A Basics' Guidebook to Learn

Meditation
There exists a general belief that Observing the
Breathe/Thoughts, Focusing on Flame/Chakras/Third eye,
Reciting/Mantras/Prayers, Contemplation etc are all different
types of Meditation. Is this belief correct? Certainly NO. These
techniques which are practiced using one's Mind are extremely
helpful in Mind control, Problem Solving & in maintaining a
Good Health. But, in Spirituality, there is only one definition for
Meditation ie. Meditation is nothing but the action of enjoying
the Inner Peace & Happiness (without thoughts) by
merging/dissolving the Mind with the God.
Many people fail repeatedly and give-up their attempts
to attain this inner peace just because of this fundamentally
incorrect belief of equating Concentration techniques with
Meditation. So, this book has been published to assure the
beginners and those who are struggling to get rid of their inner
chatter/thoughts, that, it is indeed easy for everyone to learn
Meditation if the real meaning of Meditation is understood.
Explore this 18-page 'Excerpt/Sample' from our
concise meditation guidebook authored by Senthil Vellaichamy
to get a clear idea about Meditation, Mind, Thoughts, God,
Meditation techniques and Spirituality.

Contents in this Excerpt/Sample:

1. What is Meditation and What is NOT?

2. What is the logical definition for Mind, Thoughts and God?
3. Meditation through Self Enquiry–Who am I?
4. One simple yet powerful Meditation Technique to dissolve
the mind with God.
5. Benchmark for Progress in Meditation.
1. What is Meditation and what
is NOT?
Before you start learning to meditate, you must first
understand what meditation is not.

So, what is NOT meditation?

For those who have been trying hard to focus their mind
on a dot or a flame or on their breathing or wherever, let’s be
clear that these are concentration techniques which, when
perfected, can help tremendously in accomplishing whatever
one wishes for in their life. But meditation is altogether a
different ball game. So what is it? Let’s see.

The definition of meditation as put forth by Sri Ramana

Maharshi is “When someone seeks to find the origin of the
mind, the mind is absorbed by the source. When there is no
mind, there cannot be any thoughts. Enjoying this thought-
free state is called meditation.”

Mind, thoughts, source? Confusing? Don’t worry. Let’s

break down each and every term and see how simple it is.

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 2. Definition of the Mind
To understand what the mind really is, let’s do a simple
experiment. Sit on the ground. Do not recline your back
against the wall. Keep your spine comfortably straight. Let
there be no objects within a 1-foot radius around you. It is
ideal if you sit in lotus position, but it’s okay if you can’t. You
can sit in any position as long as you breathe comfortably.
Those who can’t sit on the ground can sit on a chair. Keep a
pen and a notebook to record your observations.

Let’s start now. Close your eyes. Try to remember

someone or something which you can’t forget. It may be a
person or any artwork, like a sculpture or painting, or a flower,
or some place, or whatever it may be. Try to remember it as
vividly as possible and start recording the minute details in
your notebook. If it is a person, try to see even the color
of their dress. In short, make a note of whatever you see
in the notebook. Open your eyes and have a quick look at
whatever you recorded. Try to see if any question pops up in
your mind.

No questions? Yes, because there is nothing unusual,

isn’t it? Yes, but no. Because on the surface, everything
looks usual, but hold on! Let’s pause for a moment. Are
we missing some important questions here? How is it
possible for anyone to see something if their eyes are closed?
Scientifically (logically), if our eyes are closed, we should not
be able to see anything but darkness. But we can see images
even though our eyes are closed. So do we have another pair
of eyes? Maybe they could be just dreams or memories that
are cropping up. But even in that case, to see anything, two

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things are a must: first, a well-lit image and second, the eyes.
If either of these is not there, then we cannot see. Therefore,
the only possibility is that we have two more invisible eyes,
though they are not able to see anything in front of us.
Before coming to a strong conclusion, let’s try to put the
same logic to voices and sounds.

To speak, we all know that we need our lips, tongue,

inner tongue, and a windpipe. Then is it possible to speak
without using all of these? Yes. Because, as you are reading
this, you are in fact speaking the words. And not only that,
you are also hearing whatever you read. This proves that we
have two more ears and another set of mouth, tongue, and
windpipe.

Then the next obvious question is whether we have only

eyes, ears, and a mouth, and not limbs and other parts of the
body. Let’s try to find out. Sit comfortably in your room. But
in your mind, try to visualize gently getting up and moving
around the house, room by room, past the boundary walls,
through the lawns, and up the stairs. So it is also possible
to move around while keeping our physical body in one
place. So in all practicality, we have one more body inside
the physical body. This invisible body similar to the physical
body is called the mind. And it is this “mind” that is called
soul, spiritual body, energy body, astral body, etc.

In a nutshell, the “mind” is nothing but an invisible

spiritual body, with its own eyes, ears, mouth, brain, and
other organs. This invisible energy body is embedded
so strongly in the physical body that it feels the pain and
pleasures of the physical body as its own. Only when death

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happens, the connection between the physical and spiritual
body is permanently lost. While the physical body slowly
perishes and ceases to exist after death, the spiritual body
still remains.”

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 Defnition for Thoughts
To understand what thoughts are, let’s try again to keep our
mind quiet without any thoughts for five minutes.

Sit on the ground. Do not recline your back against the

wall. Keep your spine comfortably straight. Let there be no
objects within a 1-foot radius around you. It is ideal if you
sit in lotus position, but it’s okay if you can’t. You can sit
in any position as long as you breathe comfortably. Those
who can’t sit on the ground can sit on a chair. Use a pen
and a notebook to record.

Let’s start now. Close your eyes. Try to remain calm

inside. Thoughts will appear. Just observe them. Don’t
forget to make a note about the objects that your
attention was placed on—the images, sounds, feelings, and
everything else. After some time, open your eyes. Take a
break for 5 minutes and breathe easy. Close your eyes and
try again for another 5 minutes. Record again.

Now, let’s try to understand what exactly happened.

1. We saw images, pictures, people, and objects.

2. We heard voices and sounds.
3. Sometimes, we spoke.
4. Sometimes, we felt different feelings, and very
rarely scents.

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So, whenever we close our eyes and try to remain thoughtless,
we observe that we do the following five actions using the
five sensory organs of our mind:

1. Seeing (by spiritual eyes).

2. Hearing (by spiritual ears).
3. Speaking and tasting (by spiritual tongue).
4. Smelling (by spiritual nose).
5. Feeling heat or cold (by the spiritual skin).

So it is perfectly correct to say that if the mind is doing

any one of the five actions, then it is called a thought. All
actions using the five senses are collectively called thoughts.
So, in a nutshell, the actions of seeing, hearing, speaking,
smelling, and feeling done by the mind are collectively called
“Thoughts.”

Now we understand why we were not able to meditate

earlier. The reason is that we were not aware of the mind
(along with its five senses) then. And as long as there exists
a mind, there will be the invisible five senses, and as long
as there exist the invisible five senses, there are going to be

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thoughts. So, the only option to enjoy inner peace without
thoughts is to dissolve our mind (along with the invisible
five senses) in the source. Because, if there are no invisible
sensory organs, there cannot be any actions (thoughts). Now,
let’s explore more about the source in the next chapter.

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 Defintion for Source/God

As per the definition of meditation, the mind must be

absorbed in the source. So what is this source?

Imagine you have just returned from a long vacation.

You start removing everything from your big suitcase. After
removing all the stuff, close the suitcase. If someone asks
you what is still left inside, you would say there is nothing.
Practically, the answer is correct. But spiritually, it is not
because there is still air inside. Suppose we remove all the
air and all the atoms that are present inside the suitcase and
ask what is left now. Nothing, isn’t it? Again, the answer is
practically correct but spiritually not. Because there is still
something present that cannot be removed and cannot be
destroyed. And that something is called space(or vacuum).
It is primarily called the source because it is from this space
that all energy and other matter (such as atoms) are created
and ultimately sucked back. The property of the space, or
source, is Stillness, formless, ageless, all-pervading, infinite,
omnipresent, and undisturbed by sensations such as heat or
cold. Most importantly, the concept of time does not exist
for the source because there is no “action” (due to its absolute
stillness).

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 So in a nutshell, the source is nothing but the space that
is infinite, formless, can neither be created nor destroyed
but which creates, sustains, and destroys all animate and
inanimate beings of this universe. It is this infinite source that
manifests itself into finite forms. Other names of the source
are God, divine, conscience, witness, pure consciousness etc.

And it is this space which is also called the source of the

mind, because the mind is formed from the source and gets
absorbed by the source during meditation and deep sleep.

Now, let’s explore more about self-realization and the

path to experience it.

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 4. Who Am I?
Let’s start contemplating about our own
identities. In other words, let us ask ourselves, who am I,
actually? Am I this physical body or the Mind or
something else? Let’s explore further.
Am I this physical body? Or in other
words, is it correct for anyone to self-identify with their
physical body?
To arrive at a logical conclusion, let us first
understand the function of the human body. Our human
body is a wonderful machine that does not need the
help of the mind to do its daily activities, such as
eating, drinking, procreating, etc. We cannot
command our heart to stop beating. Neither can we
ask the lungs to stop for a few moments. Our human
body will take care of its survival even if there is no
mind, like our lesser-evolved beings (such as
animals) take care of themselves. (Animals are
considered less evolved only because they are not aware
of the existence of the mind.)
In short, the mind and the body are two
separate entities that are tied together. And when
someone leaves this body permanently (death), the body
perishes but the mind exists. So, while we (mind) remain
intact, the one that becomes nonexistent cannot be
our identity. The physical body can be considered
as nothing but the vehicle of the mind. Therefore, the
physical body can, at best, be termed as a disposable
accessory of the mind.
So, we now realize that identifying
ourselves with our physical body is definitely incorrect.
So, are we the minds, then? Let’s see.

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Am I the mind?

We know that during meditation, our mind gets absorbed

into the source, but we still exist (as the source) without
the mind. In other words, during meditation, the mind
disappears, but we still exist. So it is incorrect to identify with
the Mind. It can also be considered a disposable accessory
of the source.

Then who am I?

The only thing that exists when there is no physical and

spiritual body is the source. So identifying with the source is
the best and only option left to us.

But, this brings us many important questions: If the

self-identity (“I”) refers to the source, then what is its true
nature? Is “I” finite or infinite? Does “I” die? Does “I” suffer
pain as suffered by finite beings? And how will it feel when
we only exist as “I?” Will it be blissful? And so on. So what
is the path to experiencing the true nature of “I?” Let’s see.

Self-Realization and Meditation Through Self-Inquiry:

To experience the true nature of “I,” it is

sufficient if one tries to realize what “I” exactly means. So
sit in a quiet and comfortable place. Close your eyes and ask
yourself, “Who am I, really? Who am I, really, at this moment,
at this very second?”

If you are still not clear, ask yourself, “What ‘am I’ at

this moment?” or “‘I exist as ‘what’ at this moment or
existed as ‘what’ in every moment from my birth till now?”

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 Anybody who contemplates this question for a very long
time will eventually find out the answer. And that answer is,
“I” is simply a feeling at any point in time. We always exist
or have been existing as feelings. Some of the feelings which
give an idea of the way we exist/existed at any moment are
given below:

1. Pleasure X Pain
2. Happy X Sad
3. Hungry X Content
4. Heat X Cold
5. Pride X Shame
6. Peaceful X Restless
7. Comfortable X Uncomfortable
8. Confident X Uncertain
9. Grateful X Vengeful
10. Surprise X Shock
11. Love X Hate
12. Clarity X Confusion
13. Lively X Boring
14. Superior X Inferior
15. Hope X Despair
16. Brave X Panic
17. Certain X Anxious
18. Bold X Nervous
19. Lucky X Unlucky
20. Blessed X Cursed
21. Ecstasy X Depression
22. Euphoria X Sorrow
23. Liberation X Slavery

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 24. Strong X Weak
25. Able X Helpless
26. Competent X Incompetent
27. Awake X Sleepy
28. Stoic X Remorse
29. Guilty X repenting
30. Awareness X Ignorance
31. Infinite X Finite
32. Consciousness X Unconsciousness
33. Existence X Extinction

So if you observe carefully from our time of birth, we have

always existed as “a feeling/an emotion” at any given point
in time and continue to do so. Sometimes, we exist as
“happiness,” but sometimes as ‘cursed.’ Sometimes we exist
as ‘love,’ and sometimes as ‘hate.’ So how does this knowledge
that we always exist as a feeling help in meditation?

When we try to find out the feeling of existence at any

moment (when we turn our attention inside), the mind is
absorbed back into the source, and therefore all feelings
associated with it disappear, and we are left with a no-feeling.
This no-feeling is also a feeling and is very subtle, known
as “conscious existence.” In a nutshell, to enjoy inner peace
without thoughts, one must enjoy a feeling. If that enjoyed
feeling is “conscious existence,” then that is meditation.

Here, it is pertinent to realize the reason for not

able to achieve inner peace or calmness earlier. We tried
hard to remain thoughtless without realizing that only
when we enjoy something, thoughts automatically cease

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to exist. If we look back at the times we have been quiet
inside, those times would be the moments during which
we were enjoying something, like taking a nice
shower, enjoying a good massage, enjoying
mesmerizing aromas, etc. So, if anyone wishes to
experience inner peace without any thought, he/she
should not try hard to remain calm inside, because it’s
futile. It’s futile because the five senses of the spiritual
body become active if we close our physical eyes. Rather,
one must enjoy a beautiful feeling, so that the need for the
emergence of thoughts does not arise. And, if that
enjoyed feeling is conscious existence, then he/she is
doing meditation.

Conscious Existence
To understand what conscious existence is,
let’s do a small experiment.

1. Sit in a calm, dark place.

2. Start breathing in deeply.
3. Then, start breathing out slowly.
4. Once you finish breathing out, do not breathe in again. Just
remain breathless as long as comfortably possible.
5. Now, during the time that you remain breathless, there will
be no mind, and therefore no thoughts, and therefore no
feelings. There will be just emptiness and you just enjoy the
emptiness.
This “emptiness” feeling, which arises due to
the absence of bodily feelings, is nothing but conscious
existence. Remember, it is ‘conscious existence’ because you
are aware that you are not “unconscious” or “sleeping.” This is
the same feeling you must aim to catch and enjoy during
meditation.
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 5. Meditation Techniques

We are going to learn some techniques

which will help the practitioner reach the meditative state.
The appeal of each technique may vary from person to
person due to their inherent way of understanding. It is
up to the practitioner to identify their favorite technique
and master it. I have devised a few techniques to reach the
meditative state.

i. Technique 1: Breathing and chanting.

ii. Technique 2: Observing Mooladhara, or Root
chakra.
iii. Technique 3: Recollecting the feeling.
iv. Technique 4: Inquiring about the feeling at this
moment.
v. Technique 5: Inquiring about the source of sound.
vi. Technique 6: Predicting the calculative nature of
the brain.
vii.
Technique 7: Predicting words.
viii. Technique 8: Inquiring about the dreamer.
ix. Technique 9: Witnessing the witness.

Out of the nine powerful, techniques,

we will learn about the technique 4 in the next page.

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iv) Technique 4: Inquiring About the Feeling at This Moment

1. Sit and breathe comfortably. Close your eyes.

2. If there are too many thoughts, chant OM. The
vibrations of this mantra will neutralize any inner
chatter.
3. Once a relative calm is achieved, focus on your
heartbeat for few seconds and ask yourself in your
mind, “What is the current feeling that I am
enjoying at this moment?” If the brain is confused,
list the names of some feelings (such as pride,
happiness, pain, grief, boredom, etc) and ask yourself
again, “Among the listed feelings, which is active right
now?”
4. The moment attention is turned inward and the brain
is looking to ascertain which feeling is active, there will
be a momentary feeling of emptiness. Stop looking
for the current feeling and start enjoying the
silence/emptiness (pure conscious existence). The
more time you enjoy it for, the easier it becomes to
achieve a meditative state next time.

The logic behind this technique is this:

Under normal circumstances (when there is no clear and
present danger/worries in life), whenever we turn our
attention inwards by any inquiry such as this, the mind is
absorbed by the source, and the only feeling left is “pure
conscious existence.”

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 6.Benchmark of Progress in Meditation
How does one know whether one has started progressing in
meditation? The answer is this. If, within five minutes after
starting to do meditation, you feel as if you are surrounded
by a soothing energy or fireball, it means you are doing
it right and real progress has started happening. This is
because the body produces a certain amount of power to
maintain the body temperature at 98.4 degrees Fahrenheit.
A part of the produced energy is used for actions by our
five senses and for thoughts by our spiritual body. When we
meditate, all these energies that were being used up earlier
start accumulating in the body, and in less than five minutes
you can easily feel the accumulated energy.

But do not expect progress in meditation overnight.

You must give yourself enough time so there is a slow but
robust progress. Meditation is an art, like swimming. Once
you learn it, it will last a lifetime. So take your time, go
through the concepts and techniques attentively, but never
get desperate. Take it easy to make it work.

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 Contents of the full version
Preface vii

Chapter 1: Meditation—Let’s Get a Head

Start with a Raw Attempt 1

Chapter 2: Purpose of Meditation:

Enlightenment/Self-Realization 3

Chapter 3: Divinity: The Key to

Enlightenment, Self-Realization 8

Chapter 4: Various Ways to

Acquire Divinity 10

Chapter 5: Meditation Through

Gnana Yoga (Yoga of Wisdom) 17

Chapter 6: Source 25

Chapter 7: Self-Realization Through

Gnana Yoga (Yoga of Wisdom) 27
Chapter 8: Warming-up Techniques That
Aid in Meditation 37
Chapter 9: Prerequisites for Meditation 51

Chapter 10: Meditation Techniques 55

Chapter 11: Awareness About Conviction

to Meditation and Liberation 73

Chapter 12: Path to Nirvana 84

Chapter 13: Awareness About Obligations

of Spiritual Seekers 86

Chapter 14: Final Recap 90

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 Thank you

Thank you for your time in reading our excerpt.

We request you to provide your valuable opinion/feedback
about the informativeness of this Excerpt/Sample
ie.whether they are new & helpful or otherwise. We also
request you to forward this to those who are in need, if you
find it useful.
And if you are interested in learning more
powerful meditation techniques & Spirituality, please get a
copy of our concise book. We assure you that it will prove
to be your good lifelong companion.

Name: A Basic Handbook for Spiritual Self- realization &

Meditation (based on the teachings of Shri Ramana
Maharishi).
No. of Pages: 100
Publisher & Seller: Notionpress India
Author: Senthil Vellaichamy
ISBN: 9781643133313

Price for eBook - INR 118/USD 1.74/Euro 2.5

Price for Paperback - INR 250/USD 9.99/Euro 8.81

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