Dhyana - Swami Rama

Part II

Concentration and Meditation Techniques

The following practices are used to increase and intensify concentration and meditation. One should remember that no practice should be undertaken without the direct supervision and guidance of an accomplished teacher. These practices are described only to provide an overview of the diversity and nature of the practices recommended by the scriptures, and many require special preparation and preliminary practices. The following exercise is a basic form of meditation.

A Visualization and Meditation on the Divine in the Heart Center

The aspirant should assume his meditative posture, close his eyes gently, and allow the breath to flow smoothly and easily. One next draws upon his imagination to create an attractive image that symbolizes his highest spiritual ideal or concept. For example, one may visualize the image of the Virgin Mary, Christ, the Buddha, Krishna, Moses, or the face of his Gurudeva. He places this image in his heart, where he surrounds the image with an ocean of light, and holds it there, mentally visualizing it. Any beautiful image may be visualized according to the imaginative capacity of the practitioner. Some of the original visualizations described in the scriptures are so elaborate that it would require many pages to describe a single image. One must build one’s mental image as perfectly and completely as possible, and meditate on this alone. One must remain constant in selecting one image and not change from one image to another. Neither should he change his meditative posture from one day to the next.

© "Path of Fire and Light" Vol. I, Advanced Practices of Yoga by Swami Rama, published (1986) by The Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy of the USA, RR 1, Box 400, Honesdale, PA 18431. Part I of this article appeared in Splendour, August 2003 issue.

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