Every human being in this world aspires for peace and happiness. Happiness and peace have less to do with gross objects; they refer to states of mind. Moreover, there is another kind of experience, which is the highest and is independent of worldly objects and senses. It is called Bliss. This bliss is one thing for which a person should practice meditation.
Bliss or super sensuous joy enables a person to break the shackles of otherwise die-hard habits and addictions. For, it is so rewarding and ennobling an experience that nothing demoniacal can stand in it’s way.
Yoga enables man to have deep relaxation also. It does this in two ways. Firstly a person who practices meditation or a yogi does not have worries, fears or spoilt relations. Secondly, he feels detached from the world and from situations. This relaxation makes him calm and enables him to take decisions without any tension, undue haste or pressure.
Further, yoga or meditation brings about behavioral transformation of man without any therapy. The thoughts made in meditation work like mental surgery. Positive virtues are implanted in him in place of negative traits. His outlook now changes and so, bad habits now loosen their grip on him. His energy is now used for constructive and useful work.
This brings about an overall enhancement in his personality. His shyness is now replaced by a feeling of confidence. From a dull, dreary and stiff person, he now becomes a man of sociable and charming manners.
All of these go a long way in improving relationship with others. He can now put up with all sorts of people and remain unprovoked. He now does not mind small things and laughs sway certain things instead of taking uncompromising and tough positions, so that he has health, happiness and a pleasing nature.
Another thing Yoga also enables a person is to experience the heavenly love, which comes only from God as the soul’s Mother-Father, Friend, Savior and ‘Sweet Heart’. This love plays such a melody on the strings of one’s mind that one really feels enraptured. It can be better experienced than said.
Last but not the least, Raja yoga enables a person to control his mind and to have an economy of thoughts. One is now freed from purposeless and negative thoughts. In a word, it can be said that meditation brings about fulfillment in man’s life.
You can say that with the practice of meditation, a person will be in harmony with nature, at peace with his own self, in concord with others and in unison with the Creator. His mind is not in conflict with his intellect nor his actions disturb nature nor contravene injunctions of God.
Mental Tensions
Mental tension is the cause of the crimes in the world. Many diseases are also due to psychological imbalance, nervous strain and hypertension. In order to feel relaxed, some people, now-a-days, take tranquilisers, smoke marijuana or use LSD drugs but this does not provide them with a lasting relief. Rather, these things have harmful effects on man's mental faculties and they make him a slave of the urge to take them again and again. It has now been demonstrated that the best course to be free from mental tension is to practise Raja Yoga daily, even though for a short while.
One would naturally like to know as to what exactly it is that leads man to mental tension and how Raja Yoga helps to keep him free from it. In this connection, one should know that the main factor responsible for the mental tension is man's attitude towards events, persons and things. It is well-known that the main mechanism through which man reacts to external stimuli in the form of events, persons or things is man's brain and the network of sensory and motor nerves with which the brain is connected. But it is the soul which is the centre of the consciousness and the soul abides near the pituitary gland. The pituitary receives the external stimuli through the hypothalamus which receives information from the cerebral cortex of the brain and passes it on to the soul. Now it depends upon what attitudes, values or proclivities the soul has. The soul reacts to those stimuli according to its tendencies, beliefs, values etc. through the above-mentioned mechanism. Raja Yoga enables the soul to have proper attitudes, values,will-power and bliss through link with God. If for example, the soul looks upon the world as a drama, it does not feel sad in the face of adverse events. Rather, it takes them as mere passing panorama and remains as a witness.
Again, if the soul has the belief that he was originally calm and peaceful and that all other persons also are souls, related to it as brothers, he treats all with love and if others act unrighteously, he pities them and tries to extricate him rather than get disturbed.
Further, the soul, because of his belief in God as the omnipotent and merciful Father, who helps those who help themselves by acting according to divine law, remains free of worry, feels secure and also get love from Him. It experiences bliss and this saves the soul from the harmful impact of external stimuli on his consciousness. Thus, Raja Yoga helps the soul to feel relaxed and peaceful.
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