How​ Meditation Leads to Spiritual Awakening

Meditation.

“First​ meditate and​ feel the divine Presence;​ then do your work​ saturated with the consciousness of God”
Paramahansa Yogananda

God, Goddess,​ Divine,​ Creator, Great Spirit; these​ are just some of the many​ names​ for a higher power.​ You​ ​ can​ choose any​ one​ of​ them or none​ at​ all.​ What​ you call​ it​ is not important,​ but​ rather​ how​ you​ feel​ it.

According​ to many spiritual​ teachers, ancient rishis,​ sage yogis,​ and​ the​ like, claim this​ higher​ power resides​ within us.​ It is​ us. We are it. There is no​separation,​ only the separation created​ by​ the ego,​ body, and mind.

Feel into​ this​ truth​ for​ just a moment…​ To delve deeper into​ this concept,​ we can look​ to a great​ teacher who​ brought​ these​ teachings​ to the​ West. Paramahansa​ Yogananda came to America​ in​ 1920​ and spread his spiritual campaigns all​ across the country.

Yogananda​ studied​ Kriya​ Yoga,​ a practice​ that unites body,​ mind, and soul,​ awakening to the divine within. His​ residency​ leads to opening​ an institute called​ ‘The Self-Realization Fellowship’ and​ it​ was​ the practice of​ ​ just that;​ self-realization.

One of the inquires recited during his meditations was​ “reveal thyself”,​ as one would sit in​ meditation,​ focused inwardly on the third eye. The​ third eye​ is said​ to contain true and clear​ ​ vision,​ it pierces​ beyond the veil​ of illusion.​ It is at this​ moment of self-inquiry you can begin to​ sense beyond the body and leave the cyclical thoughts of​ the mind behind. It is​ beyond​ the​ five senses​ of the​ body and​ restrictions of​ ​ the mind that open​ up the feeling of spirit. To know spirit, we​ must be able​ to feel it.​ Not​ think it,​ or​ act it, or create​ sensations.

Neurologically​ our brains​ are wired to think and to feel.​ Over time,​ these​ two connections​ have​ become unlinked​ and​ we often get to do one or​ the other.​ In​ our​ busy world,​ we’re more apt to​ think​ too much and​ only feel when​ our senses are​ experiencing pleasure. This ​is ​what many eastern philosophies​ would call the ‘lower self’ and it is in this state​ we​ drive​ further and further​ away from​ our​ true nature as spirit. Though this​ link to feel and think is not​ permanently​ ​ disconnected.​ Through​ meditation, researchers​ have observed​ new neurological​ pathways in those who meditate​ regularly and​ deeply.​ This ability to think​ and feel​ at the same​ time​ is​ our keystone to​ living a life in​ our​ ‘higher Self’. The higher Self​, being the spirit, and through meditation, we can finally assemble this​ bond​ back to life. Reuniting the body​ and​ the​ mind​ is where deep self-realization begins.

A wise​ meditation teacher​ named Linda Thai​ defined meditation​ as “the cultivation of​ an equanimous​ and non-reactionary mind, as a method of self-transformation​ through self-observation and​ self-inquiry.” Working with this definition of meditation will​ allow one to​ observe thought patterns,​ develop​ ​ non-judgment,​ witness life​ as you’re living it, and​ cultivate unconditional​ love and compassion. Linda’s​ ​ meditation style was known as Vipassana which in translation essentially means​ to see things as they truly are.

To witness truth, to observe truth,​ to know the truth​ is​ the fundamental purpose​ of meditation.​ And what is this truth?​ That we​ are infinite spirits,​ that we have a deeper capacity​ for love and compassion than we​ may have​ ever been​ taught in this world.
That​ we are all One,​ people,​ planets,​ animals, plants,​ and beyond. We are Spirit, we are Source,​ we​ are the Divine.​ When we​ cultivate a meditation practice​ that looks​ inward, we finally get to​ start​ living​ our​ lives the way we’re meant to;​ spiritually awakened.