Before we dive into this exploration of meditation (Dhyana), let me make something clear: this is intended for those who are already familiar with the foundational texts of Vedanta and the Astanga Yoga of Patanjali. If you are new to these teachings, I strongly encourage you to first immerse yourself in the wisdom of these texts. Why? Because they provide the vocabulary, framework, and conceptual clarity required to grasp the subtleties of the spiritual path.
For those who are well-read in Vedanta and have been on this path for some time, you have likely encountered statements from modern Advaita Vedanta teachers such as:
“Meditation is not something you do; it is something you are.”
“You are the meditation.”
These phrases, while profound, can also feel elusive. What does it mean to say that you are the meditation? How can meditation—often seen as an activity—be who or what you are? To answer these questions, we must first deeply understand what meditation really is.
What Is Meditation?
Meditation is not an activity like any other activity we perform in our daily lives. It is not something that has a clear beginning and end, nor is it a task we check off our to-do list.
Meditation is 'happening' all the time. Meditation happens naturally when you desire something—it is not something you "do." Meditation happens on its own. To understand meditation, we must first see where it is happening. When you desire something, attention naturally flows toward that desire. For example, when you feel hungry, your attention is on food. Once you eat, your attention shifts elsewhere. Our attention revolves around our needs and desires at all times. Do you see this? Meditation is happening all the time. But where is it happening? It revolves around desires—our likes and dislikes (Raga and Dvesha). If you want to experience meditation that takes you toward liberation and stillness, you must first establish Dharana. We will discuss what Dharana is later but understand that Dharana is the foundation; it creates the focus for meditation to happen naturally.
Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi are the steps toward liberation. If you wish to overcome attachments and distractions, you must establish Dharana with a firm resolve: How can I free myself from deceit, hypocrisy, dishonesty, and selfishness? When you firmly establish this Dharana, your meditation will naturally align with self-awareness. Dharana leads to Dhyana, and Dhyana to Samadhi. Through this process, you will reach self-realization (the "I Am"), and through the "I Am," you will know Brahman (the Absolute). Understand that meditation cannot be "done." It happens automatically. Dharana (seat of desire) is what you can cultivate. Once you set your Dharana, meditation will happen on its own. When you are focused on external desires, your meditation is unstable because external objects are impermanent. To direct your meditation inward, toward the eternal, establish Dharana for liberation. When you do so, your meditation will lead you toward self-realization and beyond.
To truly grasp meditation, we must first understand the nature of attention, because meditation is directly tied to the attention and awareness.
Understanding Attention and Awareness
To comprehend meditation, we need to begin with awareness and attention. Imagine awareness as the vast ocean—boundless, all-encompassing, and still. Attention, on the other hand, is like a wave rising out of the ocean. While the wave is an expression of the ocean, it is also distinct in its movement and focus. In this analogy:
Awareness is the ever-present, unchanging reality (consciousness).
Attention is the dynamic aspect of awareness, stretching itself away from the source to focus on specific objects, thoughts, or experiences.
When we say that meditation is "happening," it means that attention, this wave-like movement of awareness, is naturally flowing and focusing on an object.
Think of attention as a beam of light from a torch in a dark room. Awareness, like the room itself, is always present, whether illuminated or not. However, attention—the torchlight—brings specific objects or areas within the room into focus.
Here’s how this analogy works:
Awareness is the source: Just as the torch contains the power to emit light, awareness is the source of all perception and experience.
Attention is the light beam: The torch's beam stretches and focuses on specific objects in the room, just as attention focuses on specific objects of thought or experience within awareness.
The object of attention is illuminated: Whatever the torchlight focuses on becomes visible, just as whatever attention rests on becomes the center of your experience.
That stretching of awareness is 'you' the separate self.
When your attention is on the source "I Am" (self-awareness), everything else fades into the periphery, and meditation begins to "happen." Or you can say the withdrawal of attention (the wave falling back into its source which is the ocean). The quality of meditation depends on where the torch of attention is directed. If the light is scattered, moving rapidly between different objects, meditation cannot take place. But when the beam is steady, focused on a single object like the "I Am," the mind becomes still, and the experience of meditation emerges naturally.
In the spiritual journey toward enlightenment there is often a sense of doubt and questioning: Am I on the right path? Is my sadhana (practice) working? How do I know if I am progressing toward the ultimate goal? This longing for validation is a natural part of the process, but the answer lies in understanding the stages of spiritual development.
Through the wisdom of Ashtanga Yoga (the Eight Limbs of Yoga) and the teachings of Advaita Vedanta, we can uncover a profound analogy:
Enlightenment is like a woman’s journey to motherhood.
As discussed earlier, true meditation is not a practice but a state of being—an unbroken awareness that happens naturally. The reason most seekers struggle with Dhyana is that they skip the crucial step of Dharana (Seat of desires).
Dharana is the seed; Dhyana is its flowering. Without Dharana, Dhyana cannot occur, just as a woman cannot nurture a baby before conceiving it. To understand how Dharana leads to Dhyana and ultimately to Samadhi (oneness with Brahman), we can look at the stages of a woman’s life as she becomes a mother.
The Spiritual Analogy: A Woman’s Journey to Motherhood
1. Pre-Pregnancy: The Desire and Karma
Before conception, a woman must act—perform her Karma. This action aligns with her desire (Sankalpa) to conceive. Similarly, on the spiritual path, a seeker must cultivate the desire for enlightenment and prepare through ethical living and disciplined practice. This preparation corresponds to the early stages of Ashtanga Yoga:
Yama and Niyama (ethical and moral disciplines)
Asana and Pranayama (preparing the body and mind)
Pratyahara (withdrawing from distractions)These steps purify the mind and body, creating the conditions for Dharana to arise.
2. Conception: The Seed of Dharana
Once a woman conceives, her awareness naturally shifts. Her attention (Dhyana) remains effortlessly on her womb, the life growing within her. Even as she performs daily tasks, her focus is on the baby. Similarly, in spirituality, Dharana is the conception of the "I Am"—the seed of self-awareness. When this seed is planted, Dhyana happens naturally, as the mind becomes effortlessly absorbed in self-awareness.
3. Pregnancy: Nurturing Dharana into Dhyana
A pregnant woman’s primary focus is nurturing the baby. Her lifestyle, diet, and actions all align with this purpose. She lets go of distractions and harmful habits, focusing entirely on the life within her. Likewise, once Dharana is established, the seeker’s life transforms. Every action becomes aligned with nurturing self-awareness, and distractions fade away. This is Dhyana: a natural, unbroken state of meditation.
4. Motherhood: The Birth of Enlightenment
When the time is right, the baby is born, and the woman becomes a mother. This transformation is spontaneous; she doesn’t have to "create" the baby—it emerges naturally from the process. Similarly, when Dhyana ripens, it transitions seamlessly into Samadhi, the state of oneness with Brahman. At this stage, the seeker realizes their true nature, dissolving the sense of individuality into the infinite.
How Do You Know You’re Pregnant with the “I Am” Seed?
In the early stages of pregnancy, a woman may not immediately know if she has conceived. She might suspect, hope, or doubt, and she often seeks validation from a doctor. Similarly, a seeker may wonder: Have I conceived the seed of self-awareness? At this stage, a guru acts as the doctor, guiding the seeker and confirming whether Dharana has occurred. However, after a certain point, a woman no longer needs external validation. She knows, beyond doubt, that she is pregnant. She feels the baby growing within her. Similarly, once Dharana happens, the seeker knows. The clearest sign is that their awareness (Dhyana) remains effortlessly on the "I Am." Even while performing daily tasks, their focus naturally returns to self-awareness. If this unbroken focus does not happen, it means the seed of Dharana has not yet been planted. The seeker must return to ethical living and disciplined sadhana to purify the mind and body.
The Process of Nurturing: Living a Spiritual Life
Once the seed of "I Am" is conceived, the seeker’s life transforms. Just as a pregnant woman focuses solely on nurturing her baby, a seeker focuses entirely on nurturing self-awareness. Every action, thought, and intention aligns with this purpose.
Ethical Living
To conceive and nurture the seed of Dharana, the seeker must live an ethical life, avoiding behaviors rooted in deceit, manipulation, or selfishness.
This includes: Letting go of Chal (deceit), Kapat (hypocrisy), Dhrudta (stubbornness), Bemani (dishonesty), and Chaplusi (flattery). Cultivating virtues like truthfulness, non-violence, contentment, and discipline. Performing daily actions with mindfulness and detachment. When the mind and body are purified, Dharana occurs naturally, and the process of Dhyana unfolds effortlessly.
Is Enlightenment Sudden or Gradual?
Enlightenment is both gradual and spontaneous. Like a fruit ripening on a tree, the process is gradual, but the moment it falls is sudden. Similarly, a woman transitions into motherhood suddenly, but only after months of nurturing and preparation. For the seeker, enlightenment emerges when the conditions are right. It cannot be forced or rushed. The seeker’s task is to focus on ethical living and nurturing the seed of Dharana, trusting that the process will unfold naturally.
The journey to enlightenment is beautifully simple so trust the Process. Prepare through Karma and Conceive the “I Am” Seed. Live ethically, purify the mind and body, and cultivate the desire for self-realization.
Nurture the seed and Realize the Self:
Through this process, the "I Am" dissolves into Brahman, the ultimate truth. Just as a woman becomes a mother without forcing the process, enlightenment is not something to achieve but something that happens when the conditions are right. We learnt that the path to self-realization is one of surrender, trust, and nurturing. Let your focus remain unwavering on the "I Am," and trust that one day, the fruit will ripen, and the self will be realized.