At the seat of Meditation

Swami Chinmayananda ji continues.....

The presence, this light, this 'I', is not doing anything. Whatever is done is the work of my instruments, but they are illuminated, are known because of this presence. Attach to this 'I', the onlooker, the spectator, the saksi. The more I attach to this 'I', this presence, the more I get detached from the work of the instruments. When completely detached from the seen, the witnessed, the looked-at, and attached to the presence, the 'I', at a peace- what the Bible calls the peace that passeth all  understanding- quietly descends and engulfs me. Nothing of the outside world can then come and disturb me. The illusion-bound-intellect with its noisy assertions quietens down. One is immersed in an indescribable sweet repose and rest, never experienced so far. This is the inward heaven from which we are at present, willing exiles!

Then slowly, the supreme discrimination begins to dawn on a true speaker. He reflects upon this phenomenon, discriminates deeply and finds out that the pair of 'experiencer and experienced' is still there. If 'I' were not there, what was the meaning of this peace? Do I not illuminate this peaceful state? I am that something, in the majestic presence of whom this peaceful state gets illuminated. Then the door may open. Then, I become myself. Then, I find myself. Then, self becomes the Self. As clear water, poured into clear water, becomes clear water, even so I realise my identity with my Self. Then the five sense organs are at rest together with the mind and the intellect. It is definitely not sleep. In fact, words cannot convey the correct idea. It is to be experienced to be correctly understood. It has to be intuited here and now, before death!

It would be natural for you to ask, "If it were so simple, why can't I do it?" Because you want to 'do', whereas 'doing' pertains to the instruments! Be still. Regain the attitude of the glowing witness and see the 'doings' of the instruments, namely, body, mind and intellect. In a word, I may say, simply 'be'. Birth, growth, decay, disease, old age and death pertain to the seen that is there, and not the saksi, which undergoes no modification whatsoever.