You Think That You Are Meditating. But You Are NOT!

Abstract: You may be sitting straight and you may be thinking you are meditating. You are doing something with the mind but it is not meditation. Meditation requires a different mind. The outgoing mind, the objectifying mind, the mind with desires and ambitions, this mind cannot be really meditating. Yes, it may be trying to concentrate and do some exercises and going through valuable training, a valuable process of discipline. This is not completely useless.

Meditation is the ultimate process when one has laid the foundation of spiritual life, when one has overcome the constant pull of the senses and has become the master of one’s senses, when one through true discrimination and true inquiry, has realised the absolute hollowness of all that is perceived and therefore has overcome the natural tendencies of the mind towards appearances and has succeeded in turning away completely from the desire for names and forms and attachment to objects and experiences, when one has learned the techniques of withdrawing the mind from the outer appearances, and when one has cultivated and created within a state of quiescence, balance, and equipoise. In that condition of being firmly grounded in virtue, that condition of perfect sense-control and self-restraint, in that condition of conquest of desires and the mastery of one’s passions, in that condition of inner stability and equipoise, one begins to gather oneself and move towards the concept or idea of what you feel of the Reality as opposed to appearances. This–the ingathering of the totality of your being, and the centralising of this ingathered power in one specific self-chosen direction,–is the object of your meditation, and the keeping up of a continued and unbroken movement of the ingathered totality in that particular direction of your entire being. This ingathered and directed, when this continued unbroken movement succeeds, you are in a state of meditation.

So it is the successful movement, continuously, in a self-chosen direction, of the totality of your being, ingathered in a unity–a unified whole–that is called meditation. All other things are individual private notions of meditation. All other things are only what you think to be meditation. Meditation requires being perfectly grounded in virtue. Virtue means certain spiritual qualities which are absolutely indispensable prerequisites for the interior life of meditation, without which meditation is impossible. There are certain spiritual qualities, which are the building blocks for the structure, which ultimately attains the pinnacle of meditation. Meditation is, as it were, the point of the pyramid. It cannot be created in air. It is created from the broad base on hard earth. The structure goes on and on and then you attain that point where there is that one stone–that is meditation. And, therefore, it is a process which is grounded in virtue. Virtue means spiritual qualities and why those spiritual qualities are insisted upon is very simple to understand. Because they are the refined qualities which keep out of your nature forces that are the direct antithesis of the Divine experience–factors which are direct contradictions of the state of meditation and of the spiritual experience. As long as these contrary forces and factors are there, it is not possible to rise in spiritual experience. You cannot be wet and dry at the same moment. And in order to put out those factors and forces there is only one way. That is, you have to create in your nature a strong positive movement within yourself and then they are no more. They are countered and overcome. They cannot remain, because they are merely the negation of certain virtues or positive forces. They have no separate or independent existence and identity by themselves. So to overcome them, certain positive factors (virtues) have to be created in you. Those positive factors are called virtues for want of a better term. They are spiritual qualities which are essential in order to keep out of your nature those factors that are unspiritual and directly contradictory to and the antithesis of the experience which you are trying to attain.

Based upon this essential ethical change and readjustment meditation is an interior process. The senses always have as their main task the keeping of your entire psyche in an exteriorised condition. That is the very nature of the senses, and unless you know how to control your senses, the psyche can never be ingathered. The ingathering of your psyche is absolutely indispensable and necessary for meditation. So, control of senses comes as the next preliminary condition. But if the psyche is in a constant state of effervescence within, then even in spite of having success in making it ingathered, you cannot initiate this process, which requires a certain degree of stillness. Therefore, next comes the calming of the mind, its desires, the passions, the various ambitions, the constant attachments and the cravings that keep the mind always in a state of flux and ferment. They have to be overcome, and this does not come in a day. This is a process that takes time. This process of attaining a certain extent of absolute quiescence of this mind takes many years. Even if it takes years, it is worthwhile. Spiritual life cannot be in the presence of impatience. It cannot be done in the presence of haste. The eagerness must be there, tremendous eagerness–tremendous enthusiasm,–and at the same time it should be accompanied by patience. So, this state of quiescence can come about only if you are able to cast out of your mind miscellaneous desires, attachments, overwhelming ambitions, plans and schemes and what not. All these things have to give place to a unified aspiration. The mind wants only one thing. In that it should not want anything else. Total elimination of wants is impossible. Hunger, the desire for food and drink, desire for clothing and other desires by their very immediacy in your life are so very demanding and you cannot get rid of them. A father will have plans for his child, but all miscellaneous desires have to be completely out along with all ambitions and planning, and there should be unified aspiration, meaning that, by and large, the maximum predominant emphasis in your mind will be upon that ultimate goal. The mind is relatively unified, even though there may be in its periphery some of these unavoidable desires of the immediate life you are living. Mainly, it will be unified, and when it is thus unified, all dispersal will go. There will be no ambitions, no other desires, no other attachments, no other passions, and cravings. The mind will be totally in a state of ingatheredness and unity. We call it in Sanskrit Ekagrata.

Ekagrata means attainment of a state of one-pointedness. This mind alone, which has now been rendered subtle by giving up gross sensual experience, by totally eliminating the sensual desires, and by renunciation, attains a state of purity. See, mind is also matter. It is a very subtle matter compared to physical matter. Compared to spirit it is also matter. When it is filled with earthly tendencies, passions and greeds, it is full of Tamas and full of Rajas, i.e., it is very close to the presence of the quality of inertia and becomes still more gross due to the presence of the quality of restlessness, selfish desires and activities. When these have been transcended and to a certain extent mastered, then mind attains a state of purity and subtleness. Then the mind assumes an upward direction. It is always horizontal in its dynamics.

It assumes a state of upward direction only when it attains a state of subtlety and purity. Such a mind, rendered pure, rendered subtle by absolute purity and virtue, sense-control and elimination of desires and passions, only becomes the instrument which can think of the Atman–the Reality. Otherwise normal gross mind has not the state in which it can think of the Atman–the Truth or the Reality. It only gets the capability of thinking about the Atman when it is thus rendered subtle and pure. That mind should be engaged in meditation. Thinking that you are meditating is only a thought in your mind.

You may be sitting straight and you may be thinking you are meditating. You are doing something with the mind but it is not meditation. Meditation requires a different mind. The outgoing mind, the objectifying mind, the mind with desires and ambitions, this mind cannot be really meditating. Yes, it may be trying to concentrate and do some exercises and going through valuable training, a valuable process of discipline. This is not completely useless. It will always prepare the mind in a certain way, but ultimately this total transformation in your interior, by bringing the mind into that state of subtleness and purity, is absolutely necessary to initiate the process of meditation inside, because that is the instrument. A subtle, pure mind, completely still and calm and totally inward, that is the instrument for meditation. With that mind alone one can really meditate.

Limitation of Modern Science

May a person or writer be a doctor or even a scientist, well, his knowledge is not absolute. Even those with a string of impressive academic titles to their names would acquiesce in to this. These secular scientists’, professionals’, doctors’, experts’ opinions, observations, postulates, which are cardinally based upon empirical evidence, are not perfect and final. They are not set in concrete but vastly “malleable” to new findings.

Secular Science and Five Senses

Empirical evidence derives its data of direct observation or experiment, i.e., the researcher attempts to describe the interaction between the limited human senses and the entity being observed. They rely on observable evidence—evidence which is dependent only upon the limited human senses.

There are so many things in the world which cannot be subject to this narrow and parochial tests. That is why, even the common-or-garden love that a mother feels for her child cannot be proven scientifically! In “Social Research Methods by Example: Applications in the Modern World”, a book published by Routledge, all the authors can say there is some activity in some parts of the brain when someone is in love. But why and how it happens, science has no answer for that.

The point is, because love defies scientific explanations, it does not mean it is nothing more than the activities of neurotransmitters.

If Science Has A Reason FOR Something, It Sure Has Evidence AGAINST It Too

Whatever that one may quote from science concerning food and health, for instance, will soon be invalidated by new findings and researches: an equally qualified doctor, or someone better, perhaps even a scientist of great eminence, could come up with another book or study to debunk the entire theory of anything. When we choose to believe the new evidence, what if another dazzlingly skilled doyen comes up another piece of evidence to refute the new posit?

Contention Between Two Experts

Let me quote you an example of how even renowned experts, who base their opinions on the same empirical science, could differ with each other, and could even contradict each other to the point of invalidating the supremacy of their own science.

While British biologist, Dr Richard Dawkins, a professorial fellow of New College (Oxford), contends in his famous and bestseller book “The God Delusion” that God does not exist, and all the beliefs surrounding a creator is a delusion, Dr Fazele Rana (Ph.D in chemistry), the vice president of research and apologetics, asserts vehemently in his “The Cell’s Design: How Chemistry Reveals the Creator’s Artistry” (another bestseller), that God does exist. Isn’t it curious? Aren’t the two talking about the same science? Then, why could they claim to prove two polar opposite things?

The above is not a quarrel between a lay and an expert, but between an expert and an expert. And they are no mean professors, but people who are listened to by the erudite world of science.

Whom would we want to believe now?

Compared to western modern science that changes its positions quite too often especially about major issues like climate, health, food, pollutions, diet, human psychology and mind, medicines, Sanatana Dharma has been very consistent about its assertions: live harmoniously with nature, exercise self-discipline, practise daily sadhana, watch your mind closely, be careful of your thoughts, realise the purpose of life have been its creed and ethos. The scriptures and the enlightened masters, in this respect, are never wrong about these basics.

Up till about the mid-90s, the scientific world had been wary of accepting the efficacy of meditation, for it could not prove any scientific evidence that it works; but now, as brain science takes a leap, scientists not only accept but also strongly recommend it to people with mind and brain disorders. Not long ago, from 1930s to 2000, scientists poohed-poohed any ideas concerned with ‘powers of thoughts’ and ‘thought powers’. But now, scientists dare to go public with their findings that ‘thoughts’ do have tremendous influence over our psyche, mind, well-beings and even successes.

Western Scientists and Ancient Rishies

The occidental scientist probes into the workings of external nature and makes startling discoveries  but he is not entirely competent to judge the exact principles pertaining to the finer planes to which the ancients in the orient had access. Modern science is based upon observation and reason. But all human thought is limited in its scope by the all too patent imperfection of the instrument itself,

namely, the human mind. The Rishis of the past were really more modern than modern science and even more scientific than the modern scientist.

Rishis were research students without laboratories doing re-search not with man fashioned apparatus but with the God-given faculty of intuitive mind, rendered subtle by restraint, discipline, regulation and laborious practice (Abhyasa). They dived into the depths or finer planes and discerned inner laws that silently work and govern physical phenomena. It is only intuition that penetrates beyond the mind and perceives more than the micro-scope and the telescope.

To formulate a theory out of observation and experiments is at best a partial approach to Truth. It is not infallible. It is the only direct perception and experience that can impart final authority to any assertion. That the Upanishadic seers were not mere visionaries is proved beyond doubt by the bold call of some of our modern prophets crying: “GO BACK TO THE UPANISHADS.”

This trumpet call is not from any ancient anchorite but from the mouths of some of our most  rationalistic, clear headed, practical seers, who had plunged into the vertex of Western life and society and who viewed everything with the impartial and unsparing eye of the ultra-modern reformers.

Thus it is seen that belief in, and the faithful observance of, traditions are necessary and beneficial too. Far from being silly superstition, they are sound regulations to safeguard the well-being of man. This should suffice for man to faithfully adhere to the wise ruling of seers with direct perception and realisation. It is not always to one’s advantage to try to find out the why and wherefore of each and everything. Certain things must necessarily be done without questioning.

Source: pgs. 54-55, How to Get Sound Sleep by Swami Sivananda

The Eclipse on 21.6.2020

The lunar eclipse on 6.6.2020 and solar eclipse on 14.12.2020 will not be seen in Singapore. There will be a partial solar eclipse in Singapore on 21.6.2020 (Sunday) for one hour and fifty minutes. Partial solar eclipse occurs when the Moon partially covers the Sun’s bright light. Normally, it is virtually unnoticeable because of the Sun’s brightness. On 21.6.2020, the eclipse will start at 3.04 pm, and will end at 4.55 pm. Its maximum eclipse time will be at 4.04 pm.

In the Hindu scriptures, certain times of the day, and certain days of the month, and some months of the year are designated as suitable and unsuitable for some actions and activities. Occurrences of some events in one’s life during these times, too, in this regard, have immense impact on us and on the people around us. For instance, when a birth or death occurs in a family, or when there are solar and lunar eclipses, an inauspicious period surrounds the event: it is called Sutak Kaal (=inauspicious time). Any action or activity performed during this time will have negative effects on it, and will yield only adverse results. The scriptures have said that this happens because of the contamination that occurs to the earth’s atmosphere during eclipse. During Sutak period, therefore, certain actions are forbidden.

Of course, people who are enamoured of  western science, which borrows its ideology from “empiricism”, the philosophy of science that emphasises evidence, especially as discovered in experiments, would be quick to pooh-pooh such a postulate as claptrap, consigning such beliefs to the bins of western science.

As we all know, empiricism requires all hypotheses and theories to be tested against observations of the natural world, as against resting solely on a priori reasoning, intuition, or revelation. And, in the same way, we also know that not everything in the world has, however, been subject to test in this way to prove either its existence or non-existence.

Because the scriptures’ assertion of the earth’s contamination during eclipse has yet to be rigorously tested by modern science, that does not invalidate the scriptures’ incontrovertible proofs.

During solar eclipse, Sutak is observed for 12 hours before the eclipse. The following actions are forbidden during these 12 hours:

1. Embarking on a new venture, activity or task.

2. Cooking.

3. Eating.

4. The use of sharp objects like knives or scissors.

5. Answering nature’s call.

6. Handling deities at home or in the temple in any way.

7. Engaging in any sexual activity.

8. Doing one’s toilet like brushing the teeth, combing hair, etc.

On 21.6.2020, in Singapore, Sutak starts at 1.06 am, and ends at 4.55 pm the same day. For children , aged and people who are not well, Sutak begins at 10.04 am and ends when eclipse ends. People who cannot observe Sutak for 12 hours should, at the minimum, observe it for the period recommended for the young and the old.

Swami Sivananda give more details about eclipse in the following article:

WHEN THE gods and the demons churned the milky ocean in days of yore, nectar came out of it.  Lord Vishnu assumed the form of Mohini, a charming lady, deluded the demons and distributed the  nectar only among the gods. But Rahu had disguised himself as a god. The sun and the moon pointed this out to Mohini who immediately slashed off the demon’s head. Since the nectar had by then  already reached up to the neck, he did not die. Thus the head came to be known as Rahu and the body as Ketu. To avenge this betrayal, Rahu and Ketu periodically eclipse the sun and the moon.

Astronomically speaking, when the sun, the moon and the earth are all in line, with the moon or the earth at the centre, a solar or lunar eclipse takes place respectively. At the time of the eclipse, people bathe in the sacred rivers. They do charitable acts. They give cows, money and gold. The day after the eclipse they feed the poor, the Brahmins and the Sadhus. After the eclipse they clean their houses, vessels, etc., and take a bath before they start cooking.

One should not take food during the eclipse. When the eclipse begins the food should by then have been digested. One should take food only after seeing the sun or the moon free from the eclipse. When the clear sun or the moon is not seen before sunset or sunrise, in the case of the solar and lunar eclipse respectively, food can be taken only after the sun or the moon is seen the next day.

Pregnant women should not see the sun or the moon during the time of the eclipse. If they do the child born may have some kind of defect. He may be born deaf, dumb or blind. Householders are forbidden from sexual intercourse on the day of the eclipse, for the same reason. At this time one should take great care in avoiding bleeding, scorpion stings, etc. These have disastrous results. Even an earthworm has a poisonous effect when it bites one during an eclipse. Those who do Japa at the time of the eclipse derive great benefits. The effect of Japa and Sankirtan during the eclipse

contributes towards relieving the suffering of humanity and also of the planets. These people receive the blessings of the gods. They attain perfection quickly. Those who wish to tap the subtle force locked in the Mantra that will cure scorpion stings should stand in water and repeat the appropriate Mantra.

The little intellect cannot understand many things in this universe. Hence, have faith in the words of sages.

Ignorance has eclipsed Self-knowledge. However, this eclipse will disappear. You will shine in your own glory. This is the spiritual significance of the eclipse.

Source: pgs 160-162, Hindu Fasts and Festivals by Swami Sivananda

Increase your Willpower in 21 Days — The Scientifically Proven Technique

Meaning of Scientific Studies: How to Understand What They Are?

Beware of headlines that make definitive claims: “Antioxidants block aging,” “Vitamin C prevents cancer,” and so on.

The media sometimes fail to put a study in context by explaining the type of research reported. Any exciting new finding may be presented as definitive, especially if you just skim the headlines. You may be told little about the quality of the research. Moreover, when it comes to diet and nutrition, each type of study faces a special set of challenges and limitations. Here are some of the main study types.

Laboratory studies are done in test tubes or animals. They can suggest how and why a vitamin, mineral, or phytochemical might work, but the findings don’t automatically translate to people and do not provide strong enough evidence to make changes in dietary habits.

Observational studies (also called epidemiological studies) are done in large populations of people— sometimes 100,000 or more—and can run for decades. Scientists collect data of many types at regular intervals as participants simply live their lives. By comparing those who stay healthy with those who fall ill, researchers try to identify factors that could account for differences. Such studies can be very powerful, since they follow what people actually do in their lives over many years. But they cannot prove cause and effect, only correlations. For example, people who eat blueberries might be healthier because they live healthier lives in general, not because they eat blueberries. Scientists try to adjust for such “confounding” factors, but still cannot draw firm conclusions. Two common observational study designs are case-control and cohort studies, each with its own limitations.

• Case-control studies first identify people with a particular condition (the cases), then select similar usually healthy people who don’t have that condition (the controls), and ask all these people about factors in the past that may be related to the condition of interest. These studies may be tainted by problems called “selection bias” or “recall bias.” Selection bias means that the controls aren’t similar enough to the cases to provide a good comparison. Recall bias means the individuals may not recall their behavior correctly. For example, when ill participants are asked to describe their diet, they often recall a worse diet than the one they actually followed. Healthier folks, meanwhile, tend to see their diets through rose-colored glasses.

• Cohort studies begin when researchers identify a large group of people who are initially free of a particular condition, ask about current factors of interest, and then follow them over time to see who develops the condition and who does not. Because participants are routinely questioned about their diets and lifestyles before developing the condition in question, cohort studies are the strongest observational design. However, because they are very large, they often rely on questionnaires to assess diet—which can be subjective and lead to an underestimate of the true size of the effect. Examples of these studies include the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study.

Metabolic studies typically involve a small number of volunteers who eat specially prepared meals for short time periods and are tested at regular intervals. These studies are rigorous and closely controlled, but are too brief to show actual effects on disease over the long term. Instead, researchers use them to track changes in risk factors or biomarkers, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, elevated blood glucose, or inflammation.

Randomized controlled trials are typically considered the gold standard of scientific research. The researchers randomly assign people to receive either an active treatment (such as a vitamin supplement) or a placebo—a pill or other intervention that looks the same as the active treatment but doesn’t have an effect on the body. These types of studies can directly test whether the treatment makes a difference. But they, too, have their problems where nutrition is concerned. To begin with, they may be too short to observe a nutrient’s long-term consequences. For example, in the Harvard-based Physicians’ Health Study, beta carotene didn’t appear to have any effect on cognition at the 12-year mark, but at 18 years, benefits were detected. Also, these studies may involve participants

who are in better or worse health than you are, so they may not yield information that is relevant to you. Some of the research that did not find an effect for vitamin or mineral supplements, for instance, had come from studies that enrolled people who had existing heart disease or diabetes; it’s not clear how well they apply to healthier people. In addition, because of limited knowledge about a disease (for instance, cancer), randomized controlled trials may not introduce a dietary intervention when it could have done the most good; participants may already be so ill that the change may come too late to make a meaningful difference in the outcome. Lastly, these trials can be extremely difficult to conduct because researchers have to control the behaviors of large numbers of people, often for many years. Some people may not take their supplements as prescribed, may try other treatments as well, or may drop out of the study. If participants do not stay with the assigned treatment, findings could be blurred or even eradicated. Meta-analysis is a statistical strategy that identifies previously published studies containing comparable data and combines the evidence together, looking for patterns that corroborate or contradict the findings from the individual studies. The main output is a single overall estimated effect, based on all of the evidence combined—in effect, it’s a study of studies. A key strength of meta-analysis is the ability to combine data from multiple previously published studies, usually across different populations and countries, to derive a best overall estimate of effects. A potential limitation is that the truth of the final estimate depends almost entirely on the quality of the individual studies that go into the meta-analysis: if good studies are included, a good meta-analysis results, but garbage in, garbage out is another possibility as well. Be sure to look beyond the headlines for more information. Reputable sources of health information try to put key studies in perspective. And check with your doctor before making major dietary changes.

Source: pgs. 14-15, Making Sense of  Vitamins and Minerals: Choosing the foods and nutrients you need to stay healthy.

People Accept Even Fallacy If It Is Proclaimed to be True by Western Science

Science itself has been a continuous tale of elucidating theory after theory only to be cancelled by further research and fresh discoveries. It will ever remain thus. The conclusions of Yoga, on the other hand, are such as have been proved and established beyond all doubt. The reason is self-evident. All inventions have their source in the mind. It is through deep thinking alone that the scientist analyses’ and probes into the secret of phenomena. Through the human mind have all the marvels of modern science been considered and brought forth.

On the other hand, the Yogi plumbs the depths of the mind itself. Having analysed it threadbare, he proceeds even beyond the mind to its original source, the Infinite Atman. The scientist and the philosopher know only the help of the mind. The yogi is the knower of the mind itself and the seer of the source of the mind too. Thus rather is it the Yogic service that ought to be the form of judgement to which all other departments of knowledge should be made to conform. Then alone will the direction of modern progress proceed upon the proper lines. The truth realized through Yogic vision serves as the unerring guide for Humanity to follow on the path of Evolution.

English-educated people are unduly carried away by modern scientific theories and discoveries. Anything, however baseless it be when stamped by the seal of science, is regarded as gospel truth. A theory or doctrine however fallacious, is accepted as true wisdom for all ages, when it is proclaimed in the name and authority of Western science. Any fantastic and ludicrous statement, if only made by a scientist, people are ready to swallow with avidity. Such has become the order of’the day. On the other hand, they reject as baseless superstitions the sublime teachings of our ancient Rishis and sages. The dislike for everything Indian has entered the very cells and tissues of the Indian brain.

I do not, however, condemn the many discoveries made in ‘Science’ by the West. These have led us to unceasing war. These have created a race amongst nations for supremacy over commerce, for conquest of the whole globe and for the mass destruction of mankind. If this is the goal of science, it is well that its death-knell is sounded this very moment. The sages of yore, knowing the true import and culmination of the sciences which they also knew, withdrew their senses from the outgoing

phenomena, looked deep into the soul and pacified their surging mind through the light inexpressible of the divine communion. They allowed their intelligence to unravel the mysteries of the soul rather than the mysteries of matter and of the phenomenal existence and came to the proper conclusion that all attempts to attain peace, joy and happiness, with the mind dragged out to the outer objects, would prove futile and that the true peace can be had within one’s own mind through the calming of its modifications and through sincere devotion and prayers. Can the scientific discoveries and inventions comfort the world today, torn by strife and struggle, war and unhappiness? Can it bring back the desired peace which the aggressor and the oppressor, the oppressed and the down-trodden equally long for in their heart of hearts? Can it soothe the wounded hearts of those mothers who sacrificed their sons in the name of king, country and religion? No. Not in the least.

True comfort, sincere joy and peace can only be had not in the outer world but within, not in the external phenomena but within the human frame, with the senses controlled by Yoga. Let us therefore pray to the Supreme Lord of the Universe and practise Yoga in right earnest and commune with Him for peace and plenty, harmony and infinite bliss.

The prevalent notion that spiritual realization antagonizes the individual to society besides rendering the former incapable of being a useful member of the human community is an unfortunate misconception. This has come from the notion that Samadhi is a peculiar trance state wherein the seer becomes once for all oblivious to the physical existence. But in truth he only isolates himself for a period for reasons of discipline. Being personal and individualistic to start with, the experience later on becomes total and cosmic in effect.

There is a further logical development to the Samadhi state, when the experience resolves itself into the very texture of the normal consciousness of the seer, as his Sahaja Avastha. To him the experience becomes spontaneous and he works on amidst the diversities that characterize the outward existence, as unaffected Sakshi (Witness).

Sources: pg. 139-140, Yoga Samhita by Swami Sivananda

Beware of Headlines That Make Definitive Claims like “Antioxidants block aging” and “Vitamin C prevents cancer”

Oftentimes, we have heard people saying, “There is now a discovery that says….” or “Science has discovered that…”, and they begin promoting the discovery, or start believing everything that has been touted by a university or group, without, of course, knowing the full import and implications of the studies undertaken, or the rationale behind the project.

One such study was brought to the editor’s attention latterly. A CNN article pronounced, apparently citing a study, that “an egg a day may be fine…after all”; needless to say, cautiously subsuming its  disclaimer into the modal verb “may” in the middle of the proclamation. In a similar fashion, there was yet another work of scientists, not very long ago, that asserted that “marijuana has been found to be good for us”, which came about the same time when a laboratory study contended that “daily consumption of a small amount alcohol will stave off dementia”. Not very long after, there was a slew of other observational studies that either contradicted the earlier findings, or raised serious doubts about the validity of the conclusions. And, it comes as no surprise that the vast majority of people, even those who are reputed to be better informed, have to a considerable extent, seized upon these so-called scientific studies. We all know how Elizabeth Holmes fooled even the smartest persons on earth!

Commenting upon people’s vile tendency to believe everything with a label “science” or “studies”, the Harvard Medical School, in one of its Special Health Report entitled “Making Sense of  Vitamins and Minerals”, has said, “Even the most promising research must work its way through a hierarchy of studies before scientists can draw firm conclusions about it. In the process, the findings of seemingly reliable studies can be turned on their head by newer research. This can be frustrating for people trying to make healthy choices, since the conventional wisdom may change from one year to the next… Instead of rushing off in search of the newest, best supplement that garnered headlines in your morning paper, it’s wise to read carefully and consider whether the weight of evidence from a series of solid studies warrants making any changes.” (pg. 14)

It sternly warned us, “Beware of headlines that make definitive claims: ‘Antioxidants block aging,’ ‘Vitamin C prevents cancer,’ and so on. The media sometimes fail to put a study in context by explaining the type of research reported. Any exciting new finding may be presented as definitive, especially if you just skim the headlines. You may be told little about the quality of the research. Moreover, when it comes to diet and nutrition, each type of study faces a special set of challenges and limitations.”

In the 1950s, Swami Sri Sivananda said the same thing about science, studies and conclusions based on western science, “Discoveries of science are never ultimately reliable, because the instruments and apparatus aiding its research are ever changing. They are imperfect as they are conceived out of the fickle mind with all its numerous limitations. Each theory, each discovery, that is put forward one day is contradicted and falsified by a fresh one the next day.” (pg. 117, Yoga Samhita by Swami Sivananda).

Contrasting western discoveries with the wisdom of the rishies, Swami Sivananda said, “The realizations arrived at through Yoga are infallible as they are the direct perceptions with the highest instrument, namely, the purified mind attuned to the infinite…Its findings have been corroborated time and again by its practitioners in the succeeding centuries.” (pg. 117, supra)

Meditate, How to

Swami Sivananda: “Meditate on any form you like: Meditate on the form of a saint who is free from Raga-Dwesha (=likes and dislikes). Or, on any picture. On your own picture. On your own form and qualities. The form and qualities of your father. on Lord Jesus, lord Buddha, Rama, Krishna, Durga.

“…The difference between ‘concentration’ and ‘meditation’ is this: ‘concentration is Dharana and ‘meditation’ is Dhyana — try to fix the mind on any object, any Chakra in the body, this is Dharana. Then, allow the thought to run along that particular groove. This is ‘meditation’. If the mind runs away from the groove, withdraw it and bring it back to the object of meditation, through Pratyahara (=abstraction).

“…After Dharana, Dhyana comes. In Dhyana, you allow the mind to dwell on the same thought. Meditate on rose. You allow your mind to dwell on all sorts of roses. But only one set of thoughts can be allowed to enter the mind.”

(pgs. 18, 24, Yoga Samhita by Swami Sivananda)

Paramahansa Yogananda, at the same time, reminds us that “Your meditation should not be an oblivion of wandering thoughts, but an attentive, constantly increasing devotion to God—a deep joy arising from contact with Spirit. In the silence within, implore His presence again and again, with the yearning you have felt when you have wanted something very badly. With that most urgent desire, pray to Him and tell Him that you want Him. No matter how your thoughts may be running here and there, pay no attention. Bring your mind back to God with the constant prayer: “Reveal Thyself. Come unto me; come unto me. O God, just as Thou dost reveal Thyself unto Christ, reveal Thyself unto me. Reveal Thyself. Come unto me.” The concentration of your mind should be like a flood, gathering volume as it moves toward the ocean of God’s presence. Again and again increase your fervor. “We bow at Thy Lotus Feet of eternity, O Spirit! Reveal thyself!” (pgs. 356-357, Journey to Self-realization by Paramahansa Yogananda)

“Harvard Yoga Scientists Find Proof of Meditation Benefit” By Makiko Kitamura

Scientists are getting close to proving what yogis have held to be true for centuries — yoga and meditation can ward off stress and disease.

John Denninger, a psychiatrist at Harvard Medical School, is leading a five-year study on how the ancient practices affect genes and brain activity in the chronically stressed. His latest work follows a study he and others published earlier this year showing how so-called mind-body techniques can switch on and off some genes linked to stress and immune function.

While hundreds of studies have been conducted on the mental health benefits of yoga and meditation, they have tended to rely on blunt tools like participant questionnaires, as well as heart rate and blood pressure monitoring. Only recently have neuro-imaging and genomics technology used in Denninger’s latest studies allowed scientists to measure physiological changes in greater detail.

“There is a true biological effect,” said Denninger, director of research at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, one of Harvard Medical School’s teaching hospitals. “The kinds of things that happen when you meditate do have effects throughout the body, not just in the brain.”

The government-funded study may persuade more doctors to try an alternative route for tackling the source of a myriad of modern ailments. Stress-induced conditions can include everything from hypertension and infertility to depression and even the aging process. They account for 60 to 90 percent of doctor’s visits in the U.S., according to the Benson-Henry Institute. The World Health Organization estimates stress costs U.S. companies at least $300 billion a year through absenteeism, turn-over and low productivity.

Seinfeld, Murdoch
The science is advancing alongside a budding “mindfulness” movement, which includes meditation devotees such as Bill George, board member of Goldman Sachs Group and Exxon Mobil Corp., and comedian Jerry Seinfeld. News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch recently revealed on Twitter that he is giving meditation a try.

As a psychiatrist specializing in depression, Denninger said he was attracted to mind-body medicine, pioneered in the late 1960s by Harvard professor Herbert Benson, as a possible way to prevent the onset of depression through stress reduction. While treatment with pharmaceuticals is still essential, he sees yoga and meditation as useful additions to his medical arsenal.

Exchange Programme
It’s an interest that dates back to an exchange program he attended in China the summer before entering Harvard as an undergraduate student. At Hangzhou University he trained with a tai chi master every morning for three weeks.

“By the end of my time there, I had gotten through my thick teenage skull that there was something very important about the breath and about inhabiting the present moment,” he said. “I’ve carried that with me since then.”

His current study, to conclude in 2015 with about $3.3 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health, tracks 210 healthy subjects with high levels of reported chronic stress for six months. They are divided in three groups.

One group with 70 participants perform a form of yoga known as Kundalini, another 70 meditate and the rest listen to stress education audiobooks, all for 20 minutes a day at home. Kundalini is a form of yoga that incorporates meditation, breathing exercises and the singing of mantras in addition to postures. Denninger said it was chosen for the study because of its strong meditation component.

Participants come into the lab for weekly instruction for two months, followed by three sessions where they answer questionnaires, give blood samples used for genomic analysis and undergo neuro-imaging tests.

‘Immortality Enzyme’
Unlike earlier studies, this one is the first to focus on participants with high levels of stress. The study published in May in the medical journal PloS One showed that one session of relaxation-response practice was enough to enhance the expression of genes involved in energy metabolism and insulin secretion and reduce expression of genes linked to inflammatory response and stress. There was an effect even among novices who had never practiced before.

Harvard isn’t the only place where scientists have started examining the biology behind yoga.
In a study published last year, scientists at the University of California at Los Angeles and Nobel Prize winner Elizabeth Blackburn found that 12 minutes of daily yoga meditation for eight weeks increased telomerase activity by 43 percent, suggesting an improvement in stress-induced aging. Blackburn of the University of California, San Francisco, shared the Nobel medicine prize in 2009 with Carol Greider and Jack Szostak for research on the telomerase “immortality enzyme,” which slows the cellular aging process.

Build Resilience
Not all patients will be able to stick to a daily regimen of exercise and relaxation. Nor should they have to, according to Denninger and others. Simply knowing breath-management techniques and having a better understanding of stress can help build resilience.

“A certain amount of stress can be helpful,” said Sophia Dunn, a clinical psychotherapist who trained at King’s College London. “Yoga and meditation are tools for enabling us to swim in difficult waters.”

Sources:
http://hms.harvard.edu/news/harvard-yoga-scientists-find-proof-meditation-benefit-11-21-13

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-11-22/harvard-yoga-scientists-find-proof-of-meditation-benefit.html