What is real meditation?

Nama Article 5th May 2007

Source: Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Talk 485 .

Devotee : While engaged in Atma vichara (the investigation of the Self), I fall asleep. What is the remedy for it?

Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi .: Do nama-sankirtana (sing the name of God).

Devotee : Should I not go on with repetition of sacred syllables, ( mantra japa), e.g., Krishna or Rama's name, when I worship images?

Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi .: Mental japa is very good. That helps meditation. Mind gets identified with the repetition and then you get to know what worship ( puja) really is - the losing of one's individuality in that which is worshipped.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi has often said that if we go to Manolaya (Sleeping state) we will not go to moksham (liberation) but mosampovam (reach the undesirable state).

Hence during meditation or doing atma vicharam many may get in to the sleeping state and think that they are medidating. They also feel fresh, as all of us would be, after a sound sleep.

But this is not meditation. Real meditation is being in the thoughtless state when we are awake. The easiest way to practice the "real" meditation is to Chant the Name and watching our mind constantly to ensure that no thought arises between the first Name chanted and the next time the same Name is chanted. That is there should be no thought between the first "Hare Rama...."Mahamantra and the next "Hare Rama...."Mahamantra.

To put it short in our Sri Sri Swamiji's words we should marry the two names, meaning that there should be no thoughts between the chanting.

This is real meditation. As we are chanting the Divine Name, it has got the power to eliminate other thoughts from our mind with out effort.

Hence Chant,

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare