We have seen how Dynamic Concentration becomes the key to mastery of the mind. Consider now the purposes to which such mastery may be put—the many ways in which it can be made to work for you. In the twentieth century, with its preoccupation with the inner man, its constant questing after psychological insights, it becomes especially important and useful to each of us to be able to turn the searchlight of knowledge inward.

Using Concentration as a tool, the next, and final, step to­ward true self-mastery is Meditation. Yoga teaches that through Meditation the individual learns to be truly and fully conscious of himself as a unit separate and distinct from all other manifestations of life, not merely in the highly personal, individualistic Western sense, which all too often leads to egocentricity and uneasy self-absorption, but in a serene, de­tached way that makes him immune to superficial influences. The average person, daily subjected to competitive pressures, influenced by the fears and insecurities of others, easily becomes prey to anxiety or even panic while trying to live up to impossible standards artificially set up by his social milieu. But those few who wisely take time to find out who they are, quickly lose the need to play a lifelong game of "follow the leader." They learn to differentiate between what is right for them and what is not, what they really want out of life and what they have been made to believe they want. They learn to be true to themselves and through this awareness are liber­ated from conformity.

Yet as Freud and Jung and Adler have pointed out, to know one's Self, to be able to take stock without rationalization or self-delusion, is a most difficult and painful process. For in order to be completely honest in our self-appraisal we must learn to admit that we are what we are, not idealized, romanti­cized verisions of ourselves. Often in order to achieve this we are forced to dig deep into memory for things we have allowed our conscious to forget because once they seemed humiliating or shameful to our ego. In fact, to dredge them up is so un­pleasant that for most people self-examination sessions gener­ally end up in failure. Another frequent pattern, after super­ficial self-analysis, is to make fine, sweeping resolutions to change and mend our ways by main force. This, as we all know, never works. Sometimes we bog down first into self-condemnation, then into self-pity. But mostly we escape by permitting our thoughts to wander away from the main prob­lem—to let us drift a hundred dream-miles away.

How, then, are you going to be sure whether the goals you have set for yourself are your own heart's desire or the reflec­tion of what you have been taught to consider desirable? How tell whether your behavior patterns are truly those which suit you or have been foisted on you by circumstance? And just what is the interrelation between your external behavior and the inner problems with which you live? More specifically, what is the particular load you, as a civilized man or woman, are being forced to carry—and what can you do to lighten it?

Whether the load be emotional or physical, often the roots are the same. For instance violent headaches may be due to in­adequate glasses, but may also be brought on by repressed re­sentments. Thus chronic migraines are frequently an expres­sion of anger so violent that the super-ego is afraid to admit it.

The migraine sufferer presents a gentle face to the world while turning the anger inward. An ulcer case may be a man who has permitted himself to be maneuvered into a highly-paying job he hates rather than stick to the less financially rewarding but personally more gratifying work he once dreamed about. And what of the vague anxieties, the sleepless­ness, the sudden fatigue most people experience at one time or another—what about that familiar inability to finish the tasks you start, or even to get started at all, because you cannot seem to overcome an ingrained conviction that you must inevitably fail, that nothing you do can possibly be good or successful?

You have doubtless recognized yourself in one or another of these descriptions. You also know perfectly well that the popular diagnosis for them all, as well as for a hundred other stumbling blocks in the path of human happiness, happens to be the correct one—it's all in the mind. Yet to bring about a change is like trying to lift yourself by your own proverbial bootstraps. The real problem eludes you. It is at this point that many people begin to consider psychoanalysis—at an average cost of $20 a fifty-minute hour.

And yet it is a fact that you yourself can change your mental attitude and remedy the physical manifestations these bring about once you learn to face and stay with your problems long enough to sort out the confusions. First you must discover what is the real you in the clutter of superimposed images. Next you must decide, just as you would with an analyst's help, which of your problems you are able to do something about, and which you must learn to live with in the light of ob-jective reality. Once you have achieved such self-knowledge you will feel you have stopped beating your head against the wall. An inner sense of serenity will replace senseless turmoil, the need to build up complicated mechanisms for camouflag­ing rebellion and finding escape will vanish, and you will be free to direct your energies constructively.

By now you can readily see why true Meditation —the kind taught by Yoga—requires the preparatory disciplines which can only be learned through Deep Concentration. But once you are able to stay with any one thought long enough to ex­amine its every facet and not go on to another subject until you are ready to do so of your own volition, you have enough self-control to proceed. Actually Meditation is less stringent than concentration. In Meditation, instead of staying sternly with one point, you are free to let thoughts flow into your mind, always provided they are germane to the main subject. Of course in order to keep from drifting into aimless time-wasting day-dreaming or even free association of ideas, the Yogi does start out, as in concentration, by deliberately focusing his mind on something specific—often a part of his body. Hence the common, grossly vulgarized Western concept of Yoga Meditation as the image of a man in a turban sitting cross-legged in contemplation of his navel; nothing, it goes without saying, could be further from the truth.

To learn to control your thinking and emotions at the source, to subdue restlessness, calm the nerves and literally will yourself to bring out what is best in you, to shut yourself off from worry and all negative attitudes, these are the realistic goals of Meditation which you may set up for yourself. Begin with the following deceptively simple exercise: For twelve seconds, try keeping your mind on a single point—let us say the spot between the eyebrows, where the mystical "third eye" is supposed to be. Visualize that potential "third eye"; consider the benefits clairvoyance might give you, were you to achieve it; consider the uses to which seers have put their own clairvoyance. In short, meditate on every angle of the subject that suggests itself to you. Twelve seconds of such meditation is called Dharana. If you stay with your thought twelve times twelve seconds, permitting an unhampered flow of related images to come freely to mind, you have achieved Dhyana, or true Meditation. The Yogis teach that once you learn this you may eventually also achieve Samadhi, which is variously described as a state of super-consciousness and a state of infinite bliss. But Samadhi is not a Meditation goal for us to strive after, since it is completely alien to our own outlook.

Now for the actual procedures, the physical requirements for Meditation. To begin with, you must be alone and undis­turbed when you attempt it. Therefore choose a time of day when it is easiest for you to be alone. Shut your door—lock it if necessary—to insure privacy. Be sure you are away from the phone, from loud noises, and that no one will try to speak or call to you. For if you are in the least uneasy about possible in­terruptions you cannot relax, and without relaxation neither Deep Concentration nor Meditation are at all possible.

You can now readily see why for most persons an early morning or late night period is the most desirable time, ex­actly as with most other Yoga practices. Remember you must wear completely comfortable, loose clothing, avoid the glare of bright sunshine or other light directly in your eyes and also avoid bright, disturbing decor in the room. Let the back­ground be unobtrusive. If it should be impossible for you to settle on an appropriate spot inside your own house, try a park bench in clement weather or a library reading room in winter —any place where, in the midst of strangers, you will be left very much alone. Then the occasional sounds of the life around you will merge into the background of your con­sciousness. They will be much easier to shut out than the de­mands of your intimate, personal Meditation world.

Traditionally the Yogis prefer to meditate while sitting in one of the classic postures, or asanas. The Padmasana, or Lotus Pose, is considered ideal (see illus. Ch. XI) but the Yoga-Mudra, which is easier for the beginner, is equally satisfactory. (Illus. page 86) Or you may sit on the floor tailor fashion. Another good position for Meditation is Savasana, the Death Pose—also assumed for Deep Relaxation, lying flat on your back on a hard surface, arms alongside the body. Deep Medita­tion in the Savasana pose, however, is not for those who doze off easily. It is only recommended for persons who find it too tiring or otherwise difficult to learn one of the upright Meditation posi­tions. It goes without saying, of course, that all of these Meditation poses are only possible if you meditate in the privacy of your own room. They are obviously impossible under any other cir­cumstances. Then too, if your time for Meditation is limited and you are unable to retire behind closed doors, you may practice Meditation successfully while sitting comfortably in a chair; but be certain not to slump or otherwise twist your body into a position of imbalance, since this will induce restlessness and make correct breathing difficult.

Needless to say correct rhythmic breathing is essential to proper Meditation. Without it you will fail to experience that sense of well-being and ease which frees your inner self from the straightjacket of minor physical discomforts and distrac­tions. As you breathe the Yoga way, you will be augmenting the intake of prana so essential to both peace of mind and health. However, rhythmic breathing should no longer be a problem for you at this stage, nor even a matter of conscious effort. We hope it has become a habit, but it is a good idea to check on it.

Once you are comfortably settled in the posture you have chosen, you may begin your meditation in one of two ways. You may close your eyes and concentrate on the space di­rectly above the root of your nose—the seat of the supposedly-atrophied Third Eye; or else, keeping your eyes open, focus on some small article or spot directly in your line of vision. Be sure it is something you see clearly, without straining the eyes. Let us say you have picked a single letter in the title of a book, printed in bold type on the dust jacket. Concentrate on that letter until the rest of the title fades out of your conscious­ness. You do not have to stare so hard that your eyes begin to sting and water—just shut everything out except the spot of your choice. You will soon see nothing on either side, neither words nor individual letters, only what you wish to see. You will also, we might mention in passing, be benefiting your eyesight; but that is what may be termed a fringe benefit.

Now that your attention has been brought under control you are ready for the next Meditation step: Transfer your thinking gently to the subject on which you wish to meditate. Withdraw your thoughts from all outward contact, exactly as a tortoise draws its head into its shell. Thus concentration will almost imper­ceptibly merge into Meditation.

Since Meditation is very much an acquired art and takes much practice, you will find that at first it will be easiest to select subjects that are not too elusive. In fact, you might try something decidely concrete, but with a possible spiritual or symbolic side as well. Take, for instance, the human heart. Close your eyes and as you breathe turn your attention in­ward and try to become physically aware of your pulse-beat, which is also your heart-beat. Next visualize the heart itself: Think of it as simply a vital muscle pumping blood through the body; think of its four chambers, the valves which make the blood flow always in the same direction, of the relationship to it of the veins and arteries; of its rhythm when you are at peace and its quickened pace when excitement, physical exertion or deep emotion stimulate it; then consider the meaning of a warm heart, a generous heart, a loving heart. Gradually you will find yourself engrossed in Meditation that encompasses much broader vistas and touches upon more lofty considera­tions than anything which concerns one individual alone. You will feel a sense of peace taking possession of your entire being, and you will be the better for it.

Other Meditation subjects which might take you in similar manner from concrete to spiritual contemplation are: Light, beginning with a lighted candle and continuing to sunlight and enlight­enment and the flow of the spirit; a book, which becomes the symbol of learning; a flower; a cloud. Later on you might choose some historical personage whom you especially admire and with whom you feel a deep sense of identity. Consider his lif e history, the events which led up to his greatness and what it was that made him particularly admirable; then notice how, for the moment, you are trying to view the world through the prism of his personality. This will give you an insight and an awareness of Self keener than you ordinarily experience, for in a sense it will be a shared experience. At the same time you will be able to look at yourself as if from another viewpoint. The added insight will help you disentangle your Self from identity with your mind. Such insight is one of the main ob­jects of Meditation, since most of us have never learned to make a distinction between Self and the mind, nor do we stop to realize that they are not one and the same, Self being con­stant in its inherent nature, while the mind, by its very nature, is subject to endless modification.

From here on you may feel free to choose your own sub­jects for your daily Meditation—always making sure that you think along positive, constructive lines rather than negatively, along lines that are gloomy or self-destructive. Gradually you will discover that you are re-educating all your thought proc­esses to work for you. And as the days go by and you become more adept at looking inward, you will more and more clearly learn to recognize the workings of your own mind, until you are able to dwell on whatever you wish to build up and to shut out whatever you feel needs discarding. Not only will you learn not to torture yourself with fruitless fears and wor­ries but you will find it possible to direct your course through life, bypassing failures and choosing what is right and good for you.

Now to warn you about a few obvious pitfalls: You may start by feeling self-conscious about the entire procedure— much more so than about, say, deep breathing or concentra­tion which are in a sense more tangible practices. If you do, try to keep in mind that this is a natural early reaction for the average Western mind. Try also to take an honest look at yourself and see whether the self-consciousness isn't a mask for laziness or for procrastination. We all have a degree of resistance against routines and disciplines, and fasten on to any excuse which presents itself. Simply refuse to accept your own excuse, however plausible it may sound. Continue practiring daily, if only for a few minutes, and soon Meditation will have become a stimulating, natural habit.

A sense of self-consciousness, of just feeling foolish about it, may also mask a lack of self-confidence. You may be con­vinced that you are not a "thinker" and so cannot possibly succeed. This, of course, is very far from the truth. Meditation is for anyone who stays with it; no one demands of you that you be a Spinoza or a Plato. Choose subjects that are harmoni­ous with your own Self; make friends, so to speak, with your own mind and your own spirit.

To return once more to the rather striking parallel between Yoga Meditation and modern psychoanalysis: Analysis is largely built on the realization that knowledge of our mental mechanisms gives us insight and, more importantly, power over them; but analysts assume that in order to gain such knowledge and power we need trained help. Yoga, on the other hand, maintains that man is completely capable of doing the job himself and that he will grow, mature and become a better person in the doing if only he has the will to proceed.

It was the Greek philosopher Pythagoras who used to ad­vise his followers to make a habit of reviewing each night their actions for that day and the day preceding it. In your quest for self-knowledge you would do well to follow the same system. But do this not in a spirit of self-flagellation, but objectively, so that having once recognized your own weaknesses you will be on the lookout for them.

Be on guard not to use your Meditation period as a whip­ping-post of conscience. Too often persons who are too hard on themselves during their moments of introspection uncon­sciously assume the attitude that, having already punished themselves, they have wiped the slate clean and are free to make the same mistakes over again. Remember that the purpose of Yoga Meditation is not punishment but serene change.

It is also not the purpose of Meditation to make you into a self-absorbed, egotistical person. On the contrary, your in­creased self-knowledge and understanding will inevitably give you increased understanding of the weaknesses and short­comings of others, so that you will be less prone to sit in judg­ment on your fellow-beings. Consequently your relationships with the people around you will gradually become more har­monious and warmer in quality. As your understanding of yourself deepens, as you learn not to dwell on past failures, not to give way to groundless fears or panic over trifles, you will feel free to give more of yourself to others.

Thus the self-knowledge brought about by systematic Meditation will first become the basis for greater self-reliance and self-confidence and later will help improve every human equation of which you are a part. Through Meditation you will gain a sense of perspective that will enable you to view the world around you objectively, to accept hard facts, gauge the good and the bad at their correct value and so never again allow yourself to be weighed down with a sense of impotence or defeat. Similarly there will be no room in your heart for envy, jealousy, resentment or hatred, since all these emotions stem from weakness, insecurity and fear. Instead, you will experience fresh inner strength which will be your balance wheel the rest of your life.

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