St. Paul’s Chapel
28 March 1973Why do we concentrate? We concentrate because we want to reach the Goal. Why do we meditate? We meditate because we want to live in the heart of the Goal. Why do we contemplate? We contemplate because we want to become the Goal.
How do we concentrate? We concentrate with the mind’s illumining one-pointedness. How do we meditate? We meditate with the heart’s expanding vastness. How do we contemplate? We contemplate with the soul’s fulfilling oneness.
Where do we concentrate, meditate and contemplate? We concentrate, meditate and contemplate in the heart. When we concentrate in the heart, God the Divine Warrior energises us. When we meditate in the heart, God the Divine Knower enlightens us. When we contemplate in the heart, God the Divine Lover immortalises us. The Warrior energises us with His secret Power. The Knower enlightens us with His sacred Light. The Lover immortalises us with His supernal Delight. The Warrior’s Power is our ceaseless capacity. The Knower’s Light is our endless divinity. The Lover’s Delight is our birthless and deathless reality.
When a beginner meditates, it is nothing but struggle. When an advanced seeker meditates, it is smooth sailing.
When an advanced seeker contemplates, he becomes a portion of the Universal Consciousness. When a Yogi contemplates, he becomes the Universal Consciousness.
An occultist’s intimate friend is concentration. A Yogi’s intimate friends are meditation and contemplation. An occultist cares very little for meditation and contemplation. A Yogi cares very little for concentration.
When an occultist concentrates, it is terribly frightening. When a Yogi meditates and contemplates, it is unimaginably charming.
Concentration, meditation and contemplation: in form they are three but in spirit they are one. Concentration exterminates threatening obstructions. Meditation expedites our teeming possibilities. Contemplation places us on the throne of Divinity’s Reality and Reality’s Immortality. Concentration demands from us sincerity. Meditation demands from us purity. Contemplation demands from us integrity.
Yesterday concentration, meditation and contemplation were seething amazements to us. Today they are unusual surprises to us. Tomorrow they will be normal experiences to us.
Concentration is God’s Protection in man. Meditation is God’s Height in man. Contemplation is God’s Victory in man. Human doubt surrenders to concentration. Human fear surrenders to meditation. Human ignorance surrenders to contemplation.
Concentration is the last word on speed. Meditation is the last word on progress. Contemplation is the last word on success. Love of God is humanity’s fastest speed. Devotion to God is humanity’s greatest progress. Surrender to God is humanity’s mightiest success.
When a seeker concentrates on God, God blesses the seeker’s devoted head. When he meditates on God, God blesses his loving heart. When he contemplates on God, God blesses his surrendered entire being. When God concentrates on a seeker, the seeker starts his journey towards the Goal unknowable. When God meditates on a seeker, the seeker is in the midst of his journey towards the Goal unknown. When God contemplates on a seeker, the seeker completes his journey and reaches the Goal: Infinity’s Smile, Eternity’s Embrace, Immortality’s Pride.From:Sri Chinmoy,The oneness of the Eastern heart and the Western mind, part 2, Agni Press, 2004
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