Acharya Mahaprajna
Deccan Herald
Life in today's world is surrounded by many difficulties. If one problem is solved, then the next is waiting. Why is this wheel of difficulties rotating? Why is this maze before us? It is because we are not setting out in the direction of progress of higher consciousness.
We have to make use of sensory perception and live on the land of practicality. We cannot quit our habits all of a sudden, as also we cannot contravene the ensuing problems. But if we firmly fix our destination as progress to the world beyond sensory consciousness, a great deal of change can be expected. Many of our problems may then appear minor. Those problems, which today appear to the stressful and fraught with tension, can actually be transformed. Until the senses are stabilised, the development of the world beyond sensory consciousness is not possible. People practicing Preksha Meditation should be very clear about their destination, i.e. where do we want to go? Where do we wish to reach? Our goal should not be so small as to attachment only physical well being. This is not our final aim.
Our main goal should be the correct employment of sensory perception, and the development of the consciousness beyond the senses. When the latter develops, our whole world will change, our entire vision will change. If this vision of ours is clear, then our purpose and perspective of meditation, too, will change. We cannot dedicate ourselves to meditation until this clarity of vision is obtained. The point of concentration is that we stabilise our minds upon one object for five minutes, 10 min., half an hour, 1 hour and 1 and a half hours.
In the language of the ancient world, if one can concentrate on an object for "three time periods," - 24 minutes constituting one time period - then the higher consciousness awakens of its own, and that changes the complete form and appearance of the world.
But you can be sure that without the restraint of sensory consciousness, and the control of the mind, extra-sensory consciousness cannot be developed. The obstructions of the outer world are senses and mind, but the world beyond the senses is within. If the doors are locked, how one can reach within? Everyone cannot be Mantungsuri who opened up 44 locks without even touching them and came out.
The locks of the outer world will break only when our concentration is greatly deepened. If we possess the strength of one-pointedness, then the locks will get broken. Then the inner consciousness (the world beyond the senses) will get a chance to emerge.
Preksha meditation aims to develop the internal consciousness beyond senses. Progress in the field of meditation requires a lot of effort.The question is how well a person can manage time, and how much time they can spend to practice concentration.