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RAJA YOGA |
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THE PATH OF MEDITATION |
The teachers of the science of raja yoga
declare not only that religion is based upon the experience of ancient times, but that no
man can be religious until he has had the same experiences himself. Yoga is a science
which teaches us how to get these experiences. It is not much use to talk about religion
until one has felt it. If there is a God we must see him; if there is a soul we must
perceive it; otherwise it is better not to believe. It is better to be an outspoken
atheist than a hypocrite. Man wants truth, wants to experience truth for himself. When he has grasped it realized it,felt it within his heart of hearts, then alone, declare the Vedas, will all doubts vanish, all darkness be scattered, and all crookedness be made straight. The science of Raj yoga proposes to put before humanity a practical and scientifically worked out method of reaching this truth. In the first place, every science must have its own method of investigation. If you want to become an astronomer and sit down and cry "Astronomy! Astronomy!" it will never come to you.The same with chemistry. A certain method must be followed. You must go to a laboratory , take different substances , mix up, compound them, experiment with them , and out of that will come a knowledge of chemistry. If you want to be an astronomer you must go to an observatory, take a telescope, study the stars and planets and then you will become astronomer. Each science have its own methods. So without observation and proper analysis, any science will be hopeless-mere theorizing. The science of Raja yoga propose, in the first place, to give us such a means of observing the internal states. The instrument is the min ditself. The power of attention, when properly guided and directed towards the internal world, will analyze the mind and illumine facts for us. The powers of the mind are like rays of light dissipated. When they are concentrated the illumine. This is our only means of knowledge. Have you ever noticed the phenomenon that is called thought transference? A man here is thinking something, and that thought is manifested in somebody else, in some other place. With preparation-not by chance-a man wants to send a thought to another mind at a distance, and this other mind knows that a thought is coming, and he receives it exactly as it is sent out. Distance makes no difference. The thoughts goes reaches the other man, and he understands it. This shows that there is continuity of mind as the yogies call it. The mind is universal Your mind, my mind, all these little minds, are fragments of that universal mind-little waves in the ocean. And on account of this continuity, we can convey our thoughts directly to one another. |
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-Swami Vivekanand |
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