CONVERSATIONS WITH ANNAMALAI SWAMI
‘MEDITATION MUST BE CONTINUOUS’
Q: The mind is always flowing like an unstoppable river. Most of the time I am not even capable of reaching the Self. How can I hold to something that I can’t even get near?
AS: When it rises, the mind automatically goes out to the world. If you do self-inquiry you can train it to flow towards the Self.
In deep sleep, the mind automatically goes to the Self, but you are not aware of it. Through the steady practice of self-inquiry, the mind can be trained in such a way that it automatically flows towards the Self in the waking and dream states. It is very difficult at first, but with practice, it can be done. Repeated self-inquiry makes the mind go back into the Self.
Other methods may produce good experiences but the good experiences will not make the mind go back into the Self and stay there.
Q: How much meditation is good? How many hours a day?
AS: Meditation must be continuous. The current of meditation must be present in all your activities. With practice, meditation and work can go on simultaneously.
- LWB p. 280
- photo: Annamalai Swami during his sadhana days in Palakottu
InnerRealisation 