Raja Yoga: The Path of Meditation (Part 4) | Swami Sarvapriyananda

Sri Ramakrishna

Raja Yoga: The Path of Meditation (Part 4) | Swami Sarvapriyananda

sweet and it's easy to cross over not dangerous at all

so similar, he says the nonyogic mind and nonmeditating mind the worldly the mind is like this river right now full of thoughts impure thoughts moving and changing fast and in Juris, it can no matter we don't know where it will take you and what it will make you do and you can't drink this water nor can you give it to others he said similarly that worldly mind it gives you no peace and gives no peace to those around you but the yogic mind is that like this same River in winter there will be fewer thoughts and all controlled and deliberate just like the water at that time and the water is not at all dangerous you can actually, walk across and the water is absolutely clear you can see through the water to the bottom of the river the riverbed similarly a yogic mind is

so clear and peaceful you can see through to what is the what lies underneath it that means that's a yoga Sutra actually it says the Atman is beyond the mind,

Sri Ramakrishna

Raja Yoga: The Path of Meditation (Part 4) | Swami Sarvapriyananda
so that becomes clear and it gives you you can drink this water you can give it to others a 10 winter similarly this yogic the mind gives you peace and it gives peace to all others around you also

so the very nice comparison he drew between meditating mind and non meditating mind then next thoughts as you start meditating you will become aware of sorts especially patterns of thinking habitual patterns of thinking and what we may call bad thoughts impure thoughts disturbing thoughts negative thoughts how do you handle them and somebody said actually

I was quite peaceful earlier after starting meditation has become so disturbed no those thoughts were always there you're not aware of them you never paid any attention when you quieten down sit quietly they become vivid to you another an example is you know those ink pots were there earlier when you had fountain pens with ink if you ever try to wash inkpot what will happen is at first more and more dark and dirty water will come out because of all the crystallized ink will come out first then it will become clear and clear until you become crystal clear similarly at first negative thoughts come out the thing is to quietly watch them not to get carried away not to get disturbed those thoughts are things there like

Sri Ramakrishna

Raja Yoga: The Path of Meditation (Part 4) | Swami Sarvapriyananda
so much dirt accumulated patterns of thought they're not you they may scare you but they are not you depressing thoughts negative thoughts violent thoughts resentful thoughts and don't give in to the watch them they will go away getting caught up in thought patterns are very dangerous that's why sometimes when people are mentally disturbed or unsteady we tell them not to meditate if meditation can be dangerous for such Minds they're not strong enough and what will come up from insights are

so powerful like a demon it catches them and takes them away for such Minds are much better to get engaged in the world and do some service get involved in some activity creative activity service activity much better

so patterns of thoughts negative thoughts do not be swayed by them watch them they will go away remember they will come and they will go away it'll take some time that the story is there of the Zen master the student came to the Zen master and he said

I if I meditate all bad thoughts come to my mind I'm feeling very disturbed so the teacher said don't worry take a bowl of taking a bowl and there's there are two piles of stones one pile of you know in the Japanese gardens, you have smooth stones pebbles

Sri Ramakrishna

Raja Yoga: The Path of Meditation (Part 4) | Swami Sarvapriyananda

so white stones and one pile of smooth black stones, whenever a thought which disturbs you comes, take a black stone and put it in the bowl whenever a thought which is pure and good uplifting comes to your the mind takes a white thought and put it in the bowl and says sit and watch your mind and the student did this exercise and the beginning the bowl was full of mostly black stones and a few white within a few weeks it was more white stones and a lesser black within by the end of the year maybe one or two still one or two black stones but mostly white stones over time as the mind calms down it becomes more sattvic pure now the bad company

so Mia so Kansas is a very powerful impact on your mind is a bad company company or of whom you whose company you keep bad company it's not pejorative in the sense of