What Defines Meditation?
The correct approach to meditation as per the Patanjali Yoga-sutra
Embrace the season of gratitude and make your holidays meaningful with a deeper understanding of what defines meditation and how to approach meditation.
Join our worldwide livestream for a fellowship with Himalayan siddha monk and living saint, His Holiness Swami Vidyadhishananda. In light of ongoing challenging times His Holiness will deliver this continuing series of extraordinary discourses related to self-empowerment.
Key themes from the discourse
What is the definition of meditation?
What is a single thought construct?
What is concentration on a single principle?
What is the value of repetition of a single thought?
Can a visual image be part of meditation?
How are the nine impediments to meditation overcome?
How are the five distractions to meditation overcome?
What you will learn
His Holiness Swami Vidyadhishananda will expand on the Yogasutra framework that defines meditation. He will share how to overcome the impediments and the accompanying distractions using the right approach to meditation. Thus he will explain the conceptual framework of single principle or singular reality to be used for meditation. The object can be either God or the I-sense that is felt as the substratum of all experiences.
Sorrow, frustration and accompanying palpable symptoms of mental and physical disturbances are the symptoms of distractions that accompany the nine major impediments to meditation. Taking the correct approach to invoke a meditation practice is the primary step to overcoming the impediments and their symptoms. As long as these symptoms linger, the aspirant cannot breakthrough to attain a reposeful calm mind that allows one-pointed concentration.
Destruction of the distractions (or impediments) and overcoming the symptoms of mental and physical disturbances allow for the mind to naturally attain steady concentration. When concentration is established, the mind field (chitta) remains firm in the attained state and meditation is then said to be spontaneous and effortless.
His Holiness will explain the correct interpretation and meaning with reference to Sage Vyasa’s commentary of Aphorism-32 in Chapter-1 from Patanjali Yogasutra
Examples of conducive thought waves include devotional thoughts, right understanding of tenets of truth and affirmation of self-study. Any persistent practice of higher yoga or meditation will require an understanding of the distractions or impediments, their symptoms that cloud the practitioner with sadness and dejection, and the method of their stoppage by embracing the correct approach to meditation.
Each person is potentially divine. Divinity can be unraveled through mindful voluntary action related to higher yoga and meditation. Although godliness exists in potential form, it needs a reason to express itself. Voluntary action needs to be effected mindfully to obtain desired results. If higher yoga is practiced voluntarily and diligently, the practitioner may attain liberation even in a single lifetime.
His Holiness will deliver this discourse as a spiritual message and address the need of taking bonafide approaches for solving the dilemma or crisis, rather than trying shortcut power-yoga or intellectually attractive methods of resolution that do not work.
Additionally, feel the impact of sublime Sanskrit chanting and darshan blessings during the broadcast. The livestream fellowship will conclude with vespers (ārati). We will be streaming live from Santa Barbara, California. We have invested in a backup internet service provider to ensure a more seamless transmission of our livestreams.
How to Access the Livestream
After registering you will receive a confirmation email with the link and password necessary to view. Registration is free with options to donate. Please be mindful to type your primary email address free from any typos when registering – this will ensure that you receive the confirmation email with the login details.
We welcome you to forward this registration link to your friends and family who would be interested in registering for the livestream. New participants are welcome to register via the link above to receive the log-in details. If you have difficulties on the day of the live stream please refer to the troubleshooting notes that will be sent by email as part of your registration confirmation.
Connect your Computer to a TV
We encourage you to connect your laptop or computer to a TV and/or home stereo system for a better fellowship experience. If you have questions about how to connect your laptop to a TV please see here for a how-to article.
