When we concentrate, we concentrate on the finite in the Infinite. We concentrate on a drop in the vast ocean. When we meditate, we meditate on the Infinite inside the finite. We meditate on the blue-vast sea inside the tiny drop. We concentrate to silence the world of outer noise. We meditate to hear the world of inner voice.
When we concentrate, we feel that the world around us offers us tremendous obstacles. Therefore, we are apt to reject the outer world. When we meditate, we accept everything. The world around us and the world within us both remain at our disposal. Only we transform all that has to be transformed in the outer world and in the inner world. It is in the process of transformation that we derive satisfaction.
Concentration carries the message of conquest. Right after conquest we get happiness. Meditation gives us happiness amidst the battles of life. It gives us happiness both in success and in failure, in victory and in defeat. The message of meditation carries us far beyond the domain of success and failure, victory and defeat. Meditation makes us feel that success is an experience and that failure is also an experience. These experiences ultimately lead us to the self-same goal: satisfaction in our oneness-life with our Beloved Supreme.
Concentration reminds us of God the omnipotent. Meditation reminds us of God the omnipresent. When we concentrate, Infinity in its power-aspect appears before us. When we meditate, Eternity in its tranquility-aspect appears before us.
God created the world with His Meditation and in His Meditation. But in the process of involution, evolution, inner revolution and outer resolution, He uses concentration. God the Creator awakens us, inspires us and aspires in and through us with His Meditation-Light. God the creation is around us and for us with His Concentration-Power.
Concentration tells us, “Run, run fast, faster, fastest in order to reach the Goal.” Meditation tells us, “The Goal is not in front of you. It is not remote from you. The Goal is within you. Dive deep within. To your wide surprise, you will not only see the Goal within you, but you will see yourself as the ultimate Goal. You the seeker, you the aspiration and you the realisation are one and identical.”
We concentrate, we meditate.
Pace University, White Plains, N.Y., 7 March 1978↩
From:Sri Chinmoy,AUM — Vol.II-5, No. 3, 27 March 1978, Vishma Press, 1978
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