Here I continue my thoughts on concentration that I started oh so many months ago. After one has mastered Dharana which can me found here, the next stage is : Dhyana. That way I see it, the mind is like a giant ballroom filled with people, all chatting away. There are some voices louder than others but overall it can be an unorderly mess of noise and different thoughts. This is what goes on in the mind of the average untrained mind.
Dhyana is an stage where one gain knowledge of the self. In meditation we try and Quiet the mind so that truth and clarity can be revealed through all the clutter of our minds. In Dhyana we silence all thoughts in the mind and sit still in that complete silence. At this stage the mind becomes clear and our inner truths are revealed. We observe the process or the content of the mind. Concepts that cannot be understood by words, but must be experienced. Only through experience can one truly understand a concepts and grasp its full potential, this is especially true of Raja Yoga and the mastery of concentration.
In Life we go through our events with all the clutter and chaos and are basically in a hypnotize state, going through the motions of life. Our thoughts becomes a trance in which we create fantasies and emotions and illusions about the world around us. This is necessary for our survival. Have you ever noticed that when something threatens your life or frightens you, you becomes completely aware of everything that is going on, you are completely in the moment. We attain a state of hightened awareness which is very different from our normal state. In life we live in the past and the future creating fantasies and living memories. With meditation we seek to exist in the present and just be as a body and mind allowing the spirit to evolve.
This level of concentration takes us out of our fantasy and humbles us, allowing us to see our whole self, and if we so desire meet our shadow self. Dhyana will break the concept of who you think you are, and introduce you to who you really are and awaken sides of your being that you might fear. Remember, in the world of black magic the most dangers come from within and we must stay strong and fear not even ourselves. In essence, Dhyana allows us to gain self knowledge and learn about ourselves in a profound way. Dhyara is the gateway to enlightenment. If this is unclear do not worry, Dhyana is a hard concept to grasp and truly one can only grasp it when one has achieved it.
Happy meditations,
Priestess Akelta
