Chapter 9The Role of Concentration and Meditation · Regularity, Length and Other Conditions

If it is possible to keep a fixed period for meditation and stick to it, it would certainly be desirable.

* To keep the consciousness awake you must set apart a certain time every day for concentration and remembering the Mother and keeping yourself in contact with us. What is gained is not lost by interruption, but it goes behind and may take time to come out again — so the thread should not be cut.

* It is not the length of the meditations that makes the difference [in making one vitally and physically strong]. It is a concentration of the will that is needed.

* It is better to make the deeper concentration when you are alone or quiet. Outward sounds ought not to disturb you.

* In external things all men of action have to do that [shift their concentration quickly from one thing to another] — otherwise they would not be able to cope with their work. In respect to inner concentration, it is not so easy because people bring other vibrations which interfere with the poise of the consciousness — a mere mental interruption ought not to be difficult to recover from; but if the consciousness itself gets invaded or else drawn out, it takes time to get back. In the end a condition develops in which the inner consciousness is always concentrated and in a poise, sam¯ahitah., and outside things take place only on the outermost surface. Then it becomes easy.

* It is quite natural that at first there should be the condition of important is that there should be this condition whenever you sit and the pressure for it always there. But at other times the result is at first only a certain mental quiet and freedom from thoughts. Afterwards when the condition of peace is quite settled in the inner being — for it is the inner into which you enter whenever you concentrate — then it begins to come out and control the outer, so that the calm and peace remain even when working, mixing with others, talking or other occupations. For then whatever the outer consciousness is doing, one feels the inner being calm within — indeed one feels the inner being as one’s real self while the outer is something superficial through which the inner acts on life.

* The gaze should not be fixed for a long time as it overstrains the eyes (unless one has a long practice in Tratak). The fixing of the eyes is not necessary — a natural gaze is sufficient and it should be varied by meditation with closed eyes.

* When the meditation is done with the photo, it is better done with open eyes.