Meditation and Its Methods According to Swami Vivekanand

1. Meditation: The Path to Freedom and Mind Control

Meditation is the power which enables us to resist all this.

Resist nature's pull. Meditation is the key to gaining control over the external world's influence and our internal reactions. It allows us to choose how we respond to sensory input and life's challenges, rather than being swept away by them. This power to resist external calls and internal turmoil is the essence of freedom.

Mind like a lake. The mind is often agitated, like a lake with constant waves stirred by external stimuli and internal thoughts. These disturbances prevent us from seeing our true nature, just as ripples obscure the reflection of the moon or the lake's bottom. Meditation calms these waves, allowing clarity and self-perception.

Gate to bliss. While prayers and rituals serve as preliminary steps, meditation is the direct path to experiencing inner bliss and spiritual power. It is a conscious, voluntary effort to train the mind, leading to real, indestructible possessions like wealth and joy that are independent of external circumstances.

2. The Restless Mind: Understanding and Taming It

The human mind is like that monkey, incessantly active by its own nature; then it becomes drunk with the wine of desire, thus increasing its turbulence.

Monkey mind. The mind is naturally restless, constantly jumping from one thought to another, much like a monkey. This inherent activity is exacerbated by desires, which intoxicate the mind and increase its turbulence. Jealousy and pride further complicate this state, making the mind incredibly difficult to control.

Waves of thought. Just as stones dropped into a lake create waves, external things and internal impressions constantly disturb the mind's surface. These "waves" (Vrittis) prevent us from seeing the "bottom" (our true Self). The mind exists in states like Tamas (darkness/injury), Rajas (activity/desire), and Sattva (serenity/calmness).

Watch and wait. The first step in controlling the mind is simply observing it without judgment. Let the mind jump as much as it will; watch its "vagaries" to understand its nature. This knowledge is power, and through consistent observation, the mind's restlessness gradually diminishes, becoming calmer over time.

3. Creating the Right Environment and Conditions for Practice

Those of you who can afford it will do better to have a room for this practice alone.

Sanctified space. Dedicating a specific room for meditation, kept clean and holy, can significantly aid practice. This space should be free from distractions, filled with pleasing surroundings like flowers and pictures, and used only when clean in body and mind. Over time, it accumulates holy vibrations that promote calmness.

Optimal conditions. Beyond a dedicated space, certain conditions are conducive to meditation. Avoid practising where there is danger, noise, wicked persons, or when feeling lazy, ill, or miserable. Choose quiet, hidden, or beautiful places.

Timing and preparation. Practising at least twice daily, ideally during the calm periods of early morning and evening, leverages natural tendencies towards stillness. Making it a rule to practise before eating can also help overcome laziness and establish consistency.

4. The Stages of Meditation: Concentration to Absorption

There are three stages in meditation. The first is what is called [Dharana], concentrating the mind upon an object... When it has become strong and does not waver so much, it is called [Dhyana], meditation. And then there is a still higher state when the differentiation between the glass and myself is lost-[Samadhi or absorption].

Dharana: Focused attention. The initial stage involves concentrating the mind on a single object, excluding all others. This is challenging as the mind naturally wavers, but consistent effort strengthens its ability to focus.

Dhyana: Sustained flow. As concentration deepens and the mind wavers less, it enters the state of meditation (Dhyana). Here, the focus on the object is sustained, like an unbroken stream of oil. Watching the arising thoughts during this stage indicates the mind's tendency towards concentration.

Samadhi: Absorption and realization. The highest stage is Samadhi, where the distinction between the meditator and the object of meditation dissolves. The mind becomes one with the object, or in higher forms, melts into the inner Self, leading to glimpses or full realization of supersensuous truth and pure "isness."

5. Realization Comes From Within: The Inner Teacher

Go into your own room and get the Upanishads out of your own Self. You are the greatest book that ever was or ever will be, the infinite depository of all that is.

Truth within. The ultimate truth and divinity are not found externally but reside within one's own soul. Churches, temples, and external forms are merely faint imitations of the divine reality present within every being.

Inner teacher. Until the inner teacher awakens, external teachings and books are of limited value. Books can confirm what is realized internally, but true understanding comes from introspection and connecting with the infinite knowledge within oneself.

De-hypnotization. We are often hypnotized into believing in our own inferiority and identifying with the body and mind, which causes suffering. Meditation helps break this illusion, allowing the "crystal" of the soul to return to its own pure color and realize its true, divine nature.

6. Cultivating Strength, Fearlessness, and Detachment

Strength is goodness, weakness is sin.

Gospel of fearlessness. Fear is the root cause of degradation, sin, misery, and evil, stemming from ignorance of our true nature. The core teaching for spiritual growth is fearlessness, daring to know and practice the truth that nothing in the universe can kill the spirit.

Build strength. Spiritual progress requires strength—mental, physical, moral, and spiritual. Weakness prevents freedom. Tell your body and mind they are strong, have unbounded faith in yourself, and manifest your real, effulgent nature.

Power of detachment. Suffering is largely caused by lack of detachment. Alongside concentration, cultivate the ability to detach the mind from objects at will. This allows you to be a witness to the world's events without being enslaved by them, seeing the universe as a series of paintings without being affected.

7. Patience and Perseverance: The Keys to Success

To succeed, you must have tremendous perseverance, tremendous will.

Unwavering resolve. Achieving the goal of meditation requires immense perseverance and will. One must have the determination to "drink the ocean" and make "mountains crumble," working hard without thinking of immediate results.

Inch by inch. Progress in meditation is often slow, taking days, months, years, or even births. The pull towards the goal must be conscious and voluntary, gaining ground inch by inch, leading to real, lasting possessions that cannot be taken away.

Never give up. Even when faced with setbacks or periods where progress seems to cease, it is crucial to hold fast and persevere. The story of the Yogi who meditated until an ant-hill grew around him, yet rejoiced at the prospect of many more births, illustrates the reward that comes from unwavering patience and dedication.

8. The Power of a Concentrated Mind

The power of attention
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Last updated: May 7, 2025