Meditation

Meditation is the submergence of the ego in its essential nature. It is at the root of all self-knowledge and wisdom. However, most often, what we call meditation is just escapism—using some ‘method of meditation’ to superficially soothe our restlessness or gain temporary and deceptive relief from stress.

True meditation… read_more

Meditation is the submergence of the ego in its essential nature. It is at the root of all self-knowledge and wisdom. However, most often, what we call meditation is just escapism—using some ‘method of meditation’ to superficially soothe our restlessness or gain temporary and deceptive relief from stress.

True meditation… read_more

प्रश्नकर्ता: आचार्य जी, ध्यान में रहना और वैसे ही अपनी ज़िंदगी बिताना अगर सही तरीका है, तो हम लोग अपने तरीके से, जितना भी हमलोगों को पता है उस हिसाब से या आपको जैसे सुनते हैं, तो कोशिश करते हैं। पर लगता है कि कुछ हो नहीं रहा या हमसे… read_more

प्रश्नकर्ता: मैं एक सर्जन (शल्य चिकित्सक) हूँ। क्या ध्यान में होने से सर्जरी सफल हो सकती है?

आचार्य प्रशांत: ध्यान में होने पर ही सर्जरी सफल हो सकती है। नहीं तो ध्यान का फ़ायदा क्या? ध्यान का अर्थ ही होता है कि मन के पास भटकने के लिए कोई ठिकाना,… read_more

प्रश्नकर्ता: आचार्य जी, मैं काफ़ी समय से मेडिटेशन (ध्यान) कर रही हूँ। पिछले कुछ दिनों से कभी-कभी ऐसा होता है कि कुछ समय के लिए टाइमलेसनेस (कालहीनता) का अनुभव होता है। मैं ऐसा क्या करूँ कि ये अनुभव पूरे दिन रहे?

आचार्य प्रशांत: अगर आपको पता न होता कि मेडिटेशन … read_more

प्रश्नकर्ता: आचार्य जी, आप अपनी किताब में कहते हैं कि ध्यान की विधियों से कुछ नहीं होगा, लेकिन क्या कुछ देर बैठ कर अपने विचारों को देखना सही नहीं है? क्या इससे कुछ पलों का चैन नहीं मिलेगा?

आचार्य प्रशांत: सटीक उदाहरण नहीं दे रहा हूँ पर इशारा समझना। चुपचाप… read_more

Questioner: How do I utilise my time better during this self-isolation period so that my devotion in him is strengthened and what are the things that I need to keep a check upon during this free time?

Acharya Prashant: All right. Keep a check upon yourself. There’s nothing else to… read_more

Acharya Prashant: Observing the daily ordinary actions of the mind, that is the only way. Observing it as an impartial observer. There is no other method that is going to work because all other methods are ‘isolations.’ The method does something to life . The method excludes life; the method… read_more

Acharya Prashant: So, you are asking, ‘How to surrender’?

If I say you can surrender by jumping from that hill top, you won’t take the advice, right? It would be foolish advice if I say that. If I say, you can surrender by jumping into leaping flames, that is again… read_more

Questioner 1: Namaskar Acharya Ji! My question is, how should I control my emotions, so that they don’t become too extreme in positive as well as in negative situations. Actually, it happens to me every time that whenever I achieve my goal, I feel so happy. But if I fail,… read_more

Questioner : I have strong ego resistance and my ego resistance is health issues. Sometimes, I wake up at 4’o clock with this heavy migraine and today I woke up with this eye infection and these things, they come and go.

So, I believe it is ego resistance to my… read_more

Question: Dear Sir, we have been talking about how to use the ‘higher’ desire of brahman as a broom to clean up all the desires and then to burn the broom itself. Do you think I should simply sit back and read without this burning desire, this lust for knowledge,… read_more

Questioner: Nisargadatta Maharaj says to be constantly in the “I am” realization. What does that mean? What is this “I am” realization? This he said was the mantra that his Guru gave him and this was also the advice that he would give to all his listeners. He used to… read_more

Question: Dear Sir, when I review the discussions that take place in the clarity sessions, most of them are beyond my ordinary imaginations. The experiences or the words mentioned in these sessions sound very pure and pious but very difficult to attain. Why is it so?

Answer: The Sunday discussions… read_more

The highest virtue is not virtuous Therefore it has virtue The lowest virtue holds onto its virtue Therefore it has no virtue The highest benevolence acts without purpose The highest righteousness acts with purpose The highest ritual acts, but since no one cares, it raises its arms and use force … read_more

Question: You have said, “Awareness is untouched by problems. No matter what, good or bad, be aware.” On the other hand you also talk of complete immersion. These two seem to be contradictory.

Speaker: First of all, be a little immersed so that you do not misquote me. I have… read_more

Questioner: Does meditation have something to do with attention?

Acharya Prashant: Meditation. What do you call as meditation? What do you mean by meditation?

Listener 1: Concentrating on something.

AP: So you mean some techniques that you may have read somewhere. They may be helpful but they are not the… read_more

Question: I read somewhere that when a person dies, the stream, of which it was a manifestation, still goes on. What is the process of this stream and how does it manifest itself?

Sir, is there life after death? What sort of knowledge passes on at the time of enlightenment?… read_more

प्रश्नकर्ता: प्र: तो आचार्य जी, अंजन, अंजनों के घर्षन से निरंजन निकल रहा है, ऐसा कुछ हो रहा है?

आचार्य प्रशांत: निरंजन क्या है कि जो निकलेगा?

प्र: या फिर मतलब उसमें...

आचार्य प्रशांत: निरंजन कुछ है कि जो निकलेगा?

प्र: यहाँ पर आप इतनी देर से एक्सप्लेन (समझा) कर… read_more

प्रश्नकर्ता: नमस्कार सर। सर, दुनिया में दो तरह के सिद्धांत चलते हैं — एक ये कि जवान लोग कहते हैं कि खाओ-पियो बिंदास जियो, और दूसरी ये कि बुज़ुर्ग या दार्शनिक लोग कहते हैं कि जीवन क्या है इसको समझो, अपना पुरुषार्थ दिखाओ, अपनेआप को जानो, इस तरह की बातें।… read_more

How many hours do you spend meditating each day?

This is a trick question!

Whether you are “meditating” one hour per day or six, you are not truly meditating. This is because meditation is not something you do to escape life.… read_more

प्रश्नकर्ता: आचार्य जी, साक्षीभाव से साधना के विषय में कहा जाता है कि किसी एक विशेष चीज़ पर आपका ध्यान लगा होना चाहिए, जैसे विपश्यना ध्यान जिसमें अपनी आती-जाती साँसों के प्रति होश पूर्ण रहा जाता है, लेकिन आप हमें जिस चीज़ के प्रति सचेत रहने को कहते हैं वो… read_more

Acharya Prashant (AP): (Reads question) Mohit Sharma from the USA, “Pranam Acharya Ji, I am paying attention to what and how I do. I have observed four states of mind. Is it natural to observe this? Are these all the same or different? And by doing it, will I go… read_more

Questioner (Q): Can you please introduce us to some tools or practices which can help us in maintaining and focusing our awareness on the path of that endless work you hinted about the inner work?

Acharya Prashant (AP): Actually, all my life, I have never really used any specific definite… read_more

Questioner (Q): I have a question on my practice.

So, when I notice thoughts arising or the sounds of the cars, when I notice them in my awareness, I will ask, “To whom is this arising?” And sometimes I’ll go, "Oh! They will just disappear and won't bother me." And,… read_more

Questioner (Q): The mind’s function is to think. So, what does it mean to be really free from the mind?

Acharya Prashant (AP): It means that even when you are thinking, thinking has not become too important for you.

It’s like this—In the morning, I get up from my bed… read_more

Questioner: Recently, I came across an article on psychedelic drugs. I was surprised to know that a large part of the spiritual community consumes such psychedelic drugs, and claims that it has helped them immensely to remain in a peaceful state.

I was even more surprised to find that many… read_more

Questioner (Q): Is meditation required?

Acharya Prashant (AP): What is meditation?

Q: It’s like concentrating on breathing.

AP: Have we not already talked of concentration?

To concentrate is to force the mind to a particular object, and the mind doesn’t like being forced. So, if mediation is about concentration then… read_more

श्रुतिविप्रतिपन्ना ते यदा स्थास्यति निश्चला।

समाधावचला बुद्धिस्तदा योगमवाप्स्यसि।।

śhruti-vipratipannā te yadā sthāsyati niśhchalā

samādhāv-achalā buddhis tadā Yogam avāpsyasi

When your mind, now perplexed by what you have heard, stands firm and steady, then you will have attained Yoga or Self-Realization.

~ Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 2, Verse 53)

Acharya Prashant: We… read_more

Question: Acharya Ji, I cannot really wrap my head around this when I say, “Okay fine, at this point that I am greedy for experiences, and I want to go out and may be get a massage for myself.”

So once I have understood that I am greedy for new… read_more

Questioner (Q): What is liberation?

Acharya Prashant (AP): What is bondage? There is nothing called liberation, nothing at all. It’s just that because there is bondage, hence there is liberation. In the absence of bondage, you are liberated from liberation as well.

Q: Is meditation the only way to attain… read_more

Question: I have been reading Osho’s book ‘Vigyan Bhairav’ and in this book Lord Shiva explained 112 meditation techniques to keep the mind in present. However, Osho has also said that, “meditation is a quality of being that you bring to the act”.

I am confused as Osho has… read_more

Acharya Prashant: The ‘Who am I’ inquiry is a simple method. In fact, the simplest of methods. So simple that it cannot even be called a method. And it is often misunderstood. *‘*Who am I’ is not a question. It cannot be a question because we are already full of… read_more

चित्तमूलो विकल्पोऽयं चित्ताभावे न कश्चन । अतश्चित्तं समाधेहि प्रत्यग्रूपे परात्मनि ॥

cittamūlo vikalpo’yaṃ cittābhāve na kaścana ataścittaṃ samādhehi pratyagrūpe parātmani

This apparent universe has its root in the mind and never persists after the mind is annihilated. Therefore, dissolve the mind by concentrating it on the Supreme Self, which is … read_more

Question: What role does the word ‘meditation’ has in us increasing our chances of Liberation?

Acharya Prashant Ji:

If ‘meditation’ is Freedom from bondage, if that’s what your meditation honestly is, then obviously meditation will help in Liberation. But if meditation is just another thing, then what does it have … read_more

Questioner (Q): How does one know that she is meditating rightly? Secondly, I know that one should not be dependent on others and one's happiness should always come from within. Yet, my emotions erupt and I react due to the actions of the other person. So, how to stay detached… read_more

Questioner (Q): My question is about meditation. My problem is that whenever I sit to meditate, you come to my mind and your videos come into mind, in which you say, “No, that's not spirituality. Sitting and closing your eyes or breathing—that's not spirituality.” But in some way or the… read_more

Acharya Prashant: Being in the right environment itself is Satsang. Satsang does not necessarily mean a gathering. Satsang means realizing what affects the mind and acting accordingly. Give the mind the right food, give the mind the right companions. The right companions of all kinds: right books, right food in… read_more

Question: Dear Sir, how should one meditate? I don’t even know where and how to start?

Answer: Let me answer in a few ways.

The very question you are asking is a step in that direction. This question is a result of an acceptance of the limitation of mind; otherwise… read_more

Questioner: When we meditate regularly, we start losing let’s say the desires, or I want to do this and goals and everything. But, then it’s kind of equal to, to become passive in life. So, can you say something about that? Because being passive also feels like…

Acharya Prashant: You… read_more

Questioner (Q): I have a question on these four commonly quoted methods: śama (restraint), dama (taming, subduing), daṇḍ (chastising, punishment), and bheda (division, difference). None of these methods seem to work. What to do? How to understand these methods correctly?

Acharya Prashant (AP): There are an infinite variety of methods,… read_more

Acharya Prashant: It is true, where there is no action, there is no effort, but is it also true where there is no effort there is no action?

Is that true as well?

There is something called effortless action as well.

It is true where there is no action there… read_more

Questioner (Q): Sir, does fulfillment come by experiencing everything completely?

Acharya Prashant (AP): What is everything? Do you have to go somewhere and experience it, or is it anyway happening daily? Whenever somebody says, “I need to go out and experience”, then he is directly suggesting that, “Right now life… read_more

It is a very common and a very harmful misconception to take dhyāna as something. Dhyāna is nothing. Dhyāna is not an object. Dhyāna is not a thing. Dhyāna is not a routine, not a practice, not an exercise. Dhyāna , rather, is on all these things. Dhyāna is what… read_more

Do you have the Buddha nature? Moo. Neither “Yes” nor “No”. If you say, “Yes”, then you mean that you, as you are, you as you think you are, have a Buddha nature. No, no way! The way we have built ourselves up, the way we have conceptualized ourselves, there … read_more