A Million Thoughts: Learn All About Meditation from a Himalayan Mystic

The subtlest and most powerful of the three karma is a mental karma. It leaves behind a longer trail, a form of psychic residue that I call an emotional imprint. It’s the hardest to erase. The origin of all karma of any type is a thought. Pursuit of a thought is mental karma. It has an immediate impact on your mental state, a lasting impact on your consciousness and an everlasting effect, however subtle, on your mind. Once again, let us go back to our example of apple. This time, you do not have the apples with you. The thought of an apple crosses your mind. You do not drop that thought. Instead, you start to pursue it.

From the original thought of the apple, you are recalled of the time you last had an apple. That thought may link you to the thought of you buying apples from a shop. Just note that the initial thought about the apple has now been replaced with that about the shop. The shop owner’s picture and communication flashes in front of you. You recall giving money to the seller. You are reminded of another customer, who was shopping for bananas, standing next to you. You further recall how she was carefully picking the bananas and her physical attributes. You are now reminded of her statements, her voice and how she paid to the shop owner. You may experience love, lust, or some positive emotion arising in you.

You are tossed back to the thought of the shopkeeper because he returns you the change with your bag of apples. You take the bag and start walking. You are now reminded of the market conditions. You may further recall some unpleasant incident that happened one time in the market. This shopping cart had scratched your car. You feel angry and frustrated that how could some people be so inconsiderate and on and on and on…

Had you dropped the thought of the apple at the very moment it emerged, you would not have gone through the grind of mental karma. And all this depends on your memory. If only you had remembered that thoughts are empty in their own right and that you didn’t have to pursue them, you would have not felt any negativity at events of the past over which you have no control in the present moment.

Memory plays a pivotal role in correct meditation. When you are able to retain only a part of your memory – that is, the object of meditation – you move towards achieving the tranquil state. However, memory is also your greatest hurdle in meditating correctly. Primarily because your memory is an accumulation, a storage tank, of your psychic imprints. Simply put, memory is the residue I’ve talked about.

anubhūtaviṣayāsaṃpramoṣaḥsmṛtiḥ12

A function of consciousness, memory is the unaltered collection of words and experiences.

It is not possible to empty your memory store. However, it is possible to drop the thought as soon as it starts to emerge. That leads to a state of non-recollection. When you hold your mind in the tranquil absorptive state, afflictions from psychic imprints start to fade.

Your mind operates on the famous computing principle of GIGO – garbage in, garbage out. If you do ill, speak ill and think ill, the residue is going to leave you sick. If you do well, speak well and think well, the outcome is going to be well. Excess of anything results in excess residue. The more you eat, the greater the inventory, the bigger the headache of managing it. Imagine having a warehouse stocked up with unnecessary widgets. Your mind is a warehouse. Do you really wish to stock it up with useless stuff? Watch what you do, say, and think, transformation will begin automatically.

A mind that has gone empty fills with love naturally. An empty mind is not a devil’s workshop. A restless mind is. An empty mind is infact a meditator’s nirvana. A mind that holds no grudges against anyone, no desires, no expectations is a hotbed of noble intentions. Good meditation naturally leads to that exalted state.

What Meditation is Not

“What have you gained from meditation?” someone asked Mahavira, founder of Jainism, a contemporary of Buddha and equally enlightened.

“I have gained nothing actually,” the sage said smilingly. “But, I’ve lost much including my anger, pride, lust and misconceptions.” Start with the premise that meditation is not about gaining anything. The notion of gaining or losing is a rather material (and not spiritual) way of thinking. Spirituality is not bothered with losing or acquiring. The right action for the greater good of

our universe is its only concern.

I don’t wish to portray meditation as a solution to all your problems, that won’t be fair. Even the closest disciples of Buddha, who meditated diligently, fought amongst themselves, remaining clueless and oblivious all their lives to the teachings of the great Buddha. Meditation never was or will be a substitute for virtuous conduct. Before I share with you what is meditation, it is absolutely critical that I tell you what meditation is not.