Prem Azima on Meditation

Only through meditation can he begin to have experiences of 'No Mind.' In the process of meditation, when we first sit down and close our eyes, the rational layer of our mind continues to be very active. Then, after a certain period of time, which will vary from person to person, the thinking mind begins to slow down. According to Osho, it takes about forty minutes before the mind enters a relaxed state and the production of thoughts starts to diminish. When this happens, if we remain centred in the observer,

or witness, we begin to observe the space of inner emptiness that brings peace. We become less aware of the body, more detached from our emotions, less preoccupied by thought.

It is an interesting fact that the chattering mind cannot easily exist in the present moment. It needs to focus on either past memories or future expectations in order to continue. When we enter meditation, the present moment begins to manifest, allowing us to experience that it is beyond both time and space.

The physical location of the meditator begins to lose its boundaries and it becomes easier to access images and dimensions which are beyond the current time-space continuum. From this perspective, people who engage in channelling are simply connecting with these other levels and allowing

themselves to be used as vehicles to bring news and messages from these dimensions. When we speak of No Mind it indicates a state of consciousness in which the intermediate layer, the thinking mind, is no longer so active – or is altogether absent. This allows us to experience higher levels of mind, gaining confidence in spaces and dimensions to which we are not accustomed and which might otherwise scare us.

The more we let go of the ego and the identity we have borrowed from society, the closer we come to our centre and our authentic self. It's a paradox. The ego promises to give us a clear sense of who we are, but fails because everything it claims for itself is borrowed. The dissolution of the ego looks like the end of the 'I' but in reality gives us a deeper more authentic sense of who we really are.

If there is an effort to control, then the state of No Mind is absent. If No Mind manifests, there is no control; we simply keep the flame of the observer burning without choice, ready to reflect whatever experience manifests before us. This attitude of non-interference is a far cry from conventional Western culture, which is based on self-determination, making plans, creating change and generally trying to manipulate the world that surrounds us as much as possible.

To decide to begin a spiritual journey of self-discovery is to go against the current of our mainstream culture. It is a journey that few initiate and even fewer pursue to a conclusion. The path of dis-identification is arduous, not least because our families, our friends, our teachers, our priests and politicians are all dedicated to the task of keeping us identified with the values of the society in which we find ourselves. They don't want us to change because this might cause them to question their own values and this, in turn, creates fear. So we are, in fact, swimming against the current of the collective mind of all human beings that surround us.