The Power of Meditation

Spiritual meditation is the pathway to Divinity. It is the mystic ladder which reaches from earth to heaven, from error to Truth, from pain to peace. Every saint has climbed it; every sinner must sooner or later come to it, and every weary pilgrim that turns his back upon self and the world, and sets his face resolutely toward the Father’s Home, must plant his feet upon its golden rounds. Without its aid you cannot grow into the divine state, the divine likeness, the divine peace, and the fadeless glories and unpolluting joys of Truth will remain hidden from you.

Spiritual meditation is the path to Divinity. It is the mystical ladder that reaches from earth to heaven, from error to Truth, and from pain to peace. Every saint has climbed it, and every sinner must come to it sooner or later. Every weary pilgrim must also step onto its golden rungs. They must do so when they turn their backs on self and the world and resolutely face the Father’s Home. Without meditation, you cannot grow into the divine state, the divine likeness, or the divine peace. The unfading glories and pure joys of Truth will remain hidden from you.

Meditation is the intense dwelling, in thought, upon an idea or theme, with the object of thoroughly comprehending it, and whatsoever you constantly meditate upon you will not only come to understand, but will grow more and more into its likeness, for it will become incorporated into your very being, will become, in fact, your very self. If, therefore, you constantly dwell upon that which is selfish and debasing, you will ultimately become selfish and debased; if you ceaselessly think upon that which is pure and unselfish you will surely become pure and unselfish.

Meditation means thinking deeply about an idea or subject so that you can fully understand it. Whatever you constantly meditate on, you will not only come to understand but also grow more and more like. It will become part of your very being. In fact, it will become your very self. Therefore, if you constantly dwell on what is selfish and degrading, you will eventually become selfish and degraded. If you continually think about what is pure and unselfish, you will surely become pure and unselfish.

Tell me what that is upon which you most frequently and intensely think, that to which, in your silent hours, your soul most naturally turns, and I will tell you to what place of pain or peace you are traveling, and whether you are growing into the likeness of the divine or the bestial.

Tell me what you think about most often and most intensely. Tell me what your soul naturally turns to in quiet moments. Then I will tell you whether you are heading toward pain or peace, and whether you are becoming more like the divine or the beast.

There is an unavoidable tendency to become literally the embodiment of that quality upon which one most constantly thinks. Let, therefore, the object of your meditation be above and not below, so that every time you revert to it in thought you will be lifted up; let it be pure and unmixed with any selfish element; so shall your heart become purified and drawn nearer to Truth, and not defiled and dragged more hopelessly into error.

You will inevitably come to embody the quality you think about most often. So focus your thoughts on what is higher, not lower. Then, whenever you return to it in thought, it will lift you up. Let it be pure and free of selfishness. In this way, your heart will become purer and draw nearer to Truth. It will not be stained and dragged more hopelessly into error.

Meditation, in the spiritual sense in which I am now using it, is the secret of all growth in spiritual life and knowledge. Every prophet, sage, and savior became such by the power of meditation. Buddha meditated upon the Truth until he could say, “I am the Truth.” Jesus brooded upon the Divine immanence until at last he could declare, “I and my Father are One.”

Meditation, in the spiritual sense I am using here, is the secret to all growth in spiritual life and knowledge. Every prophet, sage, and savior became one through the power of meditation. Buddha meditated on the Truth until he could say, “I am the Truth.” Jesus reflected deeply on God's presence within all things until he could declare, “I and my Father are One.”

Meditation centered upon divine realities is the very essence and soul of prayer. It is the silent reaching of the soul toward the Eternal. Mere petitionary prayer without meditation is a body without a soul, and is powerless to lift the mind and heart above sin and affliction. If you are daily praying for wisdom, for peace, for loftier purity and a fuller realization of Truth, and that for which you pray is still far from you, it means that you are praying for one thing while living out in thought and act another. If you will cease from such waywardness, taking your mind off those things the selfish clinging to which debars you from the possession of the stainless realities for which you pray: if you will no longer ask God to grant you that which you do not deserve, or to bestow upon you that love and compassion which you refuse to bestow upon others, but will com mence to think and act in the spirit of Truth, you will day by day be growing into those realities, so that ultimately you will become one with them.

Meditation focused on divine realities is the very essence and soul of prayer. It is the soul silently reaching toward the Eternal. Prayer that merely asks for things, without meditation, is a body without a soul. It cannot lift the mind and heart above sin and suffering. You may pray daily for wisdom, peace, greater purity, and a fuller understanding of Truth. If these are still far from you, it means you are praying for one thing while thinking and acting differently. You must stop straying in this way. Turn your mind away from the things you selfishly cling to, which keep you from the pure realities you pray for. Stop asking God to give you what you do not deserve. Stop asking him for the love and compassion you refuse to show others. Instead, begin to think and act in the spirit of Truth. If you do, you will grow into those realities day by day, until you become one with them.

He who would secure any worldly advantage must be willing to work vigorously for it, and he would be foolish indeed who, waiting with folded hands, expected it to come to him for the mere asking. Do not then vainly imagine that you can obtain the heavenly possessions without making an effort. Only when you commence to work earnestly in the Kingdom of Truth will you be allowed to partake of the Bread of Life, and when you have, by patient and uncomplaining effort, earned the spiritual wages for which you ask, they will not be withheld from you.

Anyone who wants worldly advantage must be willing to work hard for it. It would be foolish to sit with folded hands and expect it to come merely by asking. So do not imagine that you can gain heavenly possessions without effort. Only when you begin to work earnestly in the Kingdom of Truth will you be allowed to share the Bread of Life. When you have earned the spiritual wages you ask for through patient effort, without complaining, they will not be withheld from you.

If you really seek Truth, and not merely your own gratification; if you love it above all worldly pleasures and gains; more, even, than happiness itself, you will be willing to make the effort necessary for its achievement.

If you truly seek Truth, not just your own pleasure, you will be willing to work for it. You must love Truth more than all worldly pleasures and gains, and even more than happiness itself.

If you would be freed from sin and sorrow; if you would taste of that spotless purity for which you sigh and pray; if you would realize wisdom and knowledge, and would enter into the possession of profound and abiding peace, come now and enter the path of meditation, and let the supreme object of your meditation be Truth.

If you want to be free from sin and sorrow, and experience the perfect purity you long and pray for, begin to meditate now. If you want to gain wisdom and knowledge, and find deep, lasting peace, begin to meditate now. Let Truth be the central focus of your meditation.

At the outset, meditation must be distinguished from idle reverie. There is nothing dreamy and unpractical about it. It is a process of searching and uncompromising thought which allows nothing to remain but the simple and naked truth. Thus meditating you will no longer strive to build yourself up in your prejudices, but, forgetting self, you will remember only that you are seeking the Truth. And so you will remove, one by one, the errors which you have built around yourself in the past, and will patiently wait for the revelation of Truth which will come when your errors have been sufficiently removed. In the silent humility of your heart you will realize that

First, meditation must be distinguished from idle daydreaming. There is nothing dreamy or impractical about meditation. It is a process of searching, uncompromising thought that leaves nothing but the simple, bare truth. As you meditate, you will no longer try to strengthen your prejudices. Instead, you will forget yourself and remember only that you are seeking the Truth. You will remove, one by one, the errors you have built around yourself in the past. You will patiently wait for the Truth to be revealed. It will come when you have removed enough of your errors. In the quiet humility of your heart, you will realize that

Select some portion of the day in which to meditate, and keep that period sacred to your purpose. The best time is the very early morning when the spirit of repose is upon everything. All natural conditions will then be in your favor; the passions, after the long bodily fast of the night, will be subdued, the excitements and worries of the previous day will have died away, and the mind, strong and yet restful, will be receptive to spiritual instruction. Indeed, one of the first efforts you will be called upon to make will be to shake off lethargy and indulgence, and if you refuse you will be unable to advance, for the demands of the spirit are imperative.

Choose a time each day to meditate, and keep that time sacred to your purpose. The best time is very early in the morning, when everything is at rest. All natural conditions will then be in your favor. Your passions will be subdued after your body has gone without food through the night. The excitement and worries of the previous day will have faded. Your mind will be strong yet rested, and ready to receive spiritual instruction. Indeed, one of your first efforts must be to overcome laziness and self-indulgence. If you refuse, you will be unable to advance, because the demands of the spirit must be met.

To be spiritually awakened is also to be mentally and physically awakened. The sluggard and the self-indulgent can have no knowledge of Truth. He who, possessed of health and strength, wastes the calm, precious hours of the silent morning in drowsy indulgence is totally unfit to climb the heavenly heights.

To be spiritually awake is also to be mentally and physically awake. Lazy and self-indulgent people cannot know Truth. A healthy, strong person who wastes the calm, precious hours of the quiet morning sleeping in is totally unfit to climb the heights of heaven.

He whose awakening consciousness has become alive to its lofty possibilities, who is beginning to shake off the darkness of ignorance in which the world is enveloped, rises before the stars have ceased their vigil, and, grappling with the darkness within his soul, strives, by holy aspiration, to perceive the light of Truth while the unawakened world dreams on.

A person whose consciousness is awakening becomes aware of its high possibilities. Such a person begins to shake off the darkness of ignorance that surrounds the world. They rise before the stars have faded and struggle with the darkness in their soul. Through a sacred longing, they strive to see the light of Truth while the unawakened world dreams on.

No saint, no holy man, no teacher of Truth ever lived who did not rise early in the morning. Jesus habitually rose early, and climbed the solitary mountains to engage in holy communion. Buddha always rose an hour before sunrise and engaged in meditation, and all his disciples were enjoined to do the same.

Every saint, holy man, and teacher of Truth who ever lived rose early in the morning. Jesus regularly rose early and climbed the mountains alone to commune with God. Buddha always rose an hour before sunrise and meditated. He instructed all his disciples to do the same.

If you have to commence your daily duties at a very early hour, and are thus debarred from giving the early morning to systematic meditation, try to give an hour at night, and should this, by the length and laboriousness of your daily task be denied you, you need not despair, for you may turn your thoughts upward in holy meditation in the intervals of your work, or in those few idle minutes which you now waste in aimlessness; and should your work be of that kind which becomes by practice automatic, you may meditate while engaged upon it. That eminent Christian saint and philosopher, Jacob Boehme, realized his vast knowledge of divine things whilst working long hours as a shoemaker. In every life there is time to think, and the busiest, the most laborious is not shut out from aspiration and meditation.

If you must begin your daily duties very early, you may not have time for regular meditation in the morning. If so, try to give an hour to it at night. But if your daily work is too long and demanding for that, you need not despair. You can turn your thoughts upward in holy meditation during breaks in your work. You can also use the few idle minutes you now waste without purpose. And if your work becomes automatic with practice, you can meditate while doing it. Jacob Boehme, the eminent Christian saint and philosopher, gained his vast knowledge of divine things while working long hours as a shoemaker. Everyone has time to think. Even the busiest person, doing the hardest work, is not shut out from aspiration and meditation.

Spiritual meditation and self-discipline are inseparable; you will, therefore, commence to meditate upon yourself so as to try and understand yourself, for, remember, the great object you will have in view will be the complete removal of all your errors in order that you may realize Truth. You will begin to question your motives, thoughts, and acts, comparing them with your ideal, and endeavoring to look upon them with a calm and impartial eye. In this manner you will be continually gaining more of that mental and spiritual equilibrium without which men are but helpless straws upon the ocean of life. If you are given to hatred or anger you will meditate upon gentleness and forgiveness, so as to become acutely alive to a sense of your harsh and foolish conduct. You will then begin to dwell in thoughts of love, of gentleness, of abounding forgiveness; and as you overcome the lower by the higher, there will gradually, silently steal into your heart a knowledge of the divine Law of Love with an understanding of its bearing upon all the intricacies of life and conduct. And in applying this knowledge to your every thought, word, and act, you will grow more and more gentle, more and more loving, more and more divine. And thus with every error, every selfish desire, every human weakness; by the power of meditation is it overcome, and as each sin, each error is thrust out, a fuller and clearer measure of the Light of Truth illumines the pilgrim soul.

Spiritual meditation and self-discipline cannot be separated. So you will begin to reflect on yourself and try to understand yourself. Remember, your great goal is to remove all your errors so that you may realize Truth. You will begin to question your motives, thoughts, and actions, comparing them with your ideal. You will try to look at them calmly and impartially. In this way, you will continually gain more mental and spiritual balance. Without that balance, people are like helpless straws on the ocean of life. If you are prone to hatred or anger, you will meditate on gentleness and forgiveness. This will make you keenly aware of your harsh and foolish conduct. You will then begin to focus your thoughts on love, gentleness, and abundant forgiveness. As you overcome the lower with the higher, knowledge of the divine Law of Love will gradually and silently enter your heart. You will also come to understand how this law applies to all the complexities of life and conduct. As you apply this knowledge to every thought, word, and action, you will grow gentler, more loving, and more divine. The same is true of every error, every selfish desire, and every human weakness. Each is overcome through the power of meditation. As each sin and error is driven out, the Light of Truth shines more fully and clearly on the pilgrim soul.

Thus meditating, you will be ceaselessly fortifying yourself against your only real enemy, your selfish, perishable self, and will be establishing yourself more and more firmly in the divine and imperishable self that is inseparable from Truth. The direct outcome of your meditations will be a calm, spiritual strength which will be your stay and resting-place in the struggle of life. Great is the overcoming power of holy thought, and the strength and knowledge gained in the hour of silent meditation will enrich the soul with saving remembrance in the hour of strife, of sorrow, or of temptation.

As you meditate in this way, you will continually strengthen yourself against your only real enemy, your selfish, perishable self. You will also become more firmly grounded in the divine and imperishable self that is inseparable from Truth. Your meditations will give you a calm spiritual strength. This strength will support and comfort you in the struggles of life. Holy thought has great power to overcome. The strength and knowledge gained during silent meditation will enrich your soul with saving memories in times of struggle, sorrow, or temptation.

As, by the power of meditation, you grow in wisdom, you will relinquish, more and more, your selfish desires which are fickle, impermanent, and productive of sorrow and pain; and will take your stand, with increasing steadfastness and trust, upon unchangeable principles, and will realize heavenly rest.

As meditation helps you grow wiser, you will increasingly let go of your selfish desires. These desires are changeable and temporary, and they cause sorrow and pain. You will stand by unchanging principles with growing steadiness and trust, and you will find heavenly rest.

The use of meditation is the acquirement of a knowledge of eternal principles, and the power which results from meditation is the ability to rest upon and trust those principles, and so become one with the Eternal. The end of meditation is, therefore, direct knowledge of Truth, God, and the realization of divine and profound peace.

Meditation helps us gain knowledge of eternal principles. It also gives us the power to rely on and trust those principles, and so become one with the Eternal. The goal of meditation is therefore direct knowledge of Truth and God, and the experience of divine and profound peace.

Let your meditations take their rise from the ethical ground which you now occupy. Remember that you are to grow into Truth by steady perseverance. If you are an ortho dox Christian, meditate ceaselessly upon the spotless purity and divine excellence of the character of Jesus, and apply his every precept to your inner life and outward conduct, so as to approximate more and more toward his perfection. Do not be as those religious ones, who, refusing to meditate upon the Law of Truth, and to put into practice the precepts given to them by their Master, are content to formally worship, to cling to their particular creeds, and to continue in the ceaseless round of sin and suffering. Strive to rise, by the power of meditation, above all selfish clinging to partial gods or party creeds; above dead formalities and lifeless ignorance. Thus walking the high way of wisdom, with mind fixed upon the spotless Truth, you shall know no halting-place short of the realization of Truth. He who earnestly meditates first perceives a truth, as it were, afar off, and then realizes it by daily practice. It is only the doer of the Word of Truth that can know of the doctrine of Truth, for though by pure thought the Truth is perceived, it is only actualized by practice.

Begin your meditation from the moral ground you now stand on. Remember that you must grow into Truth through steady perseverance. If you are an orthodox Christian, meditate constantly on the spotless purity and divine excellence of Jesus’ character. Apply every one of his teachings to your inner life and outward conduct. In this way, come closer and closer to his perfection. Do not be like those religious people who refuse to meditate on the Law of Truth. They also refuse to practice the teachings their Master gave them. Instead, they are content to worship formally, cling to their particular creeds, and continue in endless sin and suffering. Through the power of meditation, strive to rise above all selfish attachment to partial gods or party creeds. Rise above empty formalities and lifeless ignorance. Walk this high path of wisdom with your mind fixed on the spotless Truth. Then you will not stop until you have realized Truth. A person who meditates earnestly first sees a truth as if from a distance. Then, through daily practice, that person realizes the truth. Only someone who acts on the Word of Truth can know the doctrine of Truth. For although pure thought reveals Truth, only practice makes it real.

Said the divine Gautama, the Buddha, “He who gives himself up to vanity, and does not give himself up to meditation, forgetting the real aim of life and grasping at pleasure, will in time envy him who has exerted himself in meditation,” and he instructed his disciples in the following “Five Great Meditations”:—

The divine Gautama, the Buddha, said, “Anyone who gives in to vanity and neglects meditation forgets life's true aim and chases pleasure. In time, they will envy the person who has worked hard at meditation.” He taught his disciples the following “Five Great Meditations”:

“The first meditation is the meditation of love, in which you so adjust your heart that you long for the weal and welfare of all beings, including the happiness of your enemies.

“The first meditation is the meditation of love. In it, you adjust your heart so that you long for the well-being and happiness of all beings, including your enemies.

“The second meditation is the meditation of pity, in which you think of all beings in distress, vividly representing in your imagination their sorrows and anxieties so as to arouse a deep compassion for them in your soul.

“The second meditation is the meditation of pity. Think of all beings in distress, vividly imagining their sorrows and anxieties. Do this to awaken deep compassion for them in your soul.

“The third meditation is the meditation of joy, in which you think of the prosperity of others, and rejoice with their rejoicings.

“The third meditation is the meditation of joy. You think about the prosperity of others and share in their joy.

“The fourth meditation is the meditation of impurity, in which you consider the evil consequences of corruption, the effects of sin and diseases. How trivial often the pleasure of the moment, and how fatal its consequences.

“The fourth meditation is on impurity. In it, you consider the harmful consequences of corruption and the effects of sin and disease. How small the pleasure of the moment often is, and how fatal its consequences.

“The fifth meditation is the meditation on serenity, in which you rise above love and hate, tyranny and oppression, wealth and want, and regard your own fate with impartial calmness and perfect tranquillity.”

“The fifth meditation is on serenity. In it, you rise above love and hate, tyranny and oppression, wealth and poverty. You view your own fate with impartial calm and perfect peace.”

By engaging in these meditations the disciples of the Buddha arrived at a knowledge of the Truth. But whether you engage in these particular meditations or not matters little so long as your object is Truth, so long as you hunger and thirst for that righteousness which is a holy heart and a blameless life. In your meditations, therefore, let your heart grow and expand with ever-broadening love, until, freed from all hatred, and passion, and condemnation, it embraces the whole universe with thoughtful tenderness. As the flower opens its petals to receive the morning light, so open your soul more and more to the glorious light of Truth. Soar upward upon the wings of aspiration; be fearless, and believe in the loftiest possibilities. Believe that a life of absolute meekness is possible; believe that a life of stainless purity is possible; believe that a life of perfect holiness is possible; believe that the realization of the highest truth is possible. He who so believes, climbs rapidly the heavenly hills, whilst the unbelievers con tinue to grope darkly and painfully in the fog-bound valleys.

By practicing these meditations, the Buddha’s disciples came to know the Truth. But it matters little whether you practice these particular meditations. What matters is that you seek Truth and hunger and thirst for righteousness: a holy heart and a blameless life. So, as you meditate, let your heart grow with ever-broadening love. Let it become free of all hatred, passion, and condemnation, until it embraces the whole universe with thoughtful tenderness. Just as a flower opens its petals to receive the morning light, open your soul more and more to the glorious light of Truth. Soar upward on the wings of aspiration. Be fearless, and believe in the highest possibilities. Believe that a life of complete humility is possible. Believe that a life of spotless purity is possible. Believe that a life of perfect holiness is possible. Believe that you can realize the highest truth. Anyone who believes this climbs the heavenly hills quickly, while those who do not believe continue to grope in darkness and pain through the fog-filled valleys.

So believing, so aspiring, so meditating, divinely sweet and beautiful will be your spiritual experiences, and glorious the revelations that will enrapture your inward vision. As you realize the divine Love, the divine Justice, the divine Purity, the Perfect Law of Good, or God, great will be your bliss and deep your peace. Old things will pass away, and all things will become new. The veil of the material universe, so dense and impenetrable to the eye of error, so thin and gauzy to the eye of Truth, will be lifted and the spiritual universe will be revealed. Time will cease, and you will live only in Eternity. Change and mortality will no more cause you anxiety and sorrow, for you will become established in the unchangeable, and will dwell in the very heart of immortality.

As you believe, aspire, and meditate, your spiritual experiences will be divinely sweet and beautiful. Glorious revelations will fill your inner vision with delight. As you recognize divine Love, divine Justice, divine Purity, and the Perfect Law of Good, or God, you will know great bliss and deep peace. Old things will pass away, and everything will become new. The veil of the material universe will be lifted, revealing the spiritual universe. To the eye of error, that veil is thick and impossible to see through. To the eye of Truth, it is thin and gauzy. Time will cease, and you will live only in Eternity. Change and death will no longer cause you anxiety and sorrow. For you will be grounded in what never changes and will live in the very heart of immortality.

STAR OF WISDOM

STAR OF WISDOM