Rosacruz AMORC Esoteric Essays Meditation Its Technique 1970

7/29/2019 Rosacruz AMORC Esoteric Essays Meditation Its Technique 1970

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MEDITATION-Its Technique

What are the differencesberween concentration, contern-plation, and meditation?

What is the relationship ofrneditation to consciousness?Is trance or self-hypnotisrnnecessary for meditarion?What is rneant by transcen-dental meditarion? ArestrangeEastern rnethods necessary for

it=-or safe?


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ESOTERIC ESSAYS consisr of a simple presenta-tion of particular1y inreresring subjecrs in the realmof metaphysics and mysricism. The essence of rheseage-old subjecrs is inrroduced for brevity, and yerthey are prepared in a manner which, ir is hoped,will srirnulate the reader roamore extensive inquiryand srudy of such channe1s of knowledge.

Issued by Permissionofthe

Deparrrnent of PublicationsSupreme Grand LodgeA.M.O.R.C.

Copyright 1970By Supreme Grand Lodge of A.M.O.R.C.

G-23 682 PR INTED IN U.5.A.


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TechniqueD i MeditationMEDITATION must not be confused with concen-tration or contemplation. BriefIy, we can say thatconcentration is primarily objective. Ir is rhe focusing ofattention upon sense stimuli. When you are listening orreading intensively you are focusing your consciousnessupon a certain ser of vibrations coming ro you through aparticular receptive organ, such as the eyes or ears. Con-templation is by contrast subjective. The consciousness isfocused in reason, recoIlection, imagination, inother words,on ideas already in the consciousness, or being reassembledinto a new arrangement. Both in concentration and inconrernplation the will is necessary. They are not passivestates.

True meditarion is ofren erroneously interchanged asaword wirh these other mental processes but actuaIly isquitedifferent. The objective in meditation is nor to focus theartention on anything in particular. In meditation youareendeavoring to change rhe level of consciousness. Youarearternpting to use another stare of consciousness buryoudonot anticipate what shaIl manifest. In rneditation youholdno limited rhought definitely in mind as in conrernplation.


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Consciousness in man may be likened unto apiano key-board. Ir consists of aseries of ocraves or levels, one merginginto the orher. At the lowest level is that form of conscious-ness which we most commonly use, namely, the objective.Just above rhat is the subjective with its various processes-reasoning, memory, and soon-which wehave mentioned.Beyond these two levels are many more. Psychology hasassigned ro the whole stream o/ consciousness, beyondthese, many names such as the preconscious, unconscious,and subconscious. True rnedirarion is the purpose ro reachone or more of these orher levels of awareness.

We may use still another analogy for better explanation,that of astaircase. Ordinarily in our consciousness wealter-nate from the first srep, the objective, to the second srep, thesubjective, on this staircase of consciousness. I n fact, wehave learned that there are many more sreps above thesetwo which we perhaps have nor yet experienced.

Medirarion is the desire to attain and to experience thesesubliminal states of mind. The images, the sensations thatmay be had would be quite different in various ways fromwhat weordinarily perceive objecrively and subjectively. I nfact, so-called intuition, or insight, is flashes of realizationcoming from one of these other levels of consciousness. So,consequently, the purpose of medirarion is to bring about atransition in consciousness so that through that change wecan reach into the more lofty levels of the mind.2


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No PreciseFormulaHow is this transirion of consciousness, or mediration, tobe attained? There is no universal, that is, an exact, preciseformula. There are numerous methods which areadvocatedby various Eastern religions, mystical and metaphysicalsystems. Perhaps to some extent they are all effective ininducng mediration. However, some of the practices are

not true meditation. They are really aself-induced formofhypnotism.Some examples of ridding one's self of objecrive con-sciousness so as to attain rneditation are concentrating onthe tip of the nose or the nave!. Such are common with

certain sects in India. Again, however, psychologically ir isquite possible that the individual resorting to suchamethodhas done no more than brought about self-hypnosis or atrance srate rather than meditation.What comes forrh in rhese trance states may often bethat

which was registered deeply in the memory of the individ-ual and that he was never aware of originally. I n otherwords, many impressions pass through to the subconsciousmind-and into ts memory-from the conscous mindwithout our having realization rhar such has occurred. Con-sequently, when such impressions are recalled they arestrange and seem to be original, which they are notoContrary to what was said above, meditation canbegin bya form of concentration, that is, by first resorting to a

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subjective process. We may hold in mind for a time athoughr, an experience, visualize something that isparticu-lady inspiring. It should be thar which calls forth our higherernorions and sentiments. When we feel the sensations ofsuch avisualization, then we should let it gradually becomedismissed from our mind. The purpose here isro try rodrawan affinity between such a thought and a higher srare ofconsciousness. Bysuch amethod weare trying to attracr thedeeper levels of consciousness, or the psychic self. Sorne-times listening to a musical composition that is soothingand has a tranquil effect will help induce meditation.Must one lose awareness of his surroundings? Yes, he

must. If one is quite aware of things in his environment, heisstill objective, not meditarive, Youmust have an inner noran outer awareness and this comes with true meditation.However, this does not mean that one cannot easily returnro objective awareness.For analogy, you have often been in what is properIy

called "abrown srudy." It meant that you were soengrossedwith some thought that at the time you were not aware ofexternality. Such was deep concentrarion, that is, concentra-tion on some particular idea. Ir issimilar to meditarion onlyin that one is not conscious of his surroundings. But thedifference is that in mediration, we repeat, there is nocontinuous focusing of the consciousness on any singleimpression.4


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Obviously, relaxation is necessary for successful medita-tion. Ir cannot be asuccess under any form of stress. Thereare numerous postures that have been recommended byEasrern systerns for mediration. However, whatever posi-tion one can assume that will cause the body to be relaxedand allow for one to realize a sense of euphoria is quiteproper. The legs should beseparated and the feet andhandsas well. Clothes should not be righr or binding so as toimpair circulation or to cause one to be aware of thern,There is a theory that the feet must always beplaced onthe ground so as to discharge into ir cerrain nerve energiesand vibrations from the body thar would prevent medita-tion being attained. However, this is not substanriated astrue or essential to rnediration. \Cleansing and Relaxation

Deep breathing prior to meditarion ishelpful. However,there is nothing rnysrerious about ir. One should, if indoors,stand before an open window and breathe deeply adozen orfifteen times. Each time the breath should beheld aslongascomfortable and then exhaled slowly. This cleanses thelower chambers of the lungs, vitalizes the blood, and stirnu-lates the psychic cenrers. Ir makes the mind more clear andrelaxes the muscles from tension. Rosicrucians have beengiven vowel sounds to intone, in conjunction with suchbreathing, which are found conducive to further prepara-tion for meditation.

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As said, meditation is not a forced stare, or condition.Consequently, no long, tiresome period of rnediration wouldever besuccessful. When one feels inarelaxed stare and in aproper mood of well-being, he should hold the desiredthoughr in mind as stared. He should rhen remain passive,wairing for the consciousness to be raken over by whateverimpression should come forrh if he is successful in thewhole procedure. Of course, the individual should not pre-sume to know whar the impression would be-you do notusewill in rnediration; you do not command an experienceof anyparticular kind. As soon asone begins to feel fatigued,that, then, is the signal ro discontinue your rneditarion, Werepeat, to attempt to force the srate defeats the purpose.If one issuccessful inmeditation-not atrance state-thewhole period of preparation and result would be bur a fewrninures' durarion. The experience will be like an inruitiveinflux, aflash of illurninarion in the consciousness. Bycon-trast, atrance state or one of hypnosis could last for agreat

lengrh of time and could be dangerous. But rhen again suchisnot meditation.Philosophy and Religion O / India

The Upanishads form aconcluding portion of the ancientVedic literature. I n fact, the literal translation of this wordmeans "sirting down near" the teacher to receive insrruc-rions. The Upanishads contain the earliest records of Indian6


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philosophical speculation and are the foundation uponwhich rnost Iater philosophy and religion of India rest-according to Dr. Radhakrishnan, the noted Indian scholarand the world-renowned philosopher. He stares that theUpanishads are not so much philosophical truths as "tobring peace and freedom to rhe anxious human spirit."

The Upanishads put forth metaphysical considerationsas dialogues and dispurations. The content is poericallydelivered by authors whose minds were philosophicallytempered. AsDr. Radhakrishnan further states, the Upani-shads represent the striuing o/ the human mnd to graspreality. The age of the Upanishads is a rnatter of specula-tion. However, ir is generally conceded that the earliestporrions are of aperiod from 3000-1000 B.e.Our brief consideration of the Upanishads isbecausethebeginnings of the yoga systern are to be found in them. It isthese variations of the yoga system which are being popu-larly introduced astranscendental meditation. Wenow turnback to the Upanishads momentarily to relate rhe basic

precepts of yoga meditation. The Upanishads state thatreality is not rightly perceived byour imperfect understand-ing. The mind is said to be like amirror in which reality isreflecred. In other words, the extent to which we knowreality depends upon the stare of our own mind, that is,whether it can respond ro rhe full extent of reality. Thisconception has aparallel in Greek thought, in particular inthe Dialogues of Plato.

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The yoga rnedirarion of the Upanishads is inrended rohelp man overcome his mental lirnitations that he mightmore fully experience true reality. Yoga presents instruc-tion on how ro refine the mind and improve the mirror ofconsciousness. This is to be accomplished by keeping rhemirror clean, thar is, by keeping out unneeded peculiarities.Ir isonly through such adiscipline, ir is related, that one canrise to "rhe height of impersonality from which the giftedsoulsof the world see disranr visions."Theyogadocrrine expounds that our empirical, objectiveconsciousness rurns itself back on the external world. The

consciousness becomes lost in the illusions of the unrealworld of the sense impressions. When the aspirant risesabove the empirical-outer-self, "one gers not negationbut intensification of the self." This can be consrrued asmeaning that one acquires agreater comprehension of thewhole essence of the integrated self.Mental and Spiritual DisciplineThe yoga sysrern for rnedirarion, like that of Buddhism,requires that one go through awhole course of mental andspirirual discipline. "The mind of aman who does nor know

his own self goes hither and thither like water pouringdown the crags in all directions. But when his mind ispurified he becomes one with the great ocean of life whichdwells behind all mortal forms."8


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Yoga insisrs on exercise of perfect control of our passionsand ernorions. A trance stare may be induced bycontrollingbreathing and concentrating. The method also includes con-centrating on rnysrical words, rnantras, or symbols to fixone's atrenrion upon. The psychological aspecr of this prac-rice is to cultivate asteadiness of mind byfocusing artentionfor a time on one particular object and eliminating otherimpressions.Breathing isan essential part of the rneditation process inyoga as isalso the reciring of certain mantras. In the ancientVedic writings ir is said that reciring the mantra, OM,constitures an offering to Brahma. Meditation on OM istheroot and essence of Veda and the way, ir is said, of unionwirh Brahma (oneness isaccomplished). An ancient phraserelates: "For him who engages in reciting OM no dangerexisrs anywhere." Ir issaid that sixteen suppressions of thebreath accompanied by the reciration of aliturgy and of OMrepeared daily afrer arnonrh will even purify the slayer of alearned Brahman!

Yoga and its rneditation forms have come to mean to itsdevorees adiscipline bywhich they hope to train themselvesro bear the shock of the world and yet leave the souluntouched.Transcendental Meditation

Transcendental meditation from the psychological poinrof view isa lossof personal idenrity wirh the reality of the9


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world. lt is the attempt to enter into a wholly subjecrivesrate for full realization of-reality. The sensations which areexperienced are not comparable to those of the physicalsenses. Further, transcendental meditation should not beused as an escape from the world of realiry as is so com-monly done by devotees popularly attracted to ir.Ir istrue rhat what reality is like wedo not actually know.

We receive only impressions of it through our receptorsenses. These are transformed inro sensations which weinterpreto However, our physical existence is dependentupon our adjusrrnent to such illusions-if that iswhat theyare. Plato called ir the Shadow World.We can and should try ro know more of reality and ofourselves through the medium of our other levels of con-sciousness which rneditation makes possible. Bur to con-sider the body aprison of self, sornerhing to be demeaned,and to rhink of the appetires and passions as being thatwhich should becompletely suppressed isafalse conception.We should not endeavor to escape the world and irsimpact on our life but rather to master our personallife inthis world. From the Rosicrucian point of view, to endeavorto live inamental and psychic vacuum through any methodis anegarive approach to human existence.These other octaves of the subconscious are not sharplyseparated. Rather, one merges gradually into rhe other.

Each, tOO,has irs own unique phenornenon or experience10


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which ir provides-just as our objective conscious life isdifferem from our subjective one. Experiences on theseother ocraves or planes of consciousness would be quiteunlike anything wehave ever realized objectively or subjec-tively. Wecannor hope toexperience thern except byenter-ing leveis of consciousness where they are manifesred. It isfor rhis reason rhar mystics who have enrered these deeperlevels have found thern alrnosr ineffable. They cannor findqualiries or words to explain them adequately.Medirarion provides the means of emering these states,

I n meditation, webring about achange inour consciousnessso thar the self, the ego, is advanced to levels above thesubjective, The self, then, takes on quite adifferem charac-ter from that which we knew before. We musr understandthat rhe self is not just one stare; ir is, an imegration ofvarious states of consciousness. I n each level of conscious-ness, rhe self has its own characteristics. The objective self isour physical being-our heighr, weighr, color, rhe generalcomours of our body. Subjecrively, the self isour senrirnenrs,our ernorions, our rhoughrs and ideals, those ordinary innerexperiences which we realize. But none of these is se lf asrealized on the other levels of consciousness.Only those who have entered these states can know wharthe self is like in them. Objecrively, we cannor describe toorhers what rhese subconscious states are like. The mostthar can be done is to reach or to guide anorher in thetechnique by which such reality is realized.

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When one enters medirarion, he should begin wirh whathehasbeen taught in order to bring about rhis transition ofconsciousness. If he issuccessful, cerrain ideas will behad onthar leve!.Often rhey are transformed into objective ideas asinspirarion or inruirive flashes. This, then, becomes thepractica! side of rneditation. In other words, we gainenlightenment useful in our everyday lives from such con-racrs.The subconscious state itself isnor very explicable, burcerrain impressions received through ir are transformedinto comprehensible guidance. If this were nor so, obviouslymeditation would have no value in this life.

Meditation is also the process of the transformation ofconsciousness. Ir is the attempt roelevate the consciousnesssoas to acquire experience from ahigher or deeper leve! ofinner perception. Meditation is not the inrenrion to focustheconsciousness upon any single idea in adynamic manneras in concenrrarion. In facr, in rneditarion the principalobjective isro remain passive.Ir isnor the arrempt todirecr,asby amandate, what should be known or experienced.To use anorher simple analogy: think of a specratorseated in the audience of a large thearer. He quietly awaitsfor the currain to rise-he does not attempt ro visualizewhat isto transpire upon the stage. In fact, heknows that hehas no knowledge of the play-his is a passive, receptiveattirude toward what will be revealed ro him. This, then, isprimarily one of the fundamental atritudes of rnediration.

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However, meditation is more than merely being passive.There is, even though in saying so we may seem ro becontradicting our previous staternents, the desire to havethe consciousness function on anorher level of recepriviry.

An Easrern form of meditation relates three essenrialstages of ir: (1) The srage of pargation. This conssrs ofattempting to dismiss from mind all rhought, to be recep-tive and nor permit the mind ro become attached to anyparticular idea for the momento It means placing oneself inastate of quiescence, as free as possible from all disrracrion,from anything which may excite the senses. Adrnitredly, inour turbulent age and congesred urban areas, this is notsimple to atta in.

The rnysric refers to this srage as enrering the silente. Irmeans not just physical silence-that is, rhe avoidance ofextraneous sounds=-bur mental silence. This in turn meansa mind which is not preoccupied.

The second srage is said to be the stage of illumination. Iris when the individual senses a contact with a transcenden-tal source of knowledge. Ir is a kind of Cosmic Conscious-nesr, rhe ascent of awareness to an enlarged and all-embrac-ing stare of consciousness. For simple analogy, ir is likehaving ascended a mountain so as to observe an extendedvista, ro perceive that which could not be seen from aloweralritude,

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The third and final state is the noetic srage, which meansan infusion of knowledge as in aspiration, ideas that arelofty and beneficial ro the individual. These srages, ofcourse, have subdivisions; that is, minor progressive sragesbefore each is arrained. Perhaps ir may be said that onemerges into the other so ir is difficult to make adefinitivedisrinction between them.Ir is apparent thar the resorring to conrernplarion withthe misconception that ir is meditation will be fruitless asfar as resulrs from the Iatter are concerned. However, con-rernplation can be apreparatory means of successful medi-tation. One can sir quietly ro conrernplate some profoundsubject in which he has great inreresr. It should be princi-pally sornething of an esthetic and constructive nature. Thisisstimulating and, of course, subjecrive but not true medita-tion, as said. Then, if one desires illumination upan thissubjecr mysrically, rhe firsr step of meditation should befallawed: namely, purgarion. One dismisses the idea con-rernplated upon and then tries to advance to the second andthird stages,There are certain physical requirements of a simplenature that areessential to meditation in addition to silence.Weare nor referring to rhe extreme practices of some af rheEastern rnethods which are not adaptable to the West and

which are not necessary. One should not try to enter intomeditation afrer having consumed a heavy meal or while14


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feeling very fatigued. Ir isobvious that such causes lerhargy,and sleep is not meditation.A harmonious environmem islikewise conducive to rned-itarion. One should be in aplace that ispleasam to him andone in which ir is easy to relax. This iswhy we suggesr rhateach member try to esrablish aSanctum in some comer ofhis home. Ir means the creating of those conditions whichhave an appeal to the higher ernotions and the Higher Selfof mano

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The RosicruciansInvite You ...to share the useful knowledge which makes lifemore enjoy-able and free of much of the doubt and confusion that besetthe average man and woman today.The Rosicrucians are anonsectarian fraternity, devoredroan investigation of the high principIes of lifeasexpressedin man and narure. The so-called mysreries of lifeanddeath,of the inequalities of people, and of the purpose of ourexistence here are removed by rhe sensible exposition of the

Rosicrucian teachings.The age-old truths expounded by the Rosicrucians pro-vide men and women with such useful knowledge of theCosmic principIes as makes ir possible for them ro mastertheir lives instead of drifring with rhe years. You will beamazed at your own potenrialities and the opportunitiesafforded you to realize your fondest hopes and dreams. Nochange in your personal or social affairs is required.

Write today for rhe free booklet, the Mastery 01 Lile,which explains who and what the Rosicrucians are andmoreover how they can belp yo wirh your own life.Address: ScRIBE R.F.F.THE ROSICRUCIANS

(AMORC)San jose, California 95191, U.S."'.

Rosacruz AMORC Esoteric Essays Meditation Its Technique 1970

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