hundreds of benefits are there, not one or two or three.  Your personality will change like that.  You will be composed, at peace, all the time enjoying.  As I have told, “Even if I am gossiping, my mind is the ever-silent one.  It is quiet and at peace all the time.” 

Question:   Thank You, Babaji.  Babaji spoke there about when we meditate, the mind will become silenced.  I know for myself, when I started meditating or trying to meditate, more and more thoughts seemed to come, even more thoughts than usual seemed to come; it seemed like a whirlwind of thoughts.  Can Babaji please explain that?

Babaji Maharaj:   Because you are holding everything in your subconscious state as a habit.  I would like to call it as acquired habits of the mind.  As I told, since time immemorial; so many lives would have passed.  The technology is…   You see, your mind, even since childhood, what would have happened is your mind recognizes an existence or its own imagination.  Then it makes analyzations, “This is good.  This is bad.  What is this?  Should I be owning this?  Should I not?  Do I need this?”  Anything.  Like that, thought after thought keeps coming.  And then you will make a judgment.  “Yeah, this is mine.  This property is mine.”  That sits in the mind.  That is absorbed as an imprint.  Then we become so attached to the property or anything that we own.  We are unable to forget it.  And that is absorbed as an imprint, as a thought.  Every time you see that place, you will become very possessive.  “This is my property.”  That ego gives some beautiful thinking also sometimes, but unknown to you, you would have trapped yourself like this.  The thoughts are all absorbed.  So, all these thoughts, hundreds and millions and millions of thoughts are stirred when you meditate; like the dirt comes up and then you filter it.  That is what happens here also.  The thoughts are all stirred either as a visual effect or a thought process.  It all comes up.  You are forced to watch it.  That is when we keep advising, “Just watch.  Do not get involved with that thought.”  Then you will see that it will get evaporated or disappear, dissolved once for all.  It will all go away. 

Like this in the beginning, it would appear millions and millions.  Many people keep wondering, “When I close the eyes, much more, millions of thoughts keep coming.  When I am not closing the eyes, not meditating, at that time slightly better.”  That is because you are focused on other work and your mind is attentive to so many things.  So, that is why those habits are all sitting, that will not come up.  It is like a chronic disease, a chronic garbage; that needs to be thrown out.  Then once for all your mind will become disease-free, garbage-free, pure consciousness.  That will go back to itself, its real Self.  That is the eternal immortal soul that you are actually. 

So that is why you continue with that meditation.  Though it will be torturesome for some, bear with it, bear with it; it is your own job, your own doing, your own absorbing.  You did it since time immemorial.  You never bothered about your own mind.  That is why it is there.  You collected all the dirt.  You never bothered to throw the garbage regularly.  So, all the garbage is in the backyard.  Now is the time to clean it up in the mind.  So, you go on doing, go on doing.  Don’t look back.  Don’t bother what is happening.  Just keep doing.  So, then it will be all right.  One day you will have the upper hand.  The peace will descend. 

Also, it depends on your involvement in your day-to-day life.  Try to be as minimum that is required for your way of life.  If you have a job and you have to attend to those things, if you have a business, any such thing.  And don’t indulge in unnecessary gossip chats with your cell phone or computers or anyone.  Just do the business that you need to do.  Use it.  Utilize its services for whatever that is needed.  You need to talk to somebody on some urgent matter, you talk to them, that is all.  Or you want to inquire, “How are you?”  “I am good.  You are good.”  Like that.  That is enough.  No need to go on chatting for hours together, hours together.  People are crossing on the highways.  I can see they are holding their cell phone; it’s so important for them.  Even if some vehicle is going to come and hit them also is no problem but they need to have the cell phone to their ears and keep talking, keep talking.  Now they will have an earphone also.  They will keep talking.  They are busy.  So preoccupied in talking and gossiping, that is all. Useless talks, often. 

So, you can give up slowly all this thing, remain focused into the job that you need to do.  You have to earn a livelihood?  Work yourself and then do this meditation for one hour.  When you are doing meditation, just do the meditation.  Don’t think of anything else that you have to do.  After you get up after one hour, you can do anything.  Like, just now we are discussing as a question and answer session.  All the participants need to remain focused on what the question you are going to ask and what the answer Babaji is going to give.  Then that will be beneficial if you absorb that one.  So, then you can practice when you are out of this Zoom also; every day you can practice.  Otherwise, you won’t pay attention.  It will be a vague sound that is coming. “Prraprraprraprr…”  Some sound is coming.  You don’t understand what Babaji is telling.  Then you keep wondering, “What did Babaji tell?”  Then you might misunderstand, “Babaji told something.”  And people write to me something else.  I have to correct them again; “I did not tell this.  Go and see the recording if you have”, you ask them.  So, then, “This is what I told.  You have to pay attention when I am telling”.  Even many people when they ask a question, they don’t have patience to listen when I have to answer and when I go on answering to their question.  They go on questioning, and they want to establish themselves and want me just to endorse that they are already Self-realized or already doing.  So that is all why they come and then they will disappear.  So, they won’t reach anywhere.  You have to have the learning.  Learning tendencies is important.  Learning is very important.  So, like that you have to go, then you will be benefited. 

Question:   Thank You, Baba.  It’s a question that comes up when we are talking amongst each other quite a lot.  That’s part of the normal part of the process in the beginning, thoughts to come like that, Baba. 

Babaji Maharaj:   Yes, yes.  Definitely it will come.  Because the moment you sit for meditation and you watch, the mind will try to detach from the brain but all the thoughts that will be going out due to the brain’s effect, it will all be decodified and you will get to see as a thought or as a vision.  Simply don’t get involved whether it is a good vision or bad vision.  You don’t bother about it.  It is all going away.  Somebody is taking away your garbage.  Let it go.  You don’t have to go and keep smelling the garbage.  Don’t bother.  It is all garbage.  It will go.  You just keep quiet. 

Question:   Thank You, Baba.  Babaji, do some people innately have more skill at watching and others have more tendency to think? 

Babaji Maharaj:   That depends on the practice.  Some people’s concentration power might be better.  That is why they might be doing very good in their life also.  But often I have seen that they have practiced in a particular way, and they can remain focused in their work – at many other places they lose that focus.  They become nervous and they don’t listen properly.  They don’t execute things properly.  Many times, sometimes I have come across some software engineers, anybody, such experts, they are very expert in their computer work when they are talking in their business jobs, and they are leading a group; they are giving instructions, they remain focused.  Whole day they are talking, talking, talking, talking, talking.  But when it comes to other work, they are unable to remain focused and they become nervous or they don’t listen properly.  They don’t tell properly.  I have observed all these things quietly.  Many people I have observed.  That means they are an expert in a particular way only.  They are not an expert to focus for everything. 

So, when you practice meditation, you become an expert, that wherever you focus you are able to remain focused perfectly.  It is another thing that you practice focused.  It could be in a cricket match.  It could be a batsman.  He is able to perfectly focus.  The same focus may not be there for him in his life also.  He might be suffering with many stresses and tensions and all such things.  But on the cricket field he might appear as an expert, “Ah what a champion”, like that.  But meditation is a totally different thing.  It will make you an expert anywhere, in any job, any field; you will remain focused.  At the time that you need to be focused you will remain focused.  When I have to answer, I have to remain focused and understand your question.  If I don’t pay my attention, then I won’t be able to answer properly.  This is the job.  So, anywhere I can remain concentrated.  So, when I am singing, I will be concentrated on the singing.  If at all I do some cooking, I can be concentrated on the cooking.  Like that you can become an expert.  In anywhere you apply yourself you are able to remain concentrated.  That is what is the meditation’s benefit that you can obtain.  You become a real champion, a real expert. 

Question:   Thank You, Babaji.  Babaji has said that every time we sit to meditate there is some progress.  Could Babaji discuss that please?

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, I assure people, definitely every time you sit down… just like every time you walk, you cover a certain distance definitely, the same way every time you sit for meditation some amount of cleansing of the mind automatically happens.  Because of the presence of millions of thoughts still, you may not notice it.  It has to go more, then you will experience the peace.  So, to sit down is important; every day sit.  Don’t be in a rush to become a big tapaswin and achieve Self-realization in twenty-four hours.  Many people, they lose the serious effort because they are in such a rush.  “Babaji is Self-realized.  I must also become Self-realized tomorrow and He must certify me.”  That is not necessary.  Take your time, step by step, step by step, slowly.  We have been practicing since childhood chants and remembering Divine, remaining focused, devotional music, everything has been so dear; all these things were very helpful.  In twenty years, I was working with my Guru at the lotus feet serving Him.  I remained focused on my work whatever I had to do.  I just had to do.  If He was scolding, I used to remain focused on His scolding because He used to get more annoyed if I didn’t concentrate on His scoldings.  Like that the practice came simply, but those things did not enter my mind. 

One thing I noticed, at all such times the mind remained at peace.  The beginning it used to be like heart beating, pumping when He started scolding.  In a couple of minutes when my mind used to settle down and remain focused, I used to hear what He was scolding but that would not enter my mind, or it would not create any effect of fear or any such thing.  Simply standing.  Occasionally, by chance if I get into some smiling then He would get more annoyed, “I am scolding.  You are not taking it seriously at all!”  – He would be more annoyed.  So, that type of things used to happen.  It was like a love between a Guru and the disciple; such a wonderful thing.  But all these things, what I am trying to tell, served like a sadhana for me.  Unknown to me, I think, I was practicing karma yoga, dhyana yoga, bhakti yoga, everything.  So, that’s how I saw my mind cooling down, at peace, cooling down, at peace and remaining non-violent all the time.  So, the last five years became so simple and easy.  It was like a final step. 

Question:   Baba has introduced a new mantra.  I wonder if Babaji could explain that in the context of meditation.  Babaji’s famous mantra, dedication, discipline and patience. 

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, this is very, very, very, very important.  You have to set a priority.  That’s when you can dedicate yourself, means you have to offer yourself.  Like, you need to meditate to silence your mind and eventually become a master of your mind and then go for Self-realization.  So, without you sitting there to meditate, who else will meditate?  That is dedication.  If you tell that “I don’t get time. I have to go there”, then who will meditate?  The Guru has already meditated.  In our households, a funny thing I have seen.  In Indian households they will call a priest and ask the priest to do the chants part.  “O, today is an auspicious day.”  The priest will be chanting and doing.  The householders will be gossiping amongst themselves.  They are busy.  So, their attention is not at all on the Divinity, let alone on the chants or anything.  Then the priest is given some Dakshina, some money.  For that money he has to chant and he will chant.  While he is chanting, hardly anybody would focus on that chant.  That is important.  That is only when your worship will be successful.  That is what is dedication.  Then you will dedicate.  

Like Swamiji used to tell, “The day that you have to meditate one hour with the Guru, even if any engagement comes, tell the other people “I am sorry. I have to go and meditate.  I cannot come and do this today.”  Like that give an excuse.”  But you easily give excuse to Guru.  “I cannot come for your meditation session.  Today we have been called there to do something else and we have to go there.”   Then that is not dedication.  The dedication is that we mean business.  If the class is going to be there, we will be there.  That is dedication. 

Next, discipline.  If you are disciplined, without fail you will practice every day.  You will practice.  Like in the one-hour we make you sit for meditation, it is the discipline which matters most.  If you are disciplined, you would have listened to the instructions given by the Master.  Sitting in any comfortable posture.  Keeping your back and neck straight, gently close your eyes.  ‘Gently close’ means remain relaxed.  Don’t be in a rush and abrupt at that time.  Then you will be agitated more.  Then your mind gets stirred up terribly.  Cool, cool down.  Gently close your eyes.  Then you will feel yourself inside.  When you close the eyes, that visibility will be there in front of you when your mind is watching there.  It might be a darkness, it might be anything.  Just watch that!  The central point of in-between eyebrows also can happen afterwards.  And the next discipline, don’t repeat anything.  No need.  Means you have to remain silent.  See the sequence.  You are watching—the first point, then also you have to be silent.  Second one, ‘don’t repeat’, then also you have to be silent.  The third instruction ‘do not imagine anything’, then also you have to be silent. 

So, in all these things psychologically, a Master instructs the disciple, a student, “You remain quiet.”  Like, shut up your mouth-type; shut up your mind.  Simple.  You keep quiet.  That is the discipline.  If you are disciplined, you will understand and you will become quiet.  If you are ripe enough.  That’s what Janaka, when Ashtavakra told “Stop!”  ‘Quiet’ or ‘stop’, any word that He would have uttered, both gives the same meaning.  Some people ask “Did He ask to stop or did He ask to be quiet?”  It’s all the same.  If you stop also, when you stop, you become quiet.  If you are quiet, you will stop.  That’s it.  Then he became quiet.  Janaka became quiet while he was getting on to the horseback.  So, he attained samadhi, nirvikalpa samadhi came.  Then he realized the Self.  So that is the discipline.  Until he didn’t lack that discipline, Janaka was not getting into Self-realization when so many teachers came and tried to tell.  That’s why the Master then demanded, “I also have a condition just like you have a condition, O King.  Now I will order three things.  Come down the throne first.  You are no more the King.  Give me the kingdom, I will be the King so that whatever I order, you will have to do it.  Otherwise, you will be punished.”   Then Janaka accepted.  He understood.  Then Sage Ashtavakra was so clever also.  He demanded.  “You listen to me, bloody…  I am not going to listen to you.”  Until he was an emperor, he wanted the Guru to listen to him, but the Guru demanded, “The Guru wants you to listen to the Guru.” 

Many people here also, they come, they ask a question, but they don’t actually ask a question.  They want to tell what they have been doing.  They want me just to endorse.  “O Guru just endorse me.  That’s all.  You certify me.  You don’t have to do anything.”  Then you are not a disciple at all.  Then you are not a devotee at all.  Not a good student at all.  You will come one time and then you will go back.  Then you will boast to your people.  “I am already done.  I am doing the acceptance already, what this Guru has to teach me.  He also tells acceptance and I already have the acceptance.”  Many youngsters, when you tell “You come, you want to learn meditation”,  “No, no, I am perfectly alright with my mind.”  Until the world doesn’t challenge them, hits them.  When they go on and on, then they will understand what a big challenge this world, this matter that has been created in the space. 

So that is why discipline is what the Guru demands.  It should be the Guru.  Otherwise, you will never listen.  See, if you are going to be the Guru, you want me to be the student and just declare, “O, you are already Self-realized”, then no Self-realization.  I better not to be any Guru or disciple, anything.  Let me be in myself.  “If you want to learn, you listen to me.”  That’s what Swamiji used to demand, He used to order. 

Then, patience.  Patience is the third thing.  You are not used to meditating.  You are not used to keeping quiet mentally.  Since time immemorial, you have allowed yourself or your mind to be a chatterbox. Kachekache, pachepache [chattering sound], what it is – like that you have allowed it.  Since time immemorial, I don’t know.  Many lives, many times you would have been born and died, born and died.  And now you don’t have patience.  You want tomorrow morning Self-realization.  Have some patience, after all your mind has gone out of control since time immemorial, it will take some time.  Overnight, every change will not come.  If you sincerely practice with this few months, sometimes, you will get it.  You will see the changes in yourself.  Many times, this is another question people keep asking, “If I meditate like what you ask me to meditate, how long will I take to get Self-realized?”  How can I tell?  A Master cannot tell.  No Master can tell.  If anybody tries to tell, he is cheating himself and you also.  Until you sincerely do the meditation, it won’t happen; until you practice to keep quiet mentally, it won’t happen.  This is your job.  You only know whether your mind is quiet or not, your mind is focused or not.  Until you do it, you won’t get it.  So, that is what it is.  It means it might happen tomorrow, it might happen in twelve years, it might happen five years.  It depends on you.  That ‘dependent’, that is what is patience and discipline and dedication.  If you can follow these three mantras, then it will definitely happen.  Otherwise, this is not a business deal that you get initiated from me and I will definitely guarantee that you will get Self-realized.  You will get if you practice with these things, with this condition, if you can dedicate, set a priority.  Without fail every day, you practice one hour.  That must be the priority job.  The rest all comes afterwards.  At that time, no disturbance please.  ‘Not to be disturbed’; put a board in your room, or next to you so that nobody disturbs you in that one hour.  Even if God comes, “Please, no disturbing.”  Be disciplined.  Every day, enjoy that practice.  Enjoy that sitting.  Be that disciplined and have patience.  Cool down.  Don’t be in a rush.  Don’t keep asking the Guru, “When will I become Self-realized?”  You have to tell me when you are going to become Self-realized.  Like Buddha asked Angulimaala, “I stopped long ago.  When are you going to stop?”  I have stopped, boy.  When are you going to stop in your mind?   Then you are realized. 

Question:   Thank You, Babaji.  Baba, what advice would Babaji give to those people who feel that meditation is difficult?  They are stuck in this pattern. 

Babaji Maharaj:   First thing, though it is difficult, it is not impossible.  Write it down in your diary.  Every day you refer to this sentence.  Though it is very difficult, it is not impossible.  A certain thing, if it becomes impossible then no point in putting in effort.  But if it is difficult and there is a possibility, you put in an effort, there is a chance.  Positively, always think positively.  Be enthusiastic when you are practicing.  Just like you are playing a match, tennis match, or a cricket match, or any sport that you love or anywhere that you work.  First day you become recruited as a big officer, government officer and you are so excited.  Everybody will be saluting you.  You are going to sit on the chair, you become excited.  So, slowly you will have to learn afterwards as you go on and on.  So, you start playing.  When you are playing, you must enjoy the play, but you don’t know whether you will win, or the opponent will win.  But at least you play when you are playing, remain focused and have that killing instinct.  “The Master has asked me to keep quiet, not to repeat anything.  Let me not repeat anything.”  It is you who is repeating, you must realize. 

Nobody else is doing any harm to you.  You have harmed yourself since time immemorial.  You have become the chatterbox; accept this truth in yourself.  You don’t have to declare standing in a circle.  You accept within yourself.  It is you who have become the chatterbox.  It is you who never bothered to control your mind, never tried to understand what meditation, why meditate, what you can achieve, what you want to achieve.  Peace and contentment is the most elusive for anybody in this world, whether you are an emperor, or whether you are a champion, or whether you are a trillionaire or anything.  The richest person on the earth will have no peace if his mind is not quiet.  So, this is what is the elusive thing you can achieve, you have to achieve.  So, like this you make a target, keep doing it, enjoy, enjoy the meditation every day, don’t lose heart, don’t lose hope when thoughts are coming; those thoughts must not be a torturing effect for you.  It should be like a game.  “Okay, these thoughts are coming.  I will keep quiet.  I will not recognize any thought”, then that will disappear.  That will all disappear.  That should be the play, game.  Once you understand the technique of the game—you have to become quiet, and it will disappear.  You become quiet, it will disappear. 

Question:   Thank You, Babaji.  Babaji we’ve had one question sent in. So, he’s written one verse from Bhagavad Gita, “O mighty armed son of Kunti.  What you say is correct, the mind is indeed very difficult to restrain, but by practice and detachment, it can be controlled.”  Could Babaji please explain in detail how to achieve that detached state?

Babaji Maharaj:   Definitely, this is very important as Sri Krishna tells.  One thing, means in the Sanskrit it is “Abhyase tu Kaunteya”, means “O Kunti’s son, by practicing”; this practice should become a strict instruction to you that every day without fail you practice.  And remaining detached means, you see, you don’t have to give up homes and anything, run to forest.  Detached means when you are meditating, you are not thinking about anything else.  You are not attached to anything else.  “O, my friend invited for a wedding, so I could not go, I am sitting and doing meditation.  So, if I would had gone, perhaps I would have enjoyed.”  Like that if you keep thinking, you are neither here nor there.  Physically, you could not go to the wedding; mentally, you are unable to meditate.  So, that’s what is detachment, Sri Krishna tells.  If you can detach yourself from any other engagement, then you are here.  Mentally, you are in the meditation.  That important detachment is enough to understand, what detaching means.  So, Arjuna had to fight the war; he was not getting detached from fighting the war.  Mentally, he needed to be detached from the results.  Sri Krishna tells “Nobody knows the result of this war.  But you have to fight it.  Your duty, it has been imposed on you.”  So, that is what the detachment means.  Ready to accept the result, remain detached for the result, but go on putting efforts, meditation also—go on putting, then you will win. 

Question:   Pranaam Babaji.  I want to ask during Navaratras, I started going to satsang in the temple.  So, I lose the practice of meditation.  Most of the time I have seen, whenever I start going to temples, my practice of meditation declines, those days.  What should I do?

Babaji Maharaj:   Your choice, what do you want to do?  That’s what I have been teaching all this time.  How can I tell?  Really, that is the truth.  You have to exercise your choice, what you want to do.  The Master has been telling all this time, pros and cons.  If you do like this, this will happen.  If you do like this, this will happen.  So now you have to think and exercise your choice.  You cannot eat the cake and have it too.  Either you eat the cake or keep it and keep watching the cake.  That’s what happens. 

Same Questioner:   Babaji, my second question is I put an alarm for an hour during the meditation on my telephone.  So, if the meditation is too good, you should not be able to hear the alarm.  Is it like that?  

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, it’s all right.  You continue meditating for some more time, if you can sit. 

Same Questioner:   No, no, my question is, would I not be able to listen to the alarm if I’m meditating very good?

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, that sound will be very vague, and you may not hear at all if your concentration is introverted well, perfectly. 

Same Questioner:   And what does Babaji mean by, “Even if God comes while you are in meditation you should not get up”?

Babaji Maharaj:   Yes, I told that one.  Means, even if God appears and you get to see, you don’t get involved with God, just watch. Means you are meditating, continuously meditating until the merger happens.  If you get involved with God, “God give me a lottery ticket, give me some properties”, then you are gone.  That is what I’m trying to teach, understand? OK.

Question:   Guruji, Namaste.  I cannot do full pranaam.  One of my hands is fractured.  So, please accept my salute right now. 

Babaji Maharaj:   No problem.  No problem. 

Same Questioner:   Guruji, like You rightly said, years of indiscipline has really spoiled our mind.  Now, when we begin as beginners, there are several challenges.  Obviously, You have said a very simple line, “Focus your mind and sight here.”  Mind understood.  But if you have to put sight there, that means my eyeballs go up.  Then that starts creating pain in the eyes.  So, is it the right thing to do?

Babaji Maharaj:   No need to try to lift the eyes.  In the same level of eyeballs, you try to bring closer.  That will do.  Slowly you practice.  If you are unable to bring it immediately, just watch the front portion.  When you close the eyes, whatever is there, just keep watching.  In due course of time, when the eyeballs come into one direction… because they keep moving parallelly, that will be a bit difficult in the beginning.  If you just keep watching, that means first the eyeballs need to stop moving continuously.  Then it will start coming into one direction.  It will come into the central point in-between eyebrows.  Then a little bit of lifting will be enough.  You don’t have to try to totally in a hard way try to rush and lift it, then that could be painful.  No need.  Simple way.  Try to watch just somewhere here, that’s good enough. 

Same Questioner:   So, this is almost like watching your nostrils.  I mean, sort of. 

Babaji Maharaj:   Yes.  In the beginning, you want to watch the tip of the nostrils; if the looking down is slightly better also you can practice.  Afterwards, the eyeballs will raise on their own. 

Same Questioner:   Okay.  Thank You, Babaji.  The second quick question is—I’m sitting erect.  People talk about having some sort of a dhyan mudra, etc.  No need or will it help a beginner like us?

Babaji Maharaj:   No need to bother.  Just what you have been asked to do—this mudra is good enough.  Simple. 

Same Questioner:   Thank You, Babaji. 

Question:   How do you develop real trust?  You’re fine in meditation and then all of a sudden you start problem solving because something bad happened.  So, how do you let go of that?

Babaji Maharaj:   You have some problem.  You praying to your Guru or God is okay for a while, but don’t keep thinking that problem all the twenty-four hours.  For a minute or so if you pray and then while meditating, don’t bother about that problem.  When you get up, you can try to attend to that one.  Like that if you keep it differently, it will be all right. 

Same Questioner:   Okay, thank You. 

Question:   Pranaam Babaji.  Thank You so much.  It’s so wonderful Babaji.  Babaji, one quick question.  Meditating in the silent meditation has become so deep that the rest of the day I have become silent.  So, that is a bit unnerving.  So, hence I wanted to ask You, is it okay?  Because I thought one hour meditation didn’t make sense if the rest, twenty-three hours I’m in conflict.  So, I decided to make twenty-four-hours a meditation; even my work is meditation.  But then talking, dealing with people, everything reduces.  The productivity increases tremendously, but these states are very different to what my usual state was.  And so sometimes it gets a bit unnerving and also silence in the mind makes… like the breathing also stops sometimes during meditation, when there are no thoughts.  And I have become very energy sensitive by being quiet.  So, these are states I’m not used to before, so just wanted to ask, is it okay?  

Babaji Maharaj:   Remaining quiet mentally is all right, but the breathing must go on smoothly by practice.  Just like if you are a skilled driver, your eyes will be watching the road, but applying the accelerator or brake, gears, everything, automatically your hands and legs keep doing.  Like that, the breathing must go on smoothly.  And if you don’t rush in such a way then slowly the breathing will go on, let it go.  You practice the pranayama also before sitting for meditation.  Just sit for one-hour meditation is good enough and try to remain focused when you have to work somewhere.  When you have to talk to somebody, come out and try to talk definitely, don’t give up talking to somebody.  So, that is important.  Slowly you can balance it, otherwise it can unnerve you because you are not used to so much of silence.  Then it will be all right.  If necessary, when you come out of meditation you chant some mantra, some name of God or Om, anything.  That will bring you out properly and keep sipping some water sometimes when you need to talk to somebody, then this will bring you back a little to normalcy, so that slowly your mind can pick up this habit instead of suddenly going deeper into it. 

Same Questioner:   Sorry, just one more—but Babaji, there is also something that is pulling me deeper into this.  Since I don’t know what it is, I don’t know…  Should I go in deeper or should I still hold back for the professional life?

Babaji Maharaj:   Still hold back to the professional life for some more time; suddenly going is not proper.  Slowly and slowly going is better for that one; don’t have to give up anything.  That’s why when you sit for meditation, come out also, sip some water also, then all the organs will start functioning properly and you will feel better to be a normal person.  Like that you practice; long time practice is required so that you will not get disturbed physically, that’s also important. 

Same Questioner:   Thank You, thank You so much Babaji, thank You. 

Question:   Hi, good evening Babaji, thank You for Your time today.  My question is, sometimes when we are surrounded by people who are very angry and we are sensitive to that energy, how can we stay quiet when energetically we are feeling that very strong emotion, and we feel disturbed by that?

Babaji Maharaj:   The meditation every day for one hour will help your mind to make you the master of your mind, then you will remain unaffected by the surrounding.  You can keep yourself cool and at peace and totally non-violent even if something is happening also, that would be possible.  Because in the society this is always a challenge for anybody in today’s society or at home or the working place; so many things keep happening.  You need to keep yourself cool and focused, so you practice.  And at that time also, if you need you can try to remember any Divine name.  If you love any Divine’s form, whatever you like, the thing or a Guru’s name you can try to remember, so that your mind starts remaining introverted only, instead of watching the surroundings more.  So, like this, instead of getting distracted, you can remain focused in your work and in your place; this will be helpful. 

Same Questioner:   Thank You, Babaji. 

Question:   Babaji, actually this is the first time I am attending Your session, but I have been practicing meditation since one year regularly, one hour daily and half hour during evening, but actually I am facing the same issues – my mind was distracted back then and currently also thoughts will pop up, like it is not going away.  So, can I know how I can track my progress or am I not putting in enough efforts?

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, so your mind needs to understand the technique.  As the first point, if you just watch, that means you are not trying to analyze because your mind, everybody’s mind has a tendency to recognize and analyze a thought and make a judgment.  These three things happen in very quick succession, a fraction of a moment perhaps; you have to avoid that one.  When a thought pops up, just watch.  If it is a good thought or a bad thought, you don’t call it good or bad in your mind, just watch it, it is simply getting away, it is being thrown out.  Like, without getting involved—means the robber is running away, but you are forced to watch.  Don’t get involved with the robber, that type of thing.  The thought is going away.  You need to exercise a little bit of will power.  A thin edge of difference will be there, the moment the thought appears and your mind gets involved, you have to restrain yourself, then just watch; that is the meaning.  So, that is what also is “Don’t imagine about anything” also, your mind must not.  So, this practice, if you understand slowly—it may take some time, so slowly, slowly it will come to you.  Once you understand this technique then you will be able to progress better. 

Same Questioner:   So Babaji, is there any way to know that we are progressing?  It is always like I am struggling.

Babaji Maharaj:   See, progress is more peace descends and you will not be hurt by this world very quickly.  Your mind will become more non-violent, enjoys more peace and you can remain more focused in your every work, anywhere; if you are studying or if you are working, your focus point will be tremendously increasing, you will see.  This is the real progress.  More peace will descend.  Without bothering about the result, acceptance will come, but you will put in your effort fully concentrated and you will remain more peaceful. 

Same Questioner:   And Babaji, my other question was that I used to practice mantra japa meditation, so should I now continue with Your practice or that japa?

Babaji Maharaj:   Mantra japa, if you have the inclination, do it before meditation a little bit and then while meditating, don’t do anything.  Because, you know, what happens, mantra japa also is very good, not a bad thing, but it is like a preliminary round exercise for the mind to become single-pointed.  Finally, one day when you want to go for Self-realization, mind has to merge with the Self, means mind, if it becomes totally silent, then it merges with the Self.  Until it is holding on to some imagination… so here, instead of having million thoughts, you are trying to stick to one thought; that is the mantra japa.  So, you can continue until you have the inclination.  Try to do it before and try to be silent during meditation.  It will be helpful. 

Same Questioner:   Okay, thank You, Babaji.  

Question:   Guruji, my question is that four years I have been meditating, but for a few months I have had fears of what will be the end result of this.  So, my question is regarding the end goal of Self-realization. In YouTube I saw some spiritual person say that Self-realization could lead to termination of the physical body.  So, I want to ask, is it possible or how I can prevent that if it is?

Babaji Maharaj:   Yeah, not necessary, no need of any such thing.  We all realized, we practiced tapas and our body is there.  For this we can always guide you.  First thing, if you just do one hour, that is a very little meditation, nothing will happen to you.  You can be a very normal person, continue in your work, job, any way of life that you have adopted; that is important.  Slowly, slowly you can progress.  Every time you keep a glass of water with you when you sit for meditation, then as soon as you come out of meditation, take some water; that will help you to become a normal person and that is what happens.  So, no need to die, no need to give up the body.  As long as the body is there, you can be a normal person in this world, and you might be a better matured person and helpful to others.  Those who go totally deeply without taking any food… so you just live a normal life and practice little bit of one hour meditation is good enough.  You don’t have to go for that much of tapas.  So, if you are worried, no need for that one.  Then you will be a matured human being, you will be able to think for a larger cause, you will have more peace, your mind will be at least non-violent.  That benefit will be there.  Don’t have to worry, nobody has to die.  

Same Questioner:   Guruji, but the final moment when a person becomes Self realized, at that point what happens in the connection with mind, consciousness and body? 

Babaji Maharaj:   You see, one thing that is important, our Guru trained and helped us that during our tapas also, at least once or twice in twenty-four hours we used to take a little bit of food that we could digest, like a glass of milk, or some vegetable soup, or ‘patli si khichidi’ [very thin rice and lentil soup] type, anything, a little bit that you can digest, so that was helping to keep the body—important.  This is very important, a food must be taken whatever little bit of quantity, the day when you are able to do tapas.  Then the mind becomes quiet and quiet, so many experiences will come, then mind will realize “It is all my own creation”, then when it becomes totally quiet, you will be able to experience nirvikalpa samadhi.  Always during such times, one day if at all you are able to do, you must keep a glass of water.  Before going into meditation, think that you want to have that glass of water.  That will bring you out, out of that deeper meditation or samadhi, if at all it happens, anything.  No need to worry about that.  Then immediately drink some glass of water.  Also, somebody friendly, who is loyal to you needs to look after your body.  Without that somebody looking after your body, you must not go so deeply into meditation to do tapas, or becoming Self-realized.  First achieve this one hour of meditation, without worrying or bothering about any such thing, you will be a normal person.  This is what is important.  When you come to such a stage, God will help you, some guidance will come to you.  If we are alive, then we will help you and guide you.  No need to worry! 

Question:   First, thank You Babaji and thank you for the co-hosts.  So, my question is, I’m a student right now, and so I have to juggle between being very objective and being creative; objective so I can understand the academics that I need to do and make logical decisions, and creative so that I can think outside the box and not limit myself.  So, from what I’ve understood so far, this meditation helps you focus on one task and helps you get rid of all the other thoughts that your mind has.  But the creative people I know say that they keep these boxes open in their mind of all the things that they faced, of unsolved problems or connections that they’ve learned, and as they learn more information, they connect it back to those boxes, which is how they’re able to make new ideas that no one else has made before by connecting unconnected dots that no one would have connected before.  So, how do you think creatively and think outside the box?  Also, when meditation is about seeking on one task, how does meditation play a role to connect it to other things so you can also think creatively?

Babaji Maharaj:   You see, what we are trying to teach is when you’re working on one thing, you will be able to remain focused; this is one thing.  And your creativity will not get disturbed by practicing meditation.  In fact, creativity is a different thing, it is a wonderful thing.  But if you’re unable to stop your mind—all the time you are worried about creativity and then you lose your peace, so that’s what we are trying to teach.  If you meditate, you are able to become a master of your mind.  When you need to be thinking or be creative, you can do it.  When you don’t need it, you can relax.  You see, in the twenty-four hours, you are creative, you can keep working, but some hours you need to sleep also to give a rest to your body.  All the twenty-four hours you cannot be creative, keep working, then your body will get affected; this is what is important. 

Your concentration power becomes better.  Anywhere you apply, whichever box you open, so then you will be able to attend to that creativity or that problem or that solution, anything will be much better.  You will be a much better matured person.  So, this is what the benefit will be.  You don’t have to become totally silent, you will not lose your mind, and you will not lose any creative talents also; it will always be there.  In fact, you will be much better.  What you achieve is, when you want to stop thinking, you can stop.  Just like you driving a car anywhere is no problem in the city, but if you are unable to bring it to a halt, then it can be disastrous for you, you can be dangerous to others on the road.  In the same way, mind if it becomes violent, is unable to stop, then you might be harming others, you might be harming yourself.  This is what you can overcome and you can achieve peace for yourself.  You need not think when you don’t need, when you want to think you can always think.  Even now, if I have to teach what I experienced, if I want to think I can think, when I don’t need, I keep quiet mentally.  That’s what I have achieved.  Like that you can also achieve.  It will not be disturbing for your life.  You can be a normal person, what you are. 

Question:   If we are doing pranayama and meditation, how much ratio, how much of one should we do compared to the other, please?

Babaji Maharaj:   Do pranayama for three to five minutes and then go to meditation, is much better.  This will help the inhale and exhale to go on smoothly, so that is what you can do.  Before meditation, you can do pranayama for five minutes,and then go for a silent meditation. 

Question:   Thank You, Babaji.  Babaji had earlier spoken about how the breathing should stay smooth.  There are many teachers and sometimes in the scriptures it’s translated, that when one is in deep meditation, the breath will stop and that corresponds with the mind stopping also.  Could Babaji please speak about why a person’s breathing would go on smoothly. 

Babaji Maharaj:   No, it is a wrong understanding.  The breath must not stop; your oxygen intake must be there, otherwise the body can fall down, it will perish.  This must not happen.  You do not starve your body of the oxygen; that is very vital.  That must be going on; that is important.  Even the scriptures actually have spoken, if a person goes into such nirvikalpa samadhi without taking even air also, or any food also, at the most one can be alive for some time like twenty, twenty one days.  That is all.  But without taking oxygen you cannot remain alive even for some time, like a minute or so also.  If you consult the experts, doctors, they will tell this must also be taken into account.  The mind can stop, but the oxygen intake must not be stopped.  That is important for the body, please. 

Question:   Thank You, Baba.  Is it okay to keep watching with the eyes closed when lying down on the bed, or when not really sitting perfectly straight?

Babaji Maharaj:   As long as you don’t fall asleep, this is important.  That’s why we alert, it is good to do meditation, sitting is better.  You must not fall asleep, important.  Then you won’t be able to meditate.  So, take care of this.  Then when you are lying down, just for sake of being unable to sit down and you want to lie down comfortably, don’t do it—but sitting also you do practice, and then when you are lying also if you want to practice as long as you don’t fall asleep, you can practice that, no problem. 

Question:   Thank You, Baba.  Is there any specific diet to follow, and is there any other specific discipline which will help overall?

Babaji Maharaj:   You see, remaining disciplined in life in every way is important.  Try to know the limits of this world, limits of the things that you have to take.  Like about the food intake—take lighter meals, because when you sit for meditation your stomach should be lighter; you should not fall asleep.  For that purpose, take lighter meals, three or four times instead of having a heavy meal.  This is one important mantra.  Otherwise, you can eat to whichever you are used to.  In today’s world it is so difficult to say which food not to eat, it doesn’t make that type of difference.  What it makes is if you take it like a medicine, any such thing; any same medicine if it is taken too much that can be harmful.  Like for example, if you want to eat one chocolate or one ice cream, it’s not harmful, you can take it, but if you are going to take fifty and a hundred, then the same thing can be harmful.  So, if you understand these limitations, then you can look after yourself better, remain disciplined in life, whatever you have to do, you do it.  Just like you need to earn a livelihood, you remaining disciplined is important and you want to meditate, remaining disciplined is important.  Look after your body health, look after your mental health.  Whenever for any body health needs, consult a medical expert.  Do not hesitate to consult a medical expert; important.  We are experts in mind control, that’s what it is.  For body health you have to consult a medical expert.  So, these are all the disciplines that you have to follow properly, whichever one it is, then it will be helpful for you to meditate.

End of Session