Meditation And Its Methods: Swami Vivekananda Guides on the Practice of Meditation by Swami Vivekananda

by Vivekananda

Prayers, ceremonials, and all the other forms of worship are simply kindergartens of meditation.

You will find at last that the easiest way to make ourselves healthy is to see that others are healthy, and the easiest way to make ourselves happy is to see that others are happy.

Read only those books which have been written by persons who have had realisation.

Freedom is never to be reached by the weak.

this idea that the destiny of man is progressing ever forward and forward, and never stopping, is absurd.

the mind is in three states, one of which is darkness, called Tamas, found in brutes and idiots; it only acts to injure. No other idea comes into that state of mind. Then there is the active state of mind, Rajas, whose chief motives are power and enjoyment. “I will be powerful and rule others.” Then there is the state called Sattva, serenity, calmness, in which the waves cease, and the water of the mind-lake becomes clear.

The first sign that you are becoming religious is that you are becoming cheerful.

I try to concentrate my mind upon this glass, excluding every other object from my mind except this glass. But the mind is wavering... 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]. The mind and the glass are identical. I do not see any difference.

Mukti means entire freedom-freedom from the bondages of good and evil.

Those that are very emotional no doubt have their Kundalini rushing quickly upwards, but it is as quick to come down as to go up. And when it does come down, it leaves the devotee in a state of utter ruin.

(1) Karma Yoga—The manner in which a man realizes his own divinity through works and duty. (2) Bhakti Yoga—The realization of a divinity through devotion to and love of a personal God. (3) Rajah Yoga—The realization of divinity through control of mind. (4) Jnana Yoga—The realization of man’s own divinity through knowledge.

Nobody is watching us except ourselves.

The little fish wants to fly from its enemies in the water. How does it do so? By evolving wings and becoming a bird. The fish did not change the water or the air; the change was in itself. Change is always subjective. All through evolution you find that the conquest of nature comes by change in the subject. Apply this to religion and morality, and you will find that the conquest of evil comes by the change in the subjective alone.

And the only religion that ought to be taught is the religion of fearlessness. Either in this world or in the world of religion, it is true that fear is the sure cause of degradation and sin. It is fear that brings misery, fear that brings death, fear that breeds evil. And what causes fear? Ignorance of our own nature.

We may study books all our lives, we may become very intellectual, but in the end we find that we have not developed at all spiritually. It is not true that a high order of intellectual development always goes hand in hand with a proportionate development of the spiritual side in Man.

This inadequacy of books to quicken spiritual growth is the reason why, although almost every one of us can speak most wonderfully on spiritual matters, when it comes to action and the living of a truly spiritual life, we find ourselves so awfully deficient.

The soul has no sex, no country, no place, no time.

All outgoing energy following a selfish motive is frittered away; it will not cause power to return to you; but if restrained, it will result in development of power. This self-control will tend to produce a mighty will, a character which makes a Christ or a Buddha. Foolish men do not know this secret; they nevertheless want to rule mankind.

Don’t be deceived. Maya is a great cheat. Get out. Do not let her catch you this time. Do not sell your priceless heritage for such delusions.

Arise, awake, stop not till the goal is reached.

One idea that I see clear as daylight is that misery is caused by ignorance and nothing else. Who will give the world light? Sacrifice in the past has been the Law, it will be, alas, for ages to come. The earth’s bravest and best will have to sacrifice themselves for the good of many, for the welfare of all. Buddhas by the hundred are necessary with eternal love and pity.