A Practical Yogi
“As you keep practicing meditation you will get a lot of happiness and bliss. The kind of happiness you get in meditation does not exist on this earth anywhere else. All the kinds of happiness that you experience outside is nothing compared to the happiness you get when you meditate.”
Shivabalayogi often described himself as a practical yogi. He spent twelve years meditating out of his body, sometimes traveling to other worlds, but his emphasis on meditation has to do with the practicalities of living in this world.
He initiated those who sought God realization into tapas, which is prolonged meditation outside the body. He could also grant the experience. He would ask a person to close the eyes, touch the third eye, and the person would have out-of-body experiences. When his presence was invoked during spiritual song, hundreds if not thousands had bhava samadhi, varying degrees of intense, ecstatic, out-of-this body experiences of the gods.
But the regular practice of meditation is not to escape the world; it is to be more present in it. Meditation reduces tension. Blood pressure reduces and health improves. Meditation allows you to work more effectively in the world. Whatever a person does is done better. You understand other people better and you learn to work with them. You come to understand your own purpose in life.
Many people asked Shivabalayogi about samadhi, tapas, and Self realization, and Swamiji explained that the regular practice of meditation was necessary for these experiences. But he insisted that Self realization was not the purpose of meditation. Self realization depends upon our purpose in this life. It depends upon God, the Inner Guru, the Self. The general purpose of meditation is not God realization. It is to reduce tensions so we understand ourselves, others, and our purpose in this life. Meditation helps us live more effectively in this world.
The Technique
Shivabalayogi did not teach meditation in the usual sense. He simply gave the technique and empowered the person to practice it. Everything else we needed to know, he insisted, we would learn through the meditation.
The technique involves no sacred sound or prayer, no visualization, and no concentration on any thing except the space between the eyebrows — the third eye. It is meditation without form. Because it uses nothing to occupy the mind, it is ordinarily considered a difficult method, usually reserved for advanced disciples. However, it is the yogi’s presence, a connection re-established during the gift of initiation, that evokes stillness and empowers concentration. That gift allows anyone to practice the simple technique. Shivabalayogi gave meditation to all who wanted, and many millions had the experience.
Of course, there were unsatisfied pre-conceptions. When people complained to Swamiji that they had no experience in the meditation, he would ask how they felt after the practice. The invariable answer was that they felt rather good. That, he assured them, was an experience.
Although there are many postures, practices and rituals that aid in meditation, the only requirements that Shivabalayogi typically suggested was to adopt a comfortable posture, begin with an attitude of devotion, and practice regularly.
The Teacher Within
People did not have to attend classes. Once the connection was made, the physical presence of the outer guru was no longer required. Even when Shivabalayogi granted devotees' requests to be initiated into the rigorous discipline of tapas, he sent them home. The only requirement was to practice.
Money was not required. Swamiji used to complain that there was an attitude in the West that people had to pay money to experience God. He was referring to spiritual lectures, classes, and retreats where attendees were expected to pay money. God did not charge money for meditation, he would say, so why should Shivabalayogi? He warned that it was impossible to reach God through business.
Meditation does not belong to any religion. Shivabalayogi discouraged people from leaving their religions, assuring them that his blessings and meditation would help them on whatever path they wished to pursue, or whichever teacher they wished to follow.
The Practice of Dhyana Meditation
An article on dhyana meditation by Gen. Hanut Singh (ret.), inspired by Shivabalayogi, and originally published in 1981 as a chapter in his biography, Shri Shri Shri Shivabalayogi Maharaj, Life and Spiritual Ministration. Go to The Practice of Dhyana Meditation.
Shivabalayogi on Meditation (1989, New Age Forum interview)
Interviewer Charles Whitt introduces Shivabalayogi, then asks Swamiji, "What is meditation?"
Swamiji explains that meditation is to control the mind to become peaceful, more healthy, and more effective in life.
When it comes to meditation, Swamiji assures the interviewer, he can guarantee anything.
approx. 12 minutes