VISHWA KALYAN JANUARY 2008

Vishwa Kalyan
(For Welfare of the Universe)
Monthly news letter of
“Lokakshema Inter national Mission Trust”®

A MISSION FOR WELFARE OF MANKIND AND WORLD PEACE
Regd. Office A-73, INDERPURI, NEWDELHI-110012 011-25836229
A TRUST OF THE PEOPLE BY THE PEOPLE FOR THE PEOPLE
(For free distribution amongst members)
Vol III Meditation Special January 2008
Om Parashakti Namo Namaha
Sarvesham Swasthir Bhavathu Sarvesham Shanthir Bhavathu
Sarvesham Poornam Bhavathu Sarvesham Mangalam Bhavathu
Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavanthu
best wishes for a happy and prosperous mew year 2008 to all our readers
Respected Sir/Madam,
Namaskar,
we cordially invite you along with your family to
Putra Kameshti Mahayagya
(For the benefit of childless couples and for couples desiring children)
On Saturday 19th and 20th January 2008
Venue: Plot Near SRI RAM MANDIR (The Delhi Bhajan Samaj, Regd) HAF POCKET 2, SECTOR 7, DWARKA, NEW DELHI 110075
In the august presence and divine guidance of
Param Pujya Guruji Dr. PS Varadarajan
Shri P.S.Varadarajan (Guruji)
Shri Guruji believes in simple living and high thinking He does not believe in any outward show. He makes each and everyone feel at ease and is always ready to help everyone.
Born in an Orthodox Hindu family of Vedic scholars Shri PS Varadarajan was initiated into Vedic rituals and spirituality in young age. He did not pursue the family profession of Vaidhikam and was more interested in academic career He had served Indian Air Force for about two years before joining Indian Railways even then he was in continuous touch with his spiritual aspirations an ardent devotee of Goddess Parashakti. He excelled in his all round activities like drama, theatre, music, etc and even taught part time in a school.
Goddess Parashakti bestowed her boons and Shri PS Varadarajan attained special powers or Sidhi and the new form of chanting was taught by Goddess herself ie shabda rupam (Sound form) which was at least 90 times more powerful than ritualistic chanting of mantras. Many undisclosed secrets of the cosmic world were revealed him. At a particular stage he could not believe it all himself. So he approached a famous astrologer in Kerala to verify what powers had overcome him as some thing supernatural had seemed to take over. The Astrologer initially did not treat Shri PS Varadarajan properly as he thought it was just another normal person who had come to him for removal of evil spirits. The Astrologer could not control his feelings when he started his rituals and by the time he could finish he started asking for forgiving him for not recognizing the Power of Goddess Parashakti who had come in human form. Shri PS Varadarajan was still perplexed about the transformation on that Astrologer since his visit.
After that visit Shri P.S.Varadarajan understood that the grace of Goddess Parashakti the supreme power had been bestowed upon him. He continued his spiritual chanting and started helping people who ever came to him with a problem financially, socially and spiritually. Slowly the message began to spread and people started coming to him for removal of problems. During this period he got the grace of Navagrahas the nine celestial beings. Shri PS Varadarajan received an invitation from Jagatguru Shri Jayendra Saraswati of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, Kanchipuram, where he received his blessings and the order of serving mankind through his spiritual powers.
Since then Shri PS Varadarajan was called as Guruji by people who got their problems solved through his divine grace and Shri Guruji has been performing innumerable homams, Abhishekams, Pujas, chantings, etc relentlessly pursuing his mission of welfare to the mankind and world peace.
During last two decades Shri Guruji had performed Mahayagya for prevention of Natural disasters, Global Warming, Tsunamis, Earthquakes, etc in addition to special homams for removal of problems of individual people and has cured diseases like leukaemia, hepatitis, problem of an Autistic child, etc and removal of negative possessions over human bodies and soul.
He had also been instrumental in organising social welfare programmes like poor feeding, distribution of cloth& medicines to needy people and social welfare measures through the charitable Trust he has established “Lokakshema International Mission Trust”.
Recently he has organised 459 abhishekams to Navagrahas in temples all over India and world for reducing the malefic effects of planets and to prevent loss of human life due to earthquakes, tsunamis, global warming, etc
It is proposed to organise a series of Homams (Havans) during the calendar year 2008 and first of the programmes is Putra Kameshti Mahayagya
Programme
Saturday 19th January 2008
Sunday 20th January 2008
6.00 AM
Maha Ganapathi Yagya
6.30AM
Maha Sudharshana Yagya
7.00AM
Dhanvanthri yagya
onwards
Shiva Shakti Yagya
onwards
Purusha Suktha Yagya
Chanting of Gayathris of navagraha
Shri Suktha Yagya
For removal of all kinds of Dosh
Navagraha Yagya
Strengthening of body and soul
Nakshatra yagya
Santhana Gopala Mahayagya
Shri Raja Matangi Yagya
(To be performed by the couples desiring offspring)
Poornahuti
1.00 PM
Poornahuti
01:30:00 pm
Distribution of Prashad
1.30 PM
Distribution of prashad
Please give maximum publicity to this event and You may start registering interested couples by filling up the Registration form for Putra Kameshti Yagna available with the news letter and the Registration Forms can be sent to the Delhi office of the Trust (A-73 Inder Puri, New Delhi-110012) or may contact on land line no 011-25836229 or mobile 91-9868369793 or any of the following office bearers:
Shri V.R. Swaminathan 9810192164 Shri S. K. Murthy 9310035504 Shri Vaidyanathan 9891467966 Shri K.Satyanarayana Sharma 9313203053
Shri A. Ramesh 9811097125 Shri N. T. Arasu 9811944478
Smt. Preeti Shah 9212195559 Shri K. Hariharan 9868369793
Shri K Venkatesh 011-20294480 Shri S Seetharaman 9868849112
On the occasion of Makara sankranti a special feature on Lord Ayyappa
Lord Ayyappa
Lord Ayyappa is the presiding deity of Sabarimala temple. Information on the life and teachings of the Lord are mostly based on legends. In fact, there are very many popular stories associated with Him among the devotees. These differ from one to another depending on the imaginations of the narrator and inherent variations due to the passing down of the stories from generation to generation. However, there are a few events which are common in all the stories and which can stand historical scrutiny. Examples are:
All stories confirm that Ayyappa lived in the Pandalam Palace as the son / savior of the King.
He had had super-human or divine knowledge, wisdom, and courage and had great liking for the King and his people.
He protected the King and the kingdom from the attacks of enemies.
At the end of His life in Pandalam, He vanished into the forests and is ever since worshiped at the Sabarimala temple.
The most popular and widely accepted story goes to say that Lord Ayyappa had had His human sojourn as the son of the Raja(King) of Pandalam. At that time, Raja Rajasekhara ruled the kingdom of Pandalam. During one of his hunting expeditions, the Raja was puzzled to hear the wails of a child on the banks of the river Pampa. He moved in the direction of the voice to find a resplendent infant there. The beautiful baby with radiant face wore a bead ('mani') around his neck. Mythology has it that Manikantan was Ayyappan, born of Hari and Hara. The King, though pious, charitable, just, and God-fearing had no children. He accepted the child as God's gracious response to his fervent prayer for an heir to his throne. Manikantan was given proper education and training and he grew into a boy well versed in academic lore and martial arts of the time.Meanwhile the Rani gave birth to a son. The King regarded Manikantan as his elder son. He decided to crown him as the Yuvaraja. The King's corrupt Minister had had a deep dislike for Manikantan. The Minister made the innocent Queen believe that adverse consequences would befall her if Manikantan was crowned Yuvaraja and that the kingdom actually belonged to her son.
They conspired between them to get rid of Manikantan by hook or crook. They bribed the royal physician into becoming an accomplice of theirs. The Rani pretended to be afflicted with severe pain in the stomach, and the physician prescribed the milk of a leopard as the only cure for the ache. The King was in an agonizing fix. He knew that none could be deputed for a mission that was so patently suicidal. However, the youthful and valiant Manikantan stepped forth and volunteered to fetch the milk. Despite the worried protestations of his foster-father, he set out for the fearful forests.
Days later Manikantan entered the palace precincts riding a fierce leopard and followed by a pack of its cubs. The schemers were frightened into confessing their nefarious plot. They and others now knew that Manikantan was no ordinary being. They were convinced of His divine origins, and prayed to Him to be with them for their own salvation and for the safety of the kingdom. However, Manikantan was now determined to leave the place. Filled with emotions of happiness, grief, fear, wonder and 'bhakthi' (devotion to God) and self-surrender, the king stood praying for the mercy and blessings of Manikantan. He repented he could not fully visualize the truth of the divine powers of the Lord and repeatedly requested Him to forgive him for behaving as if He were his son only. The Lord lovingly embraced the King who continued to pray: " Lord, kindly bless me by freeing me from my egos and the worldly life of birth and rebirth and grant me ' moksha’ (salvation). Kindly continue to be the savior of my family and stay eternally in my kingdom.” Manikantan then enlightened the King on the path of attainment of 'moksha'. These words of the Lord are contained in ‘Bhuthanathageetha’, which is in the form of conversation between Him and His foster-father. To the King who is by now mentally cleansed and completely immersed in 'bhakthi', Lord Ayyappa told: " I am to free you from all worldly sorrows & worries and to grant you 'moksha'. All those who are and would be born in your family shall have my blessings unfailingly. I am always accessible to 'bhakthi' and only 'bhakthi ". The Lord told the King that he could construct a temple at Sabarimala, north of the holy river Pampa and install His deity there. Ayyappa also explained how the Sabarimala pilgrimage shall be undertaken, emphasizing the importance of 'vrutham' and what the devotees can attain by His 'darshan'.
The Lord further consoled the King saying that the devotees who held him and his descendants in 'bhakthi' shall happen to be devoted to Him as well. Manikantan then blessed the King and all others assembled there, and vanished. The King duly constructed the temple at Sabarimala, dedicated to Him.There are various lore’s connected with Lord Ayyappa. These relate to discovery of the child at Pampa, Manikantan's youthful days in the Pandalam palace, bestowing the power of hearing and speaking upon the deaf and dumb son of His teacher as Guru-dakshina, His friendship with Vaver, bringing the leopard's milk, accomplishing His divinely destined mission of annihilation of the demoness Mahishi, eliminating the forest-thug Udayanan, bestowing immortality on Sabari, blessing His foster-father with immortality and so on. Legend also goes to say that Manikantan was the incarnation of Lord DharmaSastha. Raja Rajasekhara was in his previous birth a rich and pious 'brahmin ' by name Vijayan who was a very strong believer and devotee of Lord Dharma Sastha. Such was Vijayan's ' bhakthi' towards the Lord that He blessed the brahmin by granting his wish to be born as his son in his next birth when the Lord would offer him "moksha'However, the Lord told her that He is a 'brahmachari' and so her desire would not be fulfilled. However, He allowed her to remain in Sabarimala, a little distant from His abode, as His sister - Malikappurathamma. The Vaver temple at Erumeli, the beginning of the forest route was also constructed. Various rituals were fixed, believed to be on the advice of Agasthyamuni. Legend also says that Parasurama himself came down to install the Ayyappa deity. The 'vrutham' and other practices to be followed before and during the Sabarimala pilgrimage were also prescribed as dictated by the LordArrangements for monthly poojas were made.
Once in a year, during Makaravilakku, the Raja visits Sabarimala along with the holy ornaments (Thiruvabharanam) from the Palace, which are, adorned on the Ayyappa deity and 'deeparadhana' conducted. It is at this time that the 'jyothi' appears on the eastern horizon. During Mandalam-Makaravilakku season, by custom, nobody starts on pilgrimage after the Raja of Pandalam sets out for Sannidhanam on 28th Dhanu, along with the Thiruvabharanam. In addition, pilgrims are restrained from going to Malikappuram after the 'guruthi' there on 6th Makaram.The period of Ayyappa is considered to be somewhere between 300-400 M.E. (1125-1225 A.D). Since Pandalam was assumed by Travancore in 1820 A.D, the administration of all the temples within the kingdom, including Sabarimala was done by Travancore govt., which was subsequently handed over to the Travancore Devaswom Board after Independence. As per the Travancore State Manual " the understanding arrived at when the particular temples were founded and endowed are followed". Thus the Raja of Pandalam even now continues to function in the dual status of the father of the Lord and the founder of the temple. The important pilgrimage season in Sabarimala is from 1st Vrischikom to 6th Makaram M.E. (mid-November to mid-January). Devotees irrespective of religion, cast, creed, nationality or social status are equals in His abode and are all addressed by His own name, namely 'Ayyappa'. In fact, the pilgrimage includes worship at Vaver temples at Erumeli and Sannidhanam, managed by Muslims. This stands as a glittering example of Hindu-Muslim unity. However, women in the age group 10-50 shall not go to Sabarimala. Other women devotees are permitted to trek the hill and are called as 'Malikappurams'.
navadurga sthothram
prathamam sailaputhrieethi dwitheeyam brahmacharinithritheeyam chandrakhandethi kusmandethi chathurthakampanchamam skandamathethi shashtam kaathyayaneethichasapthamam kaalaraathriethi mahagaurieethi chashtamamnavamam sidhidha proktha navadurga prakeerthitham
Meditation describes a state of concentrated attention on some object of thought or awareness. It usually involves turning the attention inward to a single point of reference.[1] The benefits of the practice can engender a higher state of altered consciousness. Meditation is recognized as a component of eastern religions, where it has been practiced for over 5,000 years.[2][3][4] Different meditative disciplines encompass a wide range of spiritual and/or psychophysical practices which can emphasize development of either a high degree of mental concentration, or the apparent converse, mental quiescence.The word meditation comes from the Latin meditatio, which originally indicated every type of physical or intellectual exercise, then later evolved into the more specific meaning "contemplation." Eastern spiritual teachings, including meditation, have been adapted and increasingly practiced in Western culture. [5]
Forms of meditation
Bodhidharma practicing zazen.
Meditation has been defined as: "self regulation of attention, in the service of self-inquiry, in the here and now."[6] The various techniques of meditation can be classified according to their focus. Some focus on the field or background perception and experience, also called "mindfulness;" others focus on a preselected specific object, and are called "concentrative" meditation. There are also techniques that shift between the field and the object.[7]In mindfulness meditation, the meditator sits comfortably and silently, centering attention by focusing awareness on an object or process (either the breath, a sound: a mantra, koan or riddle evoking questions; a visualisation, or an exercise). The meditator is usually encouraged to maintain an open focus:... shifting freely from one perception to the next... No thought, image or sensation is considered an intrusion. The meditator, with a 'no effort' attitude, is asked to remain in the here and now. Using the focus as an 'anchor'... brings the subject constantly back to the present, avoiding cognitive analysis or fantasy regarding the contents of awareness, and increasing tolerance and relaxation of secondary thought processes.[7]
Concentration meditation is used in most religions and spiritual practices. Whereas in mindfulness meditation there is an open focus, in concentration mediation the meditator holds attention on a particular object (e.g., a repetitive prayer) while minimizing distractions; bringing the mind back to concentrate on the chosen object.[8] In some traditions, such as Vipassana, mindfulness and concentration are combined.[9]
Meditation can be practiced while walking or doing simple repetitive tasks. Walking meditation helps to break down habitual automatic mental categories, "thus regaining the primary nature of perceptions and events, focusing attention on the process while disregarding its purpose or final outcome." In a form of meditation using visualization, such as Chinese Qi Gong, the practitioner concentrates on flows of energy (Qi) in the body, starting in the abdomen and then circulating through the body, until dispersed.[7] Some meditative traditions, such as yoga or tantra, are common to several religions[4] or occur outside religious contexts.
Hinduism
Hinduism is the oldest religion that professess meditation as a spiritual and religious practice. Yoga (Devanagari: योग) is one of the six schools of Hindu philosophy, focusing on meditation. In India, Yoga is seen as a means to both physiological and spiritual mastery.
There are several types of meditation in Hinduism. Amongst these types are:
Vedanta, a form of Jnana Yoga.
Raja Yoga as outlined by Patanjali, which describes eight "limbs" of spiritual practices, half of which might be classified as meditation. Underlying them is the assumption that a yogi should still the fluctuations of his or her mind: Yoga cittavrrti nirodha.
Surat shabd yoga, or "sound and light meditation"
Japa Yoga, in which a mantra is repeated aloud or silently
Bhakti Yoga, the yoga of love and devotion, in which the seeker is focused on an object of devotion, eg Krishna
Hatha Yoga, in which postures and meditations are aimed at raising the spiritual energy, known as Kundalini, which rises through energy centres known as chakras
Bahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith teaches that meditation is necessary for spiritual growth, alongside obligatory prayer and fasting. 'Abdu'l-Bahá is quoted as saying:
"Meditation is the key for opening the doors of mysteries to your mind. In that state man abstracts himself: in that state man withdraws himself from all outside objects; in that subjective mood he is immersed in the ocean of spiritual life and can unfold the secrets of things-in-themselves."[10]
Although the Founder of the Faith, Bahá'u'lláh, never specified any particular forms of meditation, some Bahá'í practices are meditative. One of these is the daily repetition of the Arabic phrase Alláhu Abhá (Arabic: الله ابهى) (God is Most Glorious) 95 times preceded by ablutions. Abhá has the same root as Bahá' (Arabic: بهاء‎ "splendor" or "glory") which Bahá'ís consider to be the "Greatest Name of God".
Buddhism
Buddha in meditation
Meditation has always been central to Buddhism. The historical Buddha himself was said to have achieved enlightenment while meditating under a Bodhi tree. Most forms of Buddhism distinguish between two classes of meditation practices, shamatha and vipassana, both of which are necessary for attaining enlightenment. The former consists of practices aimed at developing the ability to focus the attention single-pointedly; the latter includes practices aimed at developing insight and wisdom through seeing the true nature of reality. The differentiation between the two types of meditation practices is not always clear cut, which is made obvious when studying practices such as Anapanasati which could be said to start off as a shamatha practice but that goes through a number of stages and ends up as a vipassana practice.
Theravada Buddhism emphasizes the meditative development of mindfulness (sati, see for example the Satipatthana Sutta) and concentration (samadhi, see kammatthana), as part of the Noble Eightfold Path, in the pursuit of Nibbana (Nirvana). Traditional popular meditation subjects include the breath (anapana) and loving-kindness (mettā).
Zen Buddhist meditation or zazen
In Japanese Mahayana schools, Tendai (Tien-tai), concentration is cultivated through highly structured ritual. Especially in the Chinese Chán Buddhism school (which branched out into the Japanese Zen, and Korean Seon schools), ts'o ch'an meditation and koan meditation practices allow a practitioner to directly experience the true nature of reality (each of the names of these schools derives from the Sanskrit dhyana, and translates into "meditation" in their respective languages). The esoteric Shingon sect shares many features with Tibetan Buddhism.
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana) emphasizes tantra for its senior practitioners; hence its alternate name of Tantrayana Buddhism. Many monks go through their day without "meditating" in a recognizable form, but are more likely to chant or participate in group liturgy. In this tradition, the purpose of meditation is to awaken the sky-like nature of mind, and to introduce practitioners to that which they really are: unchanging pure awareness, which underlies the whole of life and death.[11][12]
Meditation is the way to bring us back to ourselves, where we can really experience and taste our full being, beyond all habitual patterns. In the stillness and silence of meditation, we glimpse and return to that deep inner nature that we have so long ago lost sight of amid the busyness and distraction of our minds.
The gift of learning to meditate is the greatest gift you can give yourself in this life. For it is only through meditation that you can undertake the journey to discover your true nature, and so find the stability and confidence you will need to live, and die, well. Meditation is the road to enlightenment.- Sogyal Rinpoche, The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying[11]
Most Buddhist traditions recognize that the path to Enlightenment entails three types of training: virtue (sīla); meditation (citta); and, wisdom (paññā).[13] Thus, meditative prowess alone is not sufficient; it is but one part of the path. In other words, in Buddhism, in tandem with mental cultivation, ethical development and wise understanding are also necessary for the attainment of the highest goal.[14]
Christianity
Christian traditions have various practices which might be identified as forms of "meditation." Many of these are monastic practices. Some types of prayer, such as the rosary and Adoration (focusing on the eucharist) in Catholicism or the hesychasm in Eastern Orthodoxy, may be compared to the form of Eastern meditation that focuses on an individual object.
Christian meditation is considered a form of prayer. Some Christian prayer is made primarily by using the intellect, through the contemplation of the divine mysteries. However, Christian prayer or meditation through the heart, as described in the Philokalia is a practice towards Theosis, which involves acquiring an inner stillness and ignoring the physical senses.
According to the Old Testament book of Joshua, a form of meditation is to meditate on scriptures. This is one of the reasons why bible verse memory is a practice among many evangelical Christians. "Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it, then you will be prosperous and successful." (Joshua 1:8)
The use of the word meditation in the western Christian tradition has referred generally to a more active practice of reflection on some particular theme such as "meditation on the sufferings of Christ".
Islam
Meditation in Islam is the core of Muslim mystical traditions (in particular Sufism). Meditative quiescence is believed to have a quality of healing and creativity.[15] The Muslim prophet Muhammad, whose deeds devout Muslims follow, spent long periods in meditation and contemplation. It was during one such period of meditation that Muhammad began to receive revelations of the Qur'an.[16]
There are two concepts or schools of meditation in Islam:
Tafakkur and Tadabbur, literally meaning reflection upon the universe. Muslims feel this is a form of intellectual development which emanates from a higher level, i.e. from God. This intellectual process through the receiving of divine inspiration awakens and liberates the human mind, permitting man’s inner personality to develop and grow so that he may lead his life on a spiritual plane far above the mundane level. This is consistent with the global teachings of Islam, which views life as a test of our practice of submission to Allah, the one God.
The second form of meditation is the Sufi meditation, it is largely based on mystical exercises. However, this method is controversial among Muslim scholars. One group of Ulama, Al-Ghazzali, for instance, have accepted it, another group of Ulama, Ibn Taymiya, for instance, have rejected it as a bid'ah (Arabic: بدعة‎) (religious innovation).
Sufism relies on a practice similar to Buddhist meditation, known as Muraqaba or Tamarkoz which is taught in the Oveyssi-Shahmaghsoudi Sufi order. Tamarkoz is a Persian term that means ‘concentration,’ referring to the “concentration of abilities”. Consequently, the term concentration is synonymous to close attention, convergent, collection, compaction, and consolidation.Muslims meditate during the second stage of Hajj at "Mount Mercy", from noon to sunset.[17]
Jainism


Jain sadhvis meditating
The Jains use the word Samayika, a word in the Prakrit language derived from the word samay (time), to denote the practice of meditation. The aim of Samayika is to transcend the daily experiences of being a "constantly changing" human being, Jiva, and allow for the identification with the "changeless" reality in the practitioner, the Atma. The practice of Samayika begins by achieving a balance in time. If the present moment of time is taken to be a point between the past and the future, Samayika means being fully aware, alert and conscious in that very moment, experiencing one's true nature, Atma, which is considered common to all living beings. The Samayika takes on special significance during Paryushana, a special 8-day period practiced by the Jains.Meditation techniques were available in ancient Jain scriptures that have been forgotten with time. A practice called preksha meditation is said to have been rediscovered by the 10th Head of Jain Swetamber Terapanth sect Acharya Mahaprajna,[18] and consists of the perception of the body, the psychic centres, breath and of contemplation processes which will initiate the process of personal transformation. It aims at reaching and purify the deeper levels of existence. Regular practice strengthens the immune system, builds up stamina to resist against aging process, pollution, chemical toxins, viruses, diseases, food adulteration etc.[19]
Acharya Mahaprajna says:
Soul is my god. Renunciation is my prayer. Amity is my devotion. Self restraint is my strength. Non-violence is my religion.[20]
Judaism
There is evidence that Judaism has had meditative practices that go back thousands of years.[21] For instance, in the Torah, the patriarch Isaac is described as going "לשוח" (lasuach) in the field—a term understood by all commentators as some type of meditative practice (Genesis 24:63).
Similarly, there are indications throughout the Tanach (the Hebrew Bible) that meditation was central to the prophets.[21] In the Old Testament, there are two Hebrew words for meditation: hāgâ (Hebrew: הגה‎), which means to sigh or murmur, but also to meditate, and sîḥâ (Hebrew: שיחה‎), which means to muse, or rehearse in one's mind.
In modern Jewish practice, one of the best known meditative practices is called hitbodedut (התבודדות) or hisbodedus is explained in Kabbalah and Hassidic philosophy. The word hisbodedut, which derives from the Hebrew word "boded", בודד (a state of being alone) and said to be related to the sfirah of Binah (lit. book of understanding), means the process of making oneself understand a concept well through analytical study.
Kabbalah is inherently a meditative field of study. Kabbalistic meditative practices construct a supernal realm which the soul navigates through in order to achieve certain ends. One of the most well known types of meditation is Merkabah, from the root /R-K-B/ meaning "chariot"(of God).
New Age


Meditation workshop at 1979 Nambassa in New Zealand
New Age meditations are often influenced by Eastern philosophy and mysticism such as Yoga, Hinduism and Buddhism, yet may contain some degree of Western influence. In the west meditation found its mainstream roots through the hippie- counterculture social revolution of the 1960s and 1970s when many of the youth of the day rebelled against traditional belief systems. [22] Examples of such meditations include:
Paramahansa Yogananda, taught Kriya Yoga and other meditation practices to help people achieve that understanding, which he called self-realization:
Passage Meditation, a modern method developed by spiritual teacher Eknath Easwaran, involves silent, focused repetition of memorized passages from world scripture and the writings of great mystics.
Transcendental Meditation, a form of meditation taught and promoted by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
FISU (Foundation for International Spiritual Unfoldment) was established by Gururaj Ananda Yogi's prime disciples Rajesh Ananda and Jasmini Ananda whom are the leaders ever since.
Ananda Marga meditation was propounded by a Mahakaula Guru Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiiji in India, who said that it revived sacred practices taught by SadaShiva and Sri Krs'na. His system of meditation, he said, is based on original Tantra as given by Shiva and has sometimes been referred as "Rajadhiraja Yoga". He revised many yogic and meditative practices and introduced some new techniques.
Sikhism
In Sikhism, the practices of simran and Nām Japō encourage quiet meditation. This is focusing one's attention on the attributes of God. Sikhs believe that there are 10 'gates' to the body; 'gates' is another word for 'chakras' or energy centres. The top most energy level is the called the tenth gate or dasam dwar. It is said[attribution needed] that when one reaches this stage through continuous practice meditation becomes a habit that continues whilst walking, talking, eating, awake and even sleeping. There is a distinct taste or flavour when a meditator reaches this lofty stage of meditation, as one experiences absolute peace and tranquility inside and outside the body.
Followers of the Sikh religion also believe that love comes through meditation on the lord's name since meditation only conjures up positive emotions in oneself which are portrayed through our actions. The first Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Nanak Dev Ji preached the equality of all humankind and stressed the importance of living a householder's life instead of wandering around jungles meditating, the latter of which being a popular practice at the time. The Guru preached that we can obtain liberation from life and death by living a totally normal family life and by spreading love amongst every human being regardless of religion.
Taoism


"Gathering the Light", Taoist meditation from The Secret of the Golden Flower
Main article: Taoism
Taoism includes a number of meditative and contemplative traditions. Originally said to have their principles described in the I Ching, Tao Te Ching, Chuang Tzu and Tao Tsang among other texts; the multitude of schools relating to Qigong, Neigong, Daoyin and Zhan zhuang are a large, diverse array of breath training practises in aid of meditation with much influence from later Chinese Buddhism and with much influence on traditional Chinese medicine and the Chinese as well as some Japanese martial arts. The Chinese martial art T'ai Chi Ch'uan is named after the well-known focus for Taoist and Neo-Confucian meditation, the T'ai Chi T'u, and is often referred to as “meditation in motion”.
Often Taoist Internal martial arts, especially Tai Chi Chuan are thought of as moving meditation. A common phrase being, "movement in stillness" referring to energetic movement in passive Qigong and seated Taoist meditation; with the converse being "stillness in movement", a state of mental calm and meditation in the tai chi form.
Others
Meditation according to Krishnamurti
J Krishnamurti used the word meditation to mean something entirely different from the practice of any system or method to control the mind. He said, “Man, in order to escape his conflicts, has invented many forms of meditation. These have been based on desire, will, and the urge for achievement, and imply conflict and a struggle to arrive. This conscious, deliberate striving is always within the limits of a conditioned mind, and in this there is no freedom. All effort to meditate is the denial of meditation. Meditation is the ending of thought. It is only then that there is a different dimension which is beyond time.” For Krishnamurti, meditation was choiceless awareness in the present. He said "..When you learn about yourself, watch yourself, watch the way you walk, how you eat, what you say, the gossip, the hate, the jealousy - if you are aware of all that in yourself, without any choice, that is part of meditation."[23]
[ Active/dynamic meditation
Dynamic Meditation is the name of one of Osho's popular Active Meditation techniques. However, in general active/dynamic meditation refers to any meditation technique which does not have one's body assuming a static posture. Such techniques are widely used in Karma Yoga. An example of such activity could be Natya Yoga or a Shamanistic dance, such as described by Carlos Castaneda or simple exercises that focus on certain parts of the body "to give you the power to profoundly affect your mental and physical state directly and quickly".[24]
Osho, earlier named Rajneesh, introduced the meditation techniques which he termed Active Meditations, which begin with a stage of activity — sometimes intense and physical — followed by a period of silence. He emphasized that meditation is not concentration. Dynamic Meditation involves a conscious catharsis where one can throw out all the repressions, express what is not easily expressible in society, and then easily go into silence. Some of his techniques also have a stage of spontaneous dance. He said that, "If people are innocent there is no need for Dynamic Meditation. But if people are repressed, psychologically are carrying a lot of burden, then they need catharsis. So Dynamic Meditation is just to help them clean the place. And then they can use any method ... It will not be difficult. If they, right now, directly try, they will fail." [25]
Sri Aurobindo used to meditate while walking.
Also the Thai monk Luang Por Teean taught a (more conservative) form of active meditation which in Luang Por Teean's translated books is usually translated as 'Dynamic Meditation'. It involves the use of the hands and arms during sitting meditation. He also used walking meditation as a complementary method. His teaching was aimed at developing awareness of the movements of the arms, which are moved continuously in a certain pattern throughout the meditation. The awareness is, however, not limited to the arms but inclusive of the whole life-experience. This type of active meditation is a type of vipassana meditation, which originated in Burma, but is becoming more well known in the western countries, too.
Sahaja Yoga Sahaja Yoga is a meditative practice started by H.H. Shri Mataji Nirmala Srivastava. Sahaja Yoga focuses on awakening the Kundalini, so that practitioners can achieve Self-realization.
Secular
Forms of meditation which are devoid of mystical content have been developed in the west as a way of promoting physical and mental well being.
Jacobson's Progressive Muscle Relaxation was developed by American physician Edmund Jacobson in the early 1920s. Jacobson argued that since muscular tension accompanies anxiety, one can reduce anxiety by learning how to relax the muscular tension.
Autogenic training was developed by the German psychiatrist Johannes Schultz in 1932. Schultz emphasized parallels to techniques in yoga and meditation; however, autogenic training is devoid of any mysticism.
Australian psychiatrist Dr Ainslie Meares published a groundbreaking work in the 1960's entitled Relief Without Drugs, in which he recommended some simple, secular relaxation techniques based on Hindu practices as a means of combating anxiety, stress and chronic physical pain.
Herbert Benson M.D., of Harvard Medical School, conducted a series of clinical tests on meditators from various disciplines - mainly Transcendental meditation and Tibetan Buddhism. He first described the results in his 1975 book The Relaxation Response where he outlined a secular approach to achieving similar results.
Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche founded Shambhala Training in 1976, a secular program of meditation with a belief in basic goodness and teaching the path of bravery and gentleness. The 1984 book Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior contains student-edited versions of Trungpa's lectures and writings.
The book Sensual Meditation (1980) which was written by the founder of the Raëlian movement outlines a sequence of non-ascetic meditation exercises which emphasize a Sensual Meditation involving a physical and sensual awareness connected with current knowledge of how the body and mind are organized.
The 1999 book The Calm Technique: Meditation Without Magic or Mysticism by Paul Wilson has a discussion and instruction in a form of secular meditation.
Biofeedback has been tried by many researchers since the 1950s as a way to enter deeper states of mind.[26]
Primordial Sound Meditation is an ancient meditation technique with its origins in the Vedic tradition of India. It has been modernized and revitalized by Drs. Deepak Chopra and David Simon of the Chopra Center for Wellbeing. It is a silent mantra meditation that uses primordial sounds (sounds of nature) that are linguistically structured and used to bring awareness to more and more subtle levels of thought.
Meditation using beads
Most religions have their own prayer beads or rosary. A rosary consists of pearls or beads linked together by a thread. Christians use a string of beads containing five sets with ten small beads. Each set of ten is separated by another bead. The Hindu and Buddhist rosary has 108 beads and the Muslim rosary 99 beads. Prayers and specific meditations of each religion are different and there are theological reasons for the number of beads. Rosaries may come in different colors, sizes and designs. However, the central purpose, which is to pray repetitively and to meditate, is the same across all religions that use them as a prayer tool.[citation needed]
Acoustic and photic
Newer forms of meditation are based on the results of EEG (electro-encephalogram) work in long-term meditators. Studies have demonstrated the presence of a frequency-following response to auditory and visual stimuli. This EEG activity was termed "frequency-following response" because its period (cycles per second) corresponds to the fundamental frequency of the stimulus. Stated plainly, if the stimulus is 5 Hz the resulting measured EEG will show a 5 Hz frequency-following response using appropriate time-domain averaging protocols.[27][28] This is the justification behind such inventions as the Dreamachine and binaural beats.
Meditation in a Western context
"Meditation" in its modern sense refers to Yogic meditation that originated in India. In the late nineteenth century, Theosophists adopted the word "meditation" to refer to various spiritual practices drawn from Hinduism, Buddhism, and other Eastern religions. Thus the English word "meditation" does not exclusively translate to any single term or concept, and can be used to translate words such as the Sanskrit dhyana, samadhi and bhavana.
Meditation may be for a religious purpose, but even before being brought to the West it was used in secular contexts, such as the martial arts. Beginning with the Theosophists, though, meditation has been employed in the West by a number of religious and spiritual movements, such as Yoga and the New Age movement, as well as limited use in Christianity.
From the point of view of psychology and physiology, meditation can induce an altered state of consciousness, and its goals in that context have been stated to achieving spiritual enlightenment, to the transformation of attitudes, and to better cardiovascular health.
Vratas and festivals in January 2008
Amavasya
8
Mattu Pongal
Kanu /Gou Puja
16
Sankatahara Chathurthi
25
Pournami
22
Pradosham
5,20
Thai Poosam
22
Krithigai
17
Ekadashi
4,18
Shashti
14,28
Pongal
15
Hanumath Jayanti
8
For Vaastu
26
Shuba Muhurtham Days 20,27,28
We are also planning to introduce free Horoscope exchange services Astrological Consultancy, Reiki, Pranic Healings and training classes, etc soon. Interested people who wish to offer their Services may please contact Lokakshema International Mission Trust by phone or by email
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VISHWA KALYAN JANUARY 2008

Vishwa Kalyan
(For Welfare of the Universe)
Monthly news letter of
“Lokakshema Inter national Mission Trust”®

A MISSION FOR WELFARE OF MANKIND AND WORLD PEACE
Regd. Office A-73, INDERPURI, NEWDELHI-110012 011-25836229
A TRUST OF THE PEOPLE BY THE PEOPLE FOR THE PEOPLE
(For free distribution amongst members)
Vol III Meditation Special January 2008
Om Parashakti Namo Namaha
Sarvesham Swasthir Bhavathu Sarvesham Shanthir Bhavathu
Sarvesham Poornam Bhavathu Sarvesham Mangalam Bhavathu
Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavanthu
best wishes for a happy and prosperous mew year 2008 to all our readers
Respected Sir/Madam,
Namaskar,
we cordially invite you along with your family to
Putra Kameshti Mahayagya
(For the benefit of childless couples and for couples desiring children)
On Saturday 19th and 20th January 2008
Venue: Plot Near SRI RAM MANDIR (The Delhi Bhajan Samaj, Regd) HAF POCKET 2, SECTOR 7, DWARKA, NEW DELHI 110075
In the august presence and divine guidance of
Param Pujya Guruji Dr. PS Varadarajan
Shri P.S.Varadarajan (Guruji)
Shri Guruji believes in simple living and high thinking He does not believe in any outward show. He makes each and everyone feel at ease and is always ready to help everyone.
Born in an Orthodox Hindu family of Vedic scholars Shri PS Varadarajan was initiated into Vedic rituals and spirituality in young age. He did not pursue the family profession of Vaidhikam and was more interested in academic career He had served Indian Air Force for about two years before joining Indian Railways even then he was in continuous touch with his spiritual aspirations an ardent devotee of Goddess Parashakti. He excelled in his all round activities like drama, theatre, music, etc and even taught part time in a school.
Goddess Parashakti bestowed her boons and Shri PS Varadarajan attained special powers or Sidhi and the new form of chanting was taught by Goddess herself ie shabda rupam (Sound form) which was at least 90 times more powerful than ritualistic chanting of mantras. Many undisclosed secrets of the cosmic world were revealed him. At a particular stage he could not believe it all himself. So he approached a famous astrologer in Kerala to verify what powers had overcome him as some thing supernatural had seemed to take over. The Astrologer initially did not treat Shri PS Varadarajan properly as he thought it was just another normal person who had come to him for removal of evil spirits. The Astrologer could not control his feelings when he started his rituals and by the time he could finish he started asking for forgiving him for not recognizing the Power of Goddess Parashakti who had come in human form. Shri PS Varadarajan was still perplexed about the transformation on that Astrologer since his visit.
After that visit Shri P.S.Varadarajan understood that the grace of Goddess Parashakti the supreme power had been bestowed upon him. He continued his spiritual chanting and started helping people who ever came to him with a problem financially, socially and spiritually. Slowly the message began to spread and people started coming to him for removal of problems. During this period he got the grace of Navagrahas the nine celestial beings. Shri PS Varadarajan received an invitation from Jagatguru Shri Jayendra Saraswati of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, Kanchipuram, where he received his blessings and the order of serving mankind through his spiritual powers.
Since then Shri PS Varadarajan was called as Guruji by people who got their problems solved through his divine grace and Shri Guruji has been performing innumerable homams, Abhishekams, Pujas, chantings, etc relentlessly pursuing his mission of welfare to the mankind and world peace.
During last two decades Shri Guruji had performed Mahayagya for prevention of Natural disasters, Global Warming, Tsunamis, Earthquakes, etc in addition to special homams for removal of problems of individual people and has cured diseases like leukaemia, hepatitis, problem of an Autistic child, etc and removal of negative possessions over human bodies and soul.
He had also been instrumental in organising social welfare programmes like poor feeding, distribution of cloth& medicines to needy people and social welfare measures through the charitable Trust he has established “Lokakshema International Mission Trust”.
Recently he has organised 459 abhishekams to Navagrahas in temples all over India and world for reducing the malefic effects of planets and to prevent loss of human life due to earthquakes, tsunamis, global warming, etc
It is proposed to organise a series of Homams (Havans) during the calendar year 2008 and first of the programmes is Putra Kameshti Mahayagya
Programme
Saturday 19th January 2008
Sunday 20th January 2008
6.00 AM
Maha Ganapathi Yagya
6.30AM
Maha Sudharshana Yagya
7.00AM
Dhanvanthri yagya
onwards
Shiva Shakti Yagya
onwards
Purusha Suktha Yagya
Chanting of Gayathris of navagraha
Shri Suktha Yagya
For removal of all kinds of Dosh
Navagraha Yagya
Strengthening of body and soul
Nakshatra yagya
Santhana Gopala Mahayagya
Shri Raja Matangi Yagya
(To be performed by the couples desiring offspring)
Poornahuti
1.00 PM
Poornahuti
01:30:00 pm
Distribution of Prashad
1.30 PM
Distribution of prashad
Please give maximum publicity to this event and You may start registering interested couples by filling up the Registration form for Putra Kameshti Yagna available with the news letter and the Registration Forms can be sent to the Delhi office of the Trust (A-73 Inder Puri, New Delhi-110012) or may contact on land line no 011-25836229 or mobile 91-9868369793 or any of the following office bearers:
Shri V.R. Swaminathan 9810192164 Shri S. K. Murthy 9310035504 Shri Vaidyanathan 9891467966 Shri K.Satyanarayana Sharma 9313203053
Shri A. Ramesh 9811097125 Shri N. T. Arasu 9811944478
Smt. Preeti Shah 9212195559 Shri K. Hariharan 9868369793
Shri K Venkatesh 011-20294480 Shri S Seetharaman 9868849112
On the occasion of Makara sankranti a special feature on Lord Ayyappa
Lord Ayyappa
Lord Ayyappa is the presiding deity of Sabarimala temple. Information on the life and teachings of the Lord are mostly based on legends. In fact, there are very many popular stories associated with Him among the devotees. These differ from one to another depending on the imaginations of the narrator and inherent variations due to the passing down of the stories from generation to generation. However, there are a few events which are common in all the stories and which can stand historical scrutiny. Examples are:
All stories confirm that Ayyappa lived in the Pandalam Palace as the son / savior of the King.
He had had super-human or divine knowledge, wisdom, and courage and had great liking for the King and his people.
He protected the King and the kingdom from the attacks of enemies.
At the end of His life in Pandalam, He vanished into the forests and is ever since worshiped at the Sabarimala temple.
The most popular and widely accepted story goes to say that Lord Ayyappa had had His human sojourn as the son of the Raja(King) of Pandalam. At that time, Raja Rajasekhara ruled the kingdom of Pandalam. During one of his hunting expeditions, the Raja was puzzled to hear the wails of a child on the banks of the river Pampa. He moved in the direction of the voice to find a resplendent infant there. The beautiful baby with radiant face wore a bead ('mani') around his neck. Mythology has it that Manikantan was Ayyappan, born of Hari and Hara. The King, though pious, charitable, just, and God-fearing had no children. He accepted the child as God's gracious response to his fervent prayer for an heir to his throne. Manikantan was given proper education and training and he grew into a boy well versed in academic lore and martial arts of the time.Meanwhile the Rani gave birth to a son. The King regarded Manikantan as his elder son. He decided to crown him as the Yuvaraja. The King's corrupt Minister had had a deep dislike for Manikantan. The Minister made the innocent Queen believe that adverse consequences would befall her if Manikantan was crowned Yuvaraja and that the kingdom actually belonged to her son.
They conspired between them to get rid of Manikantan by hook or crook. They bribed the royal physician into becoming an accomplice of theirs. The Rani pretended to be afflicted with severe pain in the stomach, and the physician prescribed the milk of a leopard as the only cure for the ache. The King was in an agonizing fix. He knew that none could be deputed for a mission that was so patently suicidal. However, the youthful and valiant Manikantan stepped forth and volunteered to fetch the milk. Despite the worried protestations of his foster-father, he set out for the fearful forests.
Days later Manikantan entered the palace precincts riding a fierce leopard and followed by a pack of its cubs. The schemers were frightened into confessing their nefarious plot. They and others now knew that Manikantan was no ordinary being. They were convinced of His divine origins, and prayed to Him to be with them for their own salvation and for the safety of the kingdom. However, Manikantan was now determined to leave the place. Filled with emotions of happiness, grief, fear, wonder and 'bhakthi' (devotion to God) and self-surrender, the king stood praying for the mercy and blessings of Manikantan. He repented he could not fully visualize the truth of the divine powers of the Lord and repeatedly requested Him to forgive him for behaving as if He were his son only. The Lord lovingly embraced the King who continued to pray: " Lord, kindly bless me by freeing me from my egos and the worldly life of birth and rebirth and grant me ' moksha’ (salvation). Kindly continue to be the savior of my family and stay eternally in my kingdom.” Manikantan then enlightened the King on the path of attainment of 'moksha'. These words of the Lord are contained in ‘Bhuthanathageetha’, which is in the form of conversation between Him and His foster-father. To the King who is by now mentally cleansed and completely immersed in 'bhakthi', Lord Ayyappa told: " I am to free you from all worldly sorrows & worries and to grant you 'moksha'. All those who are and would be born in your family shall have my blessings unfailingly. I am always accessible to 'bhakthi' and only 'bhakthi ". The Lord told the King that he could construct a temple at Sabarimala, north of the holy river Pampa and install His deity there. Ayyappa also explained how the Sabarimala pilgrimage shall be undertaken, emphasizing the importance of 'vrutham' and what the devotees can attain by His 'darshan'.
The Lord further consoled the King saying that the devotees who held him and his descendants in 'bhakthi' shall happen to be devoted to Him as well. Manikantan then blessed the King and all others assembled there, and vanished. The King duly constructed the temple at Sabarimala, dedicated to Him.There are various lore’s connected with Lord Ayyappa. These relate to discovery of the child at Pampa, Manikantan's youthful days in the Pandalam palace, bestowing the power of hearing and speaking upon the deaf and dumb son of His teacher as Guru-dakshina, His friendship with Vaver, bringing the leopard's milk, accomplishing His divinely destined mission of annihilation of the demoness Mahishi, eliminating the forest-thug Udayanan, bestowing immortality on Sabari, blessing His foster-father with immortality and so on. Legend also goes to say that Manikantan was the incarnation of Lord DharmaSastha. Raja Rajasekhara was in his previous birth a rich and pious 'brahmin ' by name Vijayan who was a very strong believer and devotee of Lord Dharma Sastha. Such was Vijayan's ' bhakthi' towards the Lord that He blessed the brahmin by granting his wish to be born as his son in his next birth when the Lord would offer him "moksha'However, the Lord told her that He is a 'brahmachari' and so her desire would not be fulfilled. However, He allowed her to remain in Sabarimala, a little distant from His abode, as His sister - Malikappurathamma. The Vaver temple at Erumeli, the beginning of the forest route was also constructed. Various rituals were fixed, believed to be on the advice of Agasthyamuni. Legend also says that Parasurama himself came down to install the Ayyappa deity. The 'vrutham' and other practices to be followed before and during the Sabarimala pilgrimage were also prescribed as dictated by the LordArrangements for monthly poojas were made.
Once in a year, during Makaravilakku, the Raja visits Sabarimala along with the holy ornaments (Thiruvabharanam) from the Palace, which are, adorned on the Ayyappa deity and 'deeparadhana' conducted. It is at this time that the 'jyothi' appears on the eastern horizon. During Mandalam-Makaravilakku season, by custom, nobody starts on pilgrimage after the Raja of Pandalam sets out for Sannidhanam on 28th Dhanu, along with the Thiruvabharanam. In addition, pilgrims are restrained from going to Malikappuram after the 'guruthi' there on 6th Makaram.The period of Ayyappa is considered to be somewhere between 300-400 M.E. (1125-1225 A.D). Since Pandalam was assumed by Travancore in 1820 A.D, the administration of all the temples within the kingdom, including Sabarimala was done by Travancore govt., which was subsequently handed over to the Travancore Devaswom Board after Independence. As per the Travancore State Manual " the understanding arrived at when the particular temples were founded and endowed are followed". Thus the Raja of Pandalam even now continues to function in the dual status of the father of the Lord and the founder of the temple. The important pilgrimage season in Sabarimala is from 1st Vrischikom to 6th Makaram M.E. (mid-November to mid-January). Devotees irrespective of religion, cast, creed, nationality or social status are equals in His abode and are all addressed by His own name, namely 'Ayyappa'. In fact, the pilgrimage includes worship at Vaver temples at Erumeli and Sannidhanam, managed by Muslims. This stands as a glittering example of Hindu-Muslim unity. However, women in the age group 10-50 shall not go to Sabarimala. Other women devotees are permitted to trek the hill and are called as 'Malikappurams'.
navadurga sthothram
prathamam sailaputhrieethi dwitheeyam brahmacharinithritheeyam chandrakhandethi kusmandethi chathurthakampanchamam skandamathethi shashtam kaathyayaneethichasapthamam kaalaraathriethi mahagaurieethi chashtamamnavamam sidhidha proktha navadurga prakeerthitham
Meditation describes a state of concentrated attention on some object of thought or awareness. It usually involves turning the attention inward to a single point of reference.[1] The benefits of the practice can engender a higher state of altered consciousness. Meditation is recognized as a component of eastern religions, where it has been practiced for over 5,000 years.[2][3][4] Different meditative disciplines encompass a wide range of spiritual and/or psychophysical practices which can emphasize development of either a high degree of mental concentration, or the apparent converse, mental quiescence.The word meditation comes from the Latin meditatio, which originally indicated every type of physical or intellectual exercise, then later evolved into the more specific meaning "contemplation." Eastern spiritual teachings, including meditation, have been adapted and increasingly practiced in Western culture. [5]
Forms of meditation
Bodhidharma practicing zazen.
Meditation has been defined as: "self regulation of attention, in the service of self-inquiry, in the here and now."[6] The various techniques of meditation can be classified according to their focus. Some focus on the field or background perception and experience, also called "mindfulness;" others focus on a preselected specific object, and are called "concentrative" meditation. There are also techniques that shift between the field and the object.[7]In mindfulness meditation, the meditator sits comfortably and silently, centering attention by focusing awareness on an object or process (either the breath, a sound: a mantra, koan or riddle evoking questions; a visualisation, or an exercise). The meditator is usually encouraged to maintain an open focus:... shifting freely from one perception to the next... No thought, image or sensation is considered an intrusion. The meditator, with a 'no effort' attitude, is asked to remain in the here and now. Using the focus as an 'anchor'... brings the subject constantly back to the present, avoiding cognitive analysis or fantasy regarding the contents of awareness, and increasing tolerance and relaxation of secondary thought processes.[7]
Concentration meditation is used in most religions and spiritual practices. Whereas in mindfulness meditation there is an open focus, in concentration mediation the meditator holds attention on a particular object (e.g., a repetitive prayer) while minimizing distractions; bringing the mind back to concentrate on the chosen object.[8] In some traditions, such as Vipassana, mindfulness and concentration are combined.[9]
Meditation can be practiced while walking or doing simple repetitive tasks. Walking meditation helps to break down habitual automatic mental categories, "thus regaining the primary nature of perceptions and events, focusing attention on the process while disregarding its purpose or final outcome." In a form of meditation using visualization, such as Chinese Qi Gong, the practitioner concentrates on flows of energy (Qi) in the body, starting in the abdomen and then circulating through the body, until dispersed.[7] Some meditative traditions, such as yoga or tantra, are common to several religions[4] or occur outside religious contexts.
Hinduism
Hinduism is the oldest religion that professess meditation as a spiritual and religious practice. Yoga (Devanagari: योग) is one of the six schools of Hindu philosophy, focusing on meditation. In India, Yoga is seen as a means to both physiological and spiritual mastery.
There are several types of meditation in Hinduism. Amongst these types are:
Vedanta, a form of Jnana Yoga.
Raja Yoga as outlined by Patanjali, which describes eight "limbs" of spiritual practices, half of which might be classified as meditation. Underlying them is the assumption that a yogi should still the fluctuations of his or her mind: Yoga cittavrrti nirodha.
Surat shabd yoga, or "sound and light meditation"
Japa Yoga, in which a mantra is repeated aloud or silently
Bhakti Yoga, the yoga of love and devotion, in which the seeker is focused on an object of devotion, eg Krishna
Hatha Yoga, in which postures and meditations are aimed at raising the spiritual energy, known as Kundalini, which rises through energy centres known as chakras
Bahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith teaches that meditation is necessary for spiritual growth, alongside obligatory prayer and fasting. 'Abdu'l-Bahá is quoted as saying:
"Meditation is the key for opening the doors of mysteries to your mind. In that state man abstracts himself: in that state man withdraws himself from all outside objects; in that subjective mood he is immersed in the ocean of spiritual life and can unfold the secrets of things-in-themselves."[10]
Although the Founder of the Faith, Bahá'u'lláh, never specified any particular forms of meditation, some Bahá'í practices are meditative. One of these is the daily repetition of the Arabic phrase Alláhu Abhá (Arabic: الله ابهى) (God is Most Glorious) 95 times preceded by ablutions. Abhá has the same root as Bahá' (Arabic: بهاء‎ "splendor" or "glory") which Bahá'ís consider to be the "Greatest Name of God".
Buddhism
Buddha in meditation
Meditation has always been central to Buddhism. The historical Buddha himself was said to have achieved enlightenment while meditating under a Bodhi tree. Most forms of Buddhism distinguish between two classes of meditation practices, shamatha and vipassana, both of which are necessary for attaining enlightenment. The former consists of practices aimed at developing the ability to focus the attention single-pointedly; the latter includes practices aimed at developing insight and wisdom through seeing the true nature of reality. The differentiation between the two types of meditation practices is not always clear cut, which is made obvious when studying practices such as Anapanasati which could be said to start off as a shamatha practice but that goes through a number of stages and ends up as a vipassana practice.
Theravada Buddhism emphasizes the meditative development of mindfulness (sati, see for example the Satipatthana Sutta) and concentration (samadhi, see kammatthana), as part of the Noble Eightfold Path, in the pursuit of Nibbana (Nirvana). Traditional popular meditation subjects include the breath (anapana) and loving-kindness (mettā).
Zen Buddhist meditation or zazen
In Japanese Mahayana schools, Tendai (Tien-tai), concentration is cultivated through highly structured ritual. Especially in the Chinese Chán Buddhism school (which branched out into the Japanese Zen, and Korean Seon schools), ts'o ch'an meditation and koan meditation practices allow a practitioner to directly experience the true nature of reality (each of the names of these schools derives from the Sanskrit dhyana, and translates into "meditation" in their respective languages). The esoteric Shingon sect shares many features with Tibetan Buddhism.
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana) emphasizes tantra for its senior practitioners; hence its alternate name of Tantrayana Buddhism. Many monks go through their day without "meditating" in a recognizable form, but are more likely to chant or participate in group liturgy. In this tradition, the purpose of meditation is to awaken the sky-like nature of mind, and to introduce practitioners to that which they really are: unchanging pure awareness, which underlies the whole of life and death.[11][12]
Meditation is the way to bring us back to ourselves, where we can really experience and taste our full being, beyond all habitual patterns. In the stillness and silence of meditation, we glimpse and return to that deep inner nature that we have so long ago lost sight of amid the busyness and distraction of our minds.
The gift of learning to meditate is the greatest gift you can give yourself in this life. For it is only through meditation that you can undertake the journey to discover your true nature, and so find the stability and confidence you will need to live, and die, well. Meditation is the road to enlightenment.- Sogyal Rinpoche, The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying[11]
Most Buddhist traditions recognize that the path to Enlightenment entails three types of training: virtue (sīla); meditation (citta); and, wisdom (paññā).[13] Thus, meditative prowess alone is not sufficient; it is but one part of the path. In other words, in Buddhism, in tandem with mental cultivation, ethical development and wise understanding are also necessary for the attainment of the highest goal.[14]
Christianity
Christian traditions have various practices which might be identified as forms of "meditation." Many of these are monastic practices. Some types of prayer, such as the rosary and Adoration (focusing on the eucharist) in Catholicism or the hesychasm in Eastern Orthodoxy, may be compared to the form of Eastern meditation that focuses on an individual object.
Christian meditation is considered a form of prayer. Some Christian prayer is made primarily by using the intellect, through the contemplation of the divine mysteries. However, Christian prayer or meditation through the heart, as described in the Philokalia is a practice towards Theosis, which involves acquiring an inner stillness and ignoring the physical senses.
According to the Old Testament book of Joshua, a form of meditation is to meditate on scriptures. This is one of the reasons why bible verse memory is a practice among many evangelical Christians. "Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it, then you will be prosperous and successful." (Joshua 1:8)
The use of the word meditation in the western Christian tradition has referred generally to a more active practice of reflection on some particular theme such as "meditation on the sufferings of Christ".
Islam
Meditation in Islam is the core of Muslim mystical traditions (in particular Sufism). Meditative quiescence is believed to have a quality of healing and creativity.[15] The Muslim prophet Muhammad, whose deeds devout Muslims follow, spent long periods in meditation and contemplation. It was during one such period of meditation that Muhammad began to receive revelations of the Qur'an.[16]
There are two concepts or schools of meditation in Islam:
Tafakkur and Tadabbur, literally meaning reflection upon the universe. Muslims feel this is a form of intellectual development which emanates from a higher level, i.e. from God. This intellectual process through the receiving of divine inspiration awakens and liberates the human mind, permitting man’s inner personality to develop and grow so that he may lead his life on a spiritual plane far above the mundane level. This is consistent with the global teachings of Islam, which views life as a test of our practice of submission to Allah, the one God.
The second form of meditation is the Sufi meditation, it is largely based on mystical exercises. However, this method is controversial among Muslim scholars. One group of Ulama, Al-Ghazzali, for instance, have accepted it, another group of Ulama, Ibn Taymiya, for instance, have rejected it as a bid'ah (Arabic: بدعة‎) (religious innovation).
Sufism relies on a practice similar to Buddhist meditation, known as Muraqaba or Tamarkoz which is taught in the Oveyssi-Shahmaghsoudi Sufi order. Tamarkoz is a Persian term that means ‘concentration,’ referring to the “concentration of abilities”. Consequently, the term concentration is synonymous to close attention, convergent, collection, compaction, and consolidation.Muslims meditate during the second stage of Hajj at "Mount Mercy", from noon to sunset.[17]
Jainism


Jain sadhvis meditating
The Jains use the word Samayika, a word in the Prakrit language derived from the word samay (time), to denote the practice of meditation. The aim of Samayika is to transcend the daily experiences of being a "constantly changing" human being, Jiva, and allow for the identification with the "changeless" reality in the practitioner, the Atma. The practice of Samayika begins by achieving a balance in time. If the present moment of time is taken to be a point between the past and the future, Samayika means being fully aware, alert and conscious in that very moment, experiencing one's true nature, Atma, which is considered common to all living beings. The Samayika takes on special significance during Paryushana, a special 8-day period practiced by the Jains.Meditation techniques were available in ancient Jain scriptures that have been forgotten with time. A practice called preksha meditation is said to have been rediscovered by the 10th Head of Jain Swetamber Terapanth sect Acharya Mahaprajna,[18] and consists of the perception of the body, the psychic centres, breath and of contemplation processes which will initiate the process of personal transformation. It aims at reaching and purify the deeper levels of existence. Regular practice strengthens the immune system, builds up stamina to resist against aging process, pollution, chemical toxins, viruses, diseases, food adulteration etc.[19]
Acharya Mahaprajna says:
Soul is my god. Renunciation is my prayer. Amity is my devotion. Self restraint is my strength. Non-violence is my religion.[20]
Judaism
There is evidence that Judaism has had meditative practices that go back thousands of years.[21] For instance, in the Torah, the patriarch Isaac is described as going "לשוח" (lasuach) in the field—a term understood by all commentators as some type of meditative practice (Genesis 24:63).
Similarly, there are indications throughout the Tanach (the Hebrew Bible) that meditation was central to the prophets.[21] In the Old Testament, there are two Hebrew words for meditation: hāgâ (Hebrew: הגה‎), which means to sigh or murmur, but also to meditate, and sîḥâ (Hebrew: שיחה‎), which means to muse, or rehearse in one's mind.
In modern Jewish practice, one of the best known meditative practices is called hitbodedut (התבודדות) or hisbodedus is explained in Kabbalah and Hassidic philosophy. The word hisbodedut, which derives from the Hebrew word "boded", בודד (a state of being alone) and said to be related to the sfirah of Binah (lit. book of understanding), means the process of making oneself understand a concept well through analytical study.
Kabbalah is inherently a meditative field of study. Kabbalistic meditative practices construct a supernal realm which the soul navigates through in order to achieve certain ends. One of the most well known types of meditation is Merkabah, from the root /R-K-B/ meaning "chariot"(of God).
New Age


Meditation workshop at 1979 Nambassa in New Zealand
New Age meditations are often influenced by Eastern philosophy and mysticism such as Yoga, Hinduism and Buddhism, yet may contain some degree of Western influence. In the west meditation found its mainstream roots through the hippie- counterculture social revolution of the 1960s and 1970s when many of the youth of the day rebelled against traditional belief systems. [22] Examples of such meditations include:
Paramahansa Yogananda, taught Kriya Yoga and other meditation practices to help people achieve that understanding, which he called self-realization:
Passage Meditation, a modern method developed by spiritual teacher Eknath Easwaran, involves silent, focused repetition of memorized passages from world scripture and the writings of great mystics.
Transcendental Meditation, a form of meditation taught and promoted by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
FISU (Foundation for International Spiritual Unfoldment) was established by Gururaj Ananda Yogi's prime disciples Rajesh Ananda and Jasmini Ananda whom are the leaders ever since.
Ananda Marga meditation was propounded by a Mahakaula Guru Shrii Shrii Anandamurtiiji in India, who said that it revived sacred practices taught by SadaShiva and Sri Krs'na. His system of meditation, he said, is based on original Tantra as given by Shiva and has sometimes been referred as "Rajadhiraja Yoga". He revised many yogic and meditative practices and introduced some new techniques.
Sikhism
In Sikhism, the practices of simran and Nām Japō encourage quiet meditation. This is focusing one's attention on the attributes of God. Sikhs believe that there are 10 'gates' to the body; 'gates' is another word for 'chakras' or energy centres. The top most energy level is the called the tenth gate or dasam dwar. It is said[attribution needed] that when one reaches this stage through continuous practice meditation becomes a habit that continues whilst walking, talking, eating, awake and even sleeping. There is a distinct taste or flavour when a meditator reaches this lofty stage of meditation, as one experiences absolute peace and tranquility inside and outside the body.
Followers of the Sikh religion also believe that love comes through meditation on the lord's name since meditation only conjures up positive emotions in oneself which are portrayed through our actions. The first Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Nanak Dev Ji preached the equality of all humankind and stressed the importance of living a householder's life instead of wandering around jungles meditating, the latter of which being a popular practice at the time. The Guru preached that we can obtain liberation from life and death by living a totally normal family life and by spreading love amongst every human being regardless of religion.
Taoism


"Gathering the Light", Taoist meditation from The Secret of the Golden Flower
Main article: Taoism
Taoism includes a number of meditative and contemplative traditions. Originally said to have their principles described in the I Ching, Tao Te Ching, Chuang Tzu and Tao Tsang among other texts; the multitude of schools relating to Qigong, Neigong, Daoyin and Zhan zhuang are a large, diverse array of breath training practises in aid of meditation with much influence from later Chinese Buddhism and with much influence on traditional Chinese medicine and the Chinese as well as some Japanese martial arts. The Chinese martial art T'ai Chi Ch'uan is named after the well-known focus for Taoist and Neo-Confucian meditation, the T'ai Chi T'u, and is often referred to as “meditation in motion”.
Often Taoist Internal martial arts, especially Tai Chi Chuan are thought of as moving meditation. A common phrase being, "movement in stillness" referring to energetic movement in passive Qigong and seated Taoist meditation; with the converse being "stillness in movement", a state of mental calm and meditation in the tai chi form.
Others
Meditation according to Krishnamurti
J Krishnamurti used the word meditation to mean something entirely different from the practice of any system or method to control the mind. He said, “Man, in order to escape his conflicts, has invented many forms of meditation. These have been based on desire, will, and the urge for achievement, and imply conflict and a struggle to arrive. This conscious, deliberate striving is always within the limits of a conditioned mind, and in this there is no freedom. All effort to meditate is the denial of meditation. Meditation is the ending of thought. It is only then that there is a different dimension which is beyond time.” For Krishnamurti, meditation was choiceless awareness in the present. He said "..When you learn about yourself, watch yourself, watch the way you walk, how you eat, what you say, the gossip, the hate, the jealousy - if you are aware of all that in yourself, without any choice, that is part of meditation."[23]
[ Active/dynamic meditation
Dynamic Meditation is the name of one of Osho's popular Active Meditation techniques. However, in general active/dynamic meditation refers to any meditation technique which does not have one's body assuming a static posture. Such techniques are widely used in Karma Yoga. An example of such activity could be Natya Yoga or a Shamanistic dance, such as described by Carlos Castaneda or simple exercises that focus on certain parts of the body "to give you the power to profoundly affect your mental and physical state directly and quickly".[24]
Osho, earlier named Rajneesh, introduced the meditation techniques which he termed Active Meditations, which begin with a stage of activity — sometimes intense and physical — followed by a period of silence. He emphasized that meditation is not concentration. Dynamic Meditation involves a conscious catharsis where one can throw out all the repressions, express what is not easily expressible in society, and then easily go into silence. Some of his techniques also have a stage of spontaneous dance. He said that, "If people are innocent there is no need for Dynamic Meditation. But if people are repressed, psychologically are carrying a lot of burden, then they need catharsis. So Dynamic Meditation is just to help them clean the place. And then they can use any method ... It will not be difficult. If they, right now, directly try, they will fail." [25]
Sri Aurobindo used to meditate while walking.
Also the Thai monk Luang Por Teean taught a (more conservative) form of active meditation which in Luang Por Teean's translated books is usually translated as 'Dynamic Meditation'. It involves the use of the hands and arms during sitting meditation. He also used walking meditation as a complementary method. His teaching was aimed at developing awareness of the movements of the arms, which are moved continuously in a certain pattern throughout the meditation. The awareness is, however, not limited to the arms but inclusive of the whole life-experience. This type of active meditation is a type of vipassana meditation, which originated in Burma, but is becoming more well known in the western countries, too.
Sahaja Yoga Sahaja Yoga is a meditative practice started by H.H. Shri Mataji Nirmala Srivastava. Sahaja Yoga focuses on awakening the Kundalini, so that practitioners can achieve Self-realization.
Secular
Forms of meditation which are devoid of mystical content have been developed in the west as a way of promoting physical and mental well being.
Jacobson's Progressive Muscle Relaxation was developed by American physician Edmund Jacobson in the early 1920s. Jacobson argued that since muscular tension accompanies anxiety, one can reduce anxiety by learning how to relax the muscular tension.
Autogenic training was developed by the German psychiatrist Johannes Schultz in 1932. Schultz emphasized parallels to techniques in yoga and meditation; however, autogenic training is devoid of any mysticism.
Australian psychiatrist Dr Ainslie Meares published a groundbreaking work in the 1960's entitled Relief Without Drugs, in which he recommended some simple, secular relaxation techniques based on Hindu practices as a means of combating anxiety, stress and chronic physical pain.
Herbert Benson M.D., of Harvard Medical School, conducted a series of clinical tests on meditators from various disciplines - mainly Transcendental meditation and Tibetan Buddhism. He first described the results in his 1975 book The Relaxation Response where he outlined a secular approach to achieving similar results.
Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche founded Shambhala Training in 1976, a secular program of meditation with a belief in basic goodness and teaching the path of bravery and gentleness. The 1984 book Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior contains student-edited versions of Trungpa's lectures and writings.
The book Sensual Meditation (1980) which was written by the founder of the Raëlian movement outlines a sequence of non-ascetic meditation exercises which emphasize a Sensual Meditation involving a physical and sensual awareness connected with current knowledge of how the body and mind are organized.
The 1999 book The Calm Technique: Meditation Without Magic or Mysticism by Paul Wilson has a discussion and instruction in a form of secular meditation.
Biofeedback has been tried by many researchers since the 1950s as a way to enter deeper states of mind.[26]
Primordial Sound Meditation is an ancient meditation technique with its origins in the Vedic tradition of India. It has been modernized and revitalized by Drs. Deepak Chopra and David Simon of the Chopra Center for Wellbeing. It is a silent mantra meditation that uses primordial sounds (sounds of nature) that are linguistically structured and used to bring awareness to more and more subtle levels of thought.
Meditation using beads
Most religions have their own prayer beads or rosary. A rosary consists of pearls or beads linked together by a thread. Christians use a string of beads containing five sets with ten small beads. Each set of ten is separated by another bead. The Hindu and Buddhist rosary has 108 beads and the Muslim rosary 99 beads. Prayers and specific meditations of each religion are different and there are theological reasons for the number of beads. Rosaries may come in different colors, sizes and designs. However, the central purpose, which is to pray repetitively and to meditate, is the same across all religions that use them as a prayer tool.[citation needed]
Acoustic and photic
Newer forms of meditation are based on the results of EEG (electro-encephalogram) work in long-term meditators. Studies have demonstrated the presence of a frequency-following response to auditory and visual stimuli. This EEG activity was termed "frequency-following response" because its period (cycles per second) corresponds to the fundamental frequency of the stimulus. Stated plainly, if the stimulus is 5 Hz the resulting measured EEG will show a 5 Hz frequency-following response using appropriate time-domain averaging protocols.[27][28] This is the justification behind such inventions as the Dreamachine and binaural beats.
Meditation in a Western context
"Meditation" in its modern sense refers to Yogic meditation that originated in India. In the late nineteenth century, Theosophists adopted the word "meditation" to refer to various spiritual practices drawn from Hinduism, Buddhism, and other Eastern religions. Thus the English word "meditation" does not exclusively translate to any single term or concept, and can be used to translate words such as the Sanskrit dhyana, samadhi and bhavana.
Meditation may be for a religious purpose, but even before being brought to the West it was used in secular contexts, such as the martial arts. Beginning with the Theosophists, though, meditation has been employed in the West by a number of religious and spiritual movements, such as Yoga and the New Age movement, as well as limited use in Christianity.
From the point of view of psychology and physiology, meditation can induce an altered state of consciousness, and its goals in that context have been stated to achieving spiritual enlightenment, to the transformation of attitudes, and to better cardiovascular health.
Vratas and festivals in January 2008
Amavasya
8
Mattu Pongal
Kanu /Gou Puja
16
Sankatahara Chathurthi
25
Pournami
22
Pradosham
5,20
Thai Poosam
22
Krithigai
17
Ekadashi
4,18
Shashti
14,28
Pongal
15
Hanumath Jayanti
8
For Vaastu
26
Shuba Muhurtham Days 20,27,28
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