CONCENTRATION, MEDITATION AND YOGA

The terms Concentration, Meditation and Yoga are quite often confused with different interpretations. Let me share my thoughts with the readers:

'Concentration' means 'bringing together the scattered energy'. Meditation is a practice to be 'contemplatively conscious of one's Reality'. 'Yoga' means 'sense of Equanimity'.

Attentiveness, 'sraddha', 'dharana', mindfulness - all these come under the definition of 'concentration'. Efficiency in 'action' comes as a result of concentration. 'Action' includes 'karma; 'gnana' and 'bhakthy'. All these get the status of 'yoga', when done with sraddha and mindfulness. In many places 'sraddha' and 'bhakthy' are mentioned together which means 'bhakthy' attains perfection only with 'sraddha'.

Next, coming to 'meditation', it is 'dhyana' the seventh step in the Ashtanga yoga of Sage Patanjali. To be contemplatively conscious of one's 'Reality' - swaroopa (as against 'appearance-swabhava') majority of us adopt a 'mantra' - "OM", "SIVOHAM" AHAM BRAHMASMI" etc., which serves as a vehicle to arrive at the contemplative consciousness. After realising the 'Reality' the mantra becomes superfluous. There is no need for a man to remind himself by repeating "I am Man". The 'Sense of Existence' immerses in "Existence". The concepts, name and form and time and space would continue to remain even after realisation of their ultimate Reality.

A drama actor is contemplatively conscious of his true person all the time, even while enacting different roles and enacting different emotions in the drama-stage. Similarly, in our life-living drama, we should be contemplatively conscious of our Reality even while living amidst various concepts and emotions.

YOGA the third factor under discussion, is well defined in B-Geetha as "samatwam yoga uchyathe" - "Equanimity is Yoga". An individual who has realised the Reality and is contemplatively conscious of the same, never gets agitated by opposing conceptual dualities. He also outlives emotional dualities. With an attitude of Equanimity he performs his duties efficiently, with Wisdom Knowledge - expression of Consciousness.