Purpose of Meditation

Student When we meditate we are supposed to control our anger. That is the purpose of meditation. But, even then the anger comes. Does it mean that we are not doing the meditation properly?

Naran Meditation is nothing but a state of mind. What is the meaning of meditation? Meditate means - cultivate. When you sit for meditation we have to cultivate the qualities of the soul or the qualities of the Spirit. That is why it is called the Spiritual Quality. It is the mind that meditates. However, the habit of the mind is to always to cling to something. Clinginess or clinging to a particular thought, anger or any emotion is the work of the mind. You have to go beyond the mind. It is not possible for us to do the mediation without being disturbed.

How to channel your anger? Then what is method by which we can channelize our anger? No emotion can be controlled, because if you try to control an emotion then it will bounce back at a later date when you do not want it. Controlling is different. Channelizing the emotion is different. Both are not possible by the mind. So, whatever the thought that comes to the mind, simply say, "I release this thought". That is the way you can handle the mind or the thoughts of the mind. We always think that we are the mind. But the mind is the tool for the soul inside (us). For the soul to do the observation, the mind is given as its tool. The senses are its gateways.

What is the mentality of the mind? It always sees everything outside. We have been tuned to see everything outside through our senses, for the last so many years. Not only we do that, our parents did that, and our ancestors did that. That means looking outside and judging the events or assimilating them and passing your own commentsabout the events by seeing outside, is inscribed insideyour gene.

Managing thoughts that are out of control You cannot do without the thought because the thought comes outof mind, without your control. The only way to handle the flow of thought is we have to disassociate ourselves from the mind saying, "Can I release this thought? Yes, this is only a thought". Then say, "I release this thought". When you counteract the mind by putting a question, the mind stops thinking. That is how you should do it, which comes only by practice. Even if you practice for one day and you are successful in eliminating or releasing all the thoughts, the second day you may fail. Again we have to try because when the child learns to walk, it falls so many times for so many days. And still it gets up and tries to walk. Similarly, this is a new learning for us and new subject for us. Therefore every day we may succeed. And if we fail, we have to get up and try again. Only by subduing the mind by putting counteractive questions, the mind can be silenced.